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Topic: To Widen the scope? (Read 10133 times)
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Graham Ellis
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We've been campaigning here ... with little end result, it seems, for nearly a year. Yet more and more, Melksham services just look like one little battle, insignificant to the authorities that plan train services, in a war. Our web site has had visits from over 7000 different host computers in the 10 months, and the "savethetrain" domain name is more widely applicable. It's been suggested that I modify the remit slighhtly, and provide facilities for people concerned in publicising the wider war, and not just our battle. I would be very interested in opinions, feedbacks - as follow ups, or by email to graham@wellho.net if you prefer |
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Graham Ellis
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You'll have noted that we have somewhat widened the scope, much of that because the Swidon - Westbury - Southampton service is part of a pattern. Under the new timetables from 9th December, there are severe cuts to many of the ex-Wessex trains routes in the South West, and to some of the services that were part of the old Great Western and Great Western Link services too.
The franchise award to First, and the original draft timetables published at the very start of this year, showed horrendous cuts to services to smaller stations throughout the South West, and to trains being withdrawn too. We later learnt that trains on the Cardiff to Portsmouth line, already crowded, are to be shortened. Some, but by no means all, of the proposed service cuts HAVE been pulled back - in some cases for just a year. Here's a list I've put together, concentrating in this case ina request for information with a Bristol bias ....
Stations / services effected in the Bristol area:
* Pilning (no service at all shown in the new Monday to Friday timetable)
* Keynsham (rush hour service into Bristol slashed by over 50%)
* South Wales to the West Country - all through trains withdrawn
* Freshford and Avoncliff - former hourly service now has gaps
* Dilton Marsh and Warminster - trains reduced
Further afield:
* Swindon to Southampton service withdrawn TOTALLY
* Ivybridge service slashed (some re-instatment, but some trains only for 1 year_
* Saltash and Cornwall local stations
* Looe and Newquay branches
* Bristol to Southampton local not running south of Westbury
Service that were proposed for cut but which have partially (in most cases) been pulled back
* The Paddington to West Country sleeper has been retained, but without the Plymouth section
* Dean and Dunbridge
* Islip and Bicester Town
* Kintbury and Bedwyn
* Gunnislake, Barnstaple, St Ives
Improvements such as an extension of the London to Great Bedwyn service to Westbury (to replace stops made at Westbury withdrawn from West of England services) have been taken back out in the final timetable too, leaving Westbury with a lesser service than it has at present.
I've not listed the Severn Beach line, Bristol to Weston-super-mare, Oldfield Park, Patchway in my answer ... simply because I'm composing this liet offline; I'm away from home this week and don't have the data to hand. My personal concentrarion IS Melksham as I live there. But add in those stations and you'll see very little left in Bristol - turning it towards an intercity-only operation.
With the more local services around Bristol parallelled by First's buses for which they've just got a healthy grant, you have to suspect that it makes economic sense for them to run buses (with a lot of government money) than trains (for which they're paying the government a premium). There's also an increasing problem with growing freight traffic from Southampton and Plymouth to the Midlands and North, and to South Wales, that's taking up slots on sections such as Temple Meads to Filton ... creaking to capacity.
We've already been told that further traffic surveys are underway, with a view to further revising services in the next "round" - i.e. to run from December 2007. Unless there's a change in direction, that would seem to point towards further reductions - certainly, I don't see passenger levels at Keynsham, Melksham, Piling, Newquay, Looe ... improving when their services are slashed by a half or more.
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Graz
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Keynsham and Oldfield Park also previously had an hourly service but now there is a two-hour gap between both stations in the middle of the day to allow the Brighton train to go to Cardiff Central-- as if there's not enough trains to Cardiff on that route already  what makes it even worse is that I was promised by Derek Twigg before FGW bought the franchise that the hourly service would be kept. What annoys me further is the shortening of trains on routes to/from Southampton and Bristol. FGW are happily upgrading trains to London, at expense, but the Portsmouth-Cardiff services became very busy and Wessex had the good idea of adding an extra carriage onto these trains, from 2 to 3. They're now comfortable to travel in (albeit still standing room only at peak). But FGW are now very stupidly reducing them to 2 again. One of the worries I had when FGW bought the franchise is that they'd be too focused on Paddington HST trains, and that's just what's happening. |
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« Last Edit: August 09, 2006, 03:05:15 PM by Graz »
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Lee
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« Last Edit: August 12, 2006, 12:47:55 PM by Lee »
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Lee
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« Last Edit: August 13, 2006, 03:30:53 PM by Lee »
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Graham Ellis
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"The battle for 2006 is lost, but the war is far from decided". I'm paraphrasing the words of a well respected and knowledgable correspondent who's probably correct in his words. It would now take a miracle to save the TransWilts at the current level as from 10th December; I still hope for such a miracle, and will do what I can to faciitate it.
This year, the First group have been gathering on train information in various surveys, and planning ahead with the development of the franchise. We've already been told of further service reviews in December 2007, with this summer's surveys and ongoing discussions in various places already underway, I think. And we just learnt a great deal more from the various bits of information released by the DfT.
1. I'm expanding my scope to look beyond 2006 timetable changes. I'll be at the SWPTUF meeting at Taunton next Saturday, looking to talk with movers and shakers and continue to make the case for logical longer distance rail links and improved service in the fast-growing North Easterly part of that area. So ...
2. I'll not be looking only at "Via Melksham" services (nor only at trains) - I AM a bus and car user too, and each has its place. It happens that Swindon - Melksham - Trowbridge - Salisbury should NOT be a Train - bus - train journey in my view, and we know that passengers desert the service when it's bustituded, so my view is proven on the ground. Where the bus SHOULD come in is as a feeder service. Looking at the Melksham case as an example, a completed loop at the station via Spencer's Gate, with at least the town bus (route 14) or equivalent servicing the new homes into town AND the station is logical.
The other reason for taking a wider rail view is that the services, and resources and policies are very much linked at a regional or cross-regional level, and even up to a National level. That's brought very much to home by having a "TransPennine" train on the TransWilts service earlier this month. I'm not one for fighting to get our service resources by stealing from elsewhere - but rather for through timetabling and setting up long distance service for everyone's best advantage. I see huge merit in a ... let me see ... Bedford, Bletchley, Bicester, Oxford, Swindon, Westbury, Yeovil, Exeter service. And, picking up on Transport 2000's objectives, that would usefully expand up to Cambridge.
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