| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
TravelWatch South West blast FGW - 2858/6116 Written by courgettelawn on Thursday, 5th July 2007 I came across this short article in the Avon Advertiser (4 July) of all places (not sure if it was syndicated and also appeared in Salisbury Journal). It follows the latest National Passenger Survey which revealed a drop in passenger satisfaction with FGW performance on the ex-Wessex network. TravelWatch have said they want to see improvements in capacity, punctuality and reliability, ticket-buying facilities, handling of delays and ambiance of FGW rolling stock. According to the survey, overall satisfaction dropped by 8% and now 5% below average compared to other operators. The biggest changes was the way the operator handled delays, falling in satisfaction by 17%. Of 31 factors, only 3 have gone up for ex-Wessex services - all are station and train staff related (up by 1-2%). TravelWatch have said: "Our message to First Great Western is 'We are watching, but will not be content with just waiting'. They expect improvements in the autumn survey. Re: TravelWatch South West blast FGW - 2858/6117 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Friday, 6th July 2007 There are a lot of people watching FGW at the moment. Re: TravelWatch South West blast FGW - 2858/6134 Written by Lee on Saturday, 7th July 2007 More bad news for FGW in the link below. http://www.westpress.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=146238&command=displayContent&sourceNode=146064&contentPK=17756278&folderPk=100268&pNodeId=145795 Re: TravelWatch South West blast FGW - 2858/6351 Written by courgettelawn on Wednesday, 18th July 2007 A brief moment to comment. I fear that in spite of the criticisms FGW's franchise quite safe. They could be embarrassed into improving services or they could just carry on as normal. I hear no new rhetoric from the not-so new-look DfT so the best response is to keep up the pressure as much as possible. I will be collecting this information for the article. Re: TravelWatch South West blast FGW - 2858/6357 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Wednesday, 18th July 2007 [quote author=courgettelawn link=topic=2858.msg6351#msg6351 date=1184753112] I fear that in spite of the criticisms FGW's franchise quite safe.[/quote] It probably is. If they lost the franchise, they would take the stock they own (5 trains at the moment, 10 in the near future) with them, leaving a new operator with a gaping hole .... Re: TravelWatch South West blast FGW - 2858/6394 Written by courgettelawn on Friday, 20th July 2007 What we need is a rich and anonymous train-loving benefactor to take over the line. We'll have the best trains and best services in the country! I'd even travel on slam-doors again rather than the 158s! Re: TravelWatch South West blast FGW - 2858/6396 Written by Lee on Friday, 20th July 2007 [quote author=courgettelawn link=topic=2858.msg6394#msg6394 date=1184926602]What we need is a rich and anonymous train-loving benefactor to take over the line. We'll have the best trains and best services in the country! I'd even travel on slam-doors again rather than the 158s![/quote] Here is a business case for said benefactor (link below.) http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/open.html link to index of articles |
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Save the Train was the campaign to bring an approriate train service back to and through Melksham. Most big contributors are still around writing at the Coffee shop forum where new members are very welcome. The train has been saved - sort of - we have stepped back up from an unusable service to a poorish one but it's doing very well. We did that through setting up the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership. That fulfilled its early objectives; it has been taken over by local and regional government types who are now doing medium and long term work. The team from this forun can also be found at the Melksham Rail User Group (which was the Melksham Rail Development Group at the time these articles were written and we had no users. We mustn't loose sight, though, that the train service remains poor and needs our community support in marketing and campaigning to keep it going in a positive direction ... and all the more so when we're expecting to find a different normallity once we get out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and head for zero carbon via the climate crisis. Yes, it's saved ... it's now a key community facility ... the need for enhancement and the strong and near-universal local support remain, and the rail industry and goverment remain slow to move and provide the enhancements even to level us up with other towns. Please support the Melksham Rail User Group - now very much in partnership rather than protest with the rail industry and local government, including GWR, TransWilts and unitary and town councils. And please use the trains and buses, and cycle and walk when you can. -- Graham Ellis, (webmaster), February 2021 | |||
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