"Britain's biggest train operator has been ordered by the Rail Regulator to improve its dismal punctuality record. First Great Western has frequently resorted to ferrying stranded passengers in taxis to their West Country destinations because of repeated problems ...."

From the front page, today's Daily Telegraph, business section.

How well be know their record here in Melksham, with cancellations and delays every single week in July .... actually, I think that the running of the trains is more of an issue for us; a few minutes delay isn't a problem, unless it's on a long distance train into Swindon or Westbury that causes us to miss the infrequent trans-wilts ...

The article carries on ...


Yes, I suspect that if trains weren't schduled, then it wouldn't be up to First to provide a taxi, and that would be cheaper for them.   I do know that all too often they've had to provide a taxi from Swindon or Chippenham for our arriving customers when the connection has failed.  Sometimes they've taken some persuading to do so, and the taxi drivers complain like hell that the train companys are slow payers, but I don't think the taxi fare will have ever exceeded the through fare the customer is paying so in fact they'll be loosing money overall on the current status quo if the customer drives instead.