Western Greyhound , along with Truronian were pioneers of the "virtual branch line" concept. Here are a couple of links.
http://www.truronian.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=194http://www.westerngreyhound.co.uk/2006/555.pdfAs you can see from the current First Great Western timetable (link below) "Combined Rail&Bus tickets are available to 'Padstow Bus’ and ‘Wadebridge Bus’, saving you time and money. Purchase at your rail station ticket office." and "Combined Rail&Bus tickets are available to 'Helston Bus' and 'Culdrose Bus' saving you time and money. Purchase at your rail station ticket office."
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/OT60479%20PTT%202A-G.pdfI understand from a phone converstion last night with a usually reliable source that First are in discussion with the DfT on running rail replacement bus services on the following routes:
a) Par to Newquay
b) Liskeard to Looe
c) Totnes and Ivybridge to Plymouth
d) Chippenham to Frome
e) to Severn Beach
6. That an option of just ONE train a day for Melksham was considered, toghether with an option of a train every 2 hours just as I advocate. That the option of truncating the Severn Beach branch at Clifton Down was considered. I have not been supplied with details of these considerations.
I have also noted the following from the Jacobs report :
1) Oxford - Bicester line closure was considered.
2) Stopping service between Banbury and Oxford was considered for withdrawal.
3) Withdrawal of services from "lightly used stations" on the Reading - Gatwick Airport route was considered.
4) Withdrawal of services from "lightly used stations" on the following routes was considered :
a) Cardiff Central - Portsmouth Harbour.
b) Bristol Temple Meads - Westbury.
c) Westbury - Southampton Central.
d) Westbury - Weymouth.
e) Westbury - Swindon.
5) Withdrawal of services from "small stations" on the Plymouth - Penzance route was considered.
6) Withdrawal of services from some stations on the Barnstaple and Exmouth lines was considered.
7) Withdrawal of services from all intermediate stations on the Newquay and Looe lines was considered.
8 ) Peak hour only service on the Gunnislake line was considered.
15th June 2006 - the Department for Transport finds the money to fund extra train services into Plymouth (calling at Ivybridge) - a positive outcome at least in the short term, and some great headlines
22nd June 2006 - the Labour party candidate, James Anthony Kirk, wins the by election at Southway for a seat on Plymouth City Council by just 106 votes.
Plymouth City Council is very evenly balanced between Conservatives and Labour. Just the ONE seat changes control from one party to another.
I note that more tickets are sold per train calling at Melksham than at Ivybridge. No-one has told me that the "Ivybridge decision" was made with the upcoming election in mind, but I certainly wouldn't mind us having a close-run and important election somewhere around here
Should we book our Combined Rail&Bus tickets now?
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