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Topic: Larger franchise areas loose us services (Read 1537 times)
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Graham Ellis
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Part of a reply to an email this morning ...
One of the big issues that I have with the current system of enlarged franshises is that it encourages monopolistic behaviour in areas where there was previously competition. I've three specific services which I consider have been lost / reduced by the combination of Thames Trains, Great Western and Wessex trains into a single operation:
a) Swindon to Southampton
b) London to Worcester via Cheltenham
c) Bristol to Oxford.
In all three cases, the operator looses some public support by culling the service, but at the end of the day, the passengers still travel on his trains by a different route, so that only marginal income is lost.
In the case of Bristol to Oxford, passengers grumble but continue to use the train, changing at Didcot and adding a few minutes to their journey if there happens to be a good connection, adding rather more if the connections don't work. But still they use the train.
There's an issue with Cheltenham to Worcester services - a need for more of them and the natural extension is the Paddington to Cheltenham service. In the days that Great Western and Thames Trains competed, you had two potentially rival services. "But once the franchises merged we really had no incentive to compete with ourselves; prior to that it would have been something we would have done, but not now" - that's a comment I had relayed to me, and I trust my source.
Swindon to Westbury. My home turf. Yet again the other day, I answered an email and concluded that First would be competing with themselves if they offered the service the area needs, but another operator could do very well. Basically, we're being shafted with just two daily trains at inappropriate times, with alternatives of "via Bath" with an awful interchange (and don't be kidded to think that it will be just as good as the direct train once Bath station is improved) or a bus service that extends the journey by up to an hour (again, don't be kidded into thinking that running a minority of buses via the station in Chippenham will make it just as good as the current train).
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Lee
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Swindon to Westbury. My home turf. Yet again the other day, I answered an email and concluded that First would be competing with themselves if they offered the service the area needs, but another operator could do very well. Basically, we're being shafted with just two daily trains at inappropriate times, with alternatives of "via Bath" with an awful interchange (and don't be kidded to think that it will be just as good as the direct train once Bath station is improved) or a bus service that extends the journey by up to an hour (again, don't be kidded into thinking that running a minority of buses via the station in Chippenham will make it just as good as the current train).
Graham explains the Swindon - Southampton train service success story in the link below. http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/open.html"The current train service has grown dramatically, in spite of a fearsome reputation for frequent cancellation (and that continues under First, with 4% of services not running in the last 3 weeks prior to this report being written), and replacement of trains by buses for engineering works (at least some trains have been replaced buses on the majority of weekends over the past year). Publicity for the service has been almost non-existent, even at Swindon and Chippenham stations where it was a "guest" service, and connections have been problematic when main line trains run late." "Why has it been so successful in spite of the dreadful service? Alternative "end to end" services for the line involve a dogleg journey via Bath, with an awkward change and a very large number of steps. Some recommendations from national web sites even route passengers from Salisbury to Swindon via Basingstoke and Reading. Interchange from train to Bus at Chippenham adds 50 minutes to the journey time, with the bus not serving the station and a long walk or extra connection involved. And many of the passengers using the service are "core" users who do not have access to their own transport and who can't be easily displaced. The "choice" and "leisure" markets remain largely untapped." Although the DfT are largely responsible for the demise of the Swindon - Southampton service , First must take their fair share of the blame for giving it a good kicking as it awaits its fate (link below.) http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=424.msg1249#msg1249"Interchange from train to Bus at Chippenham adds 50 minutes to the journey time, with the bus not serving the station and a long walk or extra connection involved." They have just removed one of the main benefits of the Melksham train service. "Why has it been so successful in spite of the dreadful service? Alternative "end to end" services for the line involve a dogleg journey via Bath, with an awkward change and a very large number of steps." A Further response ....
We are working hard to improve disabled access at stations. Bath Spa will have lifts to both platforms in 2008, and Westbury will too soon after. We have just secured 7 'Access for All' grants for improving disabled access, including for Bradford-on-Avon. We will always do our best to help any mobility impaired passenger, including advising on where best to change trains.
To my untutored view, it looks like we've got a retrograde step as far as disabled travellers from (for example) Swindon to Trowbridge are concerned ... and for travellers with heavy luggage, mothers with puchchairs too .... in December 2006.
Sometime in 2008, part of the retrograde step will be recovered as changing at Bath will be made easier. But let's not fool ourselves - that net result is three steps backwards and one forward a year later. Net result - two steps backwards. Cynical old me again , im afraid. |
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