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February 28, 2006
Safer current trains - the 06:56, 07:45 and 18:09
I have updated the "service now" page. I'm now indicating the evening train as being under threat having seen the draft timetable, but I have marked the 06:56 as being "appears safe" along with the 07:45 and 18:09. All relative, mind you, and all safe trains with timing changes that make them LESS convenient to most travellers.
The proposed 19:28 train to Swindon doesn't correspond to any existing service - so it doesn't provide an "appears safe" to any of the existing 10 services. I'm at something of a loss to see that this service will get much use. Seems very silly for a company to run a train when there's not much traffic likely to be offered, or am I blind to some market or other?
P.S. I have not marked any of the weekend trains as "safe". We're told there will be two trains on each of Saturday and Sunday, but First are unable to give me any idea as yet as to their timing and in light of the odd weekday draft, we cannot be sure that they will be the most useful ones, or even at any time that they will get capture significant traffic
Posted by gje at 06:25 AM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2006
Roger Jones answers 5 months later!
I have just received a response to my letter of 2nd October 2005 to Roger Jones at the Department for Transport. Full Text of letter.
You may recall that five month ago there were three companies bidding to run the train service on our line, and each of them was looking to provide a good bid to meet both what the Department for Transport wanted and also to consider the views of local opinion; in a competitive situation, they were obliged - at least to some extent - to take into account local inputs and feelings, and we were busy writing to Narional Express, to Stagecoach, and to First.
We've got a rather different situation now. To be fair, Mr Jones has updated his answer to reflect the last five months of activity ... but I'm stopping short of calling it an "answer", for to do so would imply that it substantively answered by questions.
Mr Jones is, at least, straightforward enough to tell me that it's a minister's decision to "can" the service (a pleasant change from DfT pointing to First and First pointing to the DfT). However, there is still no answer what so ever on what they consider to be "low" traffic levels, on which year's figures they used (important on a line that has grown by a factor of 8 TIMES in 5 years, or on any of the studies and reports that formed the background to their decision. Perhaps no-one looked at any figures, then ... perhaps the decision was taken purely because some guy at the SRA hadn't heard of Melksham ...
Posted by gje at 06:10 PM | Comments (0)
February 26, 2006
A week is a long time
I'm home after a long week away - from Melksham to London, Liverpool, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and then home to Melksham. I was giving training courses, and on this occasion drove most of the way because I had to carry around a dozen laptop cumputers with me to each venue. And guess where the worst traffic jam was all week? Why - it was on the A350 through Beanacre on my way back into Melksham yesterday lunch time!
My post bag this week has included links from Warminster, where there's a furrore about a reduction in the service, and from Dean / Dunbridge where there's also a belated "oops" going on. I do notice that First Great Western's MD, Alison Forster, is talking about taking the Dean / Dunbridge issue up with the Department for transport after the completion of the consultation with a view to having them, presumably, endorse an improved service.
Alison speaks next Saturday at the SWPTUF meeting in Taunton, and I'll be there. I hope to be able to ask one or two questions - with a view to making the lady stop, look, consider what she and her team are doing to rail users to and through Melksham First - transforming travel they say. Yes - driving us away from their services to the mutual detriment of us and them. Doesn't seem sensible, does it?
Posted by gje at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)
February 22, 2006
Three and a half answers out of 4
Some clarification on questions I asked about the draft timetable.
1. Connections are NOT guaranteed, except where they're made into the last train of the day in which case the train will probably be held
2. There will be no cheap day return fares bookable on the day (Monday to Friday) from Melksham to London, since there will be no offpeak trains. First will NOT offer a "derrogation" on this.
3. We don't know the timing of Saturday or Sunday trains yet (this was the one that wasn't really answered) and First don't know what proportion of the weekend trains will in fact end up being replaced by buses until much closer to the time
4. When asked about alternative arrangements for customers of all the trains that are being withdrawn, First told me that they are talking with First bus with a view to extending the 231 and 234 services to Chippenham (I think they meant "Chippenham Station") from 1st April.
Posted by gje at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2006
Draft timetables (continued)
I'm disappointed at the proposal - cynically, it looks like a minimal commuter train that's run at the very start / end of the rushhour so that the train used can also provide a commuter trip to and from Gloucester, with our second train being used as a stock working to get the commuter train to Westbury abd back from there.
Using a Westbury based train for the run - slighly later up to Swindon, returning in the evening slighly earlier than proposed, and then running the second service to get the train back to Westbury and up again would have many advantages - more traffic , one train with off peak fares available, practical use of train for people coming too Melksham ...
I'm out of the country and posting "dial in" from a hotel line at the moment - so please excuse the brief rant. Much more substanting comments on the user forum!
Posted by gje at 07:16 AM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2006
Background and opinion
The Swindon to Westbury, Salisbury and Southampton line will be operated by First Group from 1st April, taking over from National Express (Wessex Trains).The Department for Transport has told First to run just two trains a day and that one is a commuter train up to Swindon in the morning rush hour and back in the evening rush hour. After that, it's up to First. So we need to tell First about the need for any tuning, and the DfT about service level.
The service proposed is operationally covenient for First as it runs the train early in the morning commute and late in the evening commute, leaving the same train they use for the peak train on the Stroud Valley line. It provides, for the first time, a practical commuter service from Melksham to London. It is less good for many Swindon commuters who will arrive there much earlier than they wish, and have to wait around until much later to return. For businesses like mine which has relied on customers arriving in Melksham (from far afield) by train at 9 in the morning and leaving at 5 in the evening, it is a disaster.
I've spent some time studying the service and options, and I believe that the service offered should be a train every 2 hours. That's just a single train running between Swindon and Westbury. The financial model is better than the proposed service which would lose a great deal of traffic. Up to this point there have been no studies published and the decision is based on old figures and minimal feedback from a near-secret consultation process.
Posted by gje at 05:15 AM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2006
On the 05:52 this morning
From a regular passenger, on seeing the new timetable this morning: "It will certainly drive me away from the train". He is a regular commuter on the 05:52 train from Melksham to Swindon - one of the trains to be withdrawn. He's commuted by train every day for a couple of years, and tells me that the altenative buses are impractical for him. The train left Melksham with about a dozen people on board; no doubt each of them has a similar story.
Posted by gje at 06:03 AM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2006
Out with the old users, in with the new
There was disappointment when the current train to Swindon moved some 20 minutes earlier from Melksham, as it now gets into Swindon inconveniently early for many people. So it's unfortunate to say the least that it's going to be earlier again from December.
The return service at 17:35 was plenty late enough for most users - any who continue to use the train will have more than another half hour to wait (until 18:12) from December, and it will make for a very long day.
Being selfish, the new times proposed, with the 09:12 arrival and 17:02 departures withdrawn, completely mash our business use of the trains. We have regularly collected hundreds of long distance travellers from the 09:12, or dropped them off for the 17:02, each year since 2001 but in the future other arrangements will be needed. I would anticipate many more people using their cars - we've been proud of "40% by public transport" but can't continue with that if there IS no long distance public transport.
Where the new timings may gain is in long-distance outbound commuting. It does look like Melksham could be a London commuter town in the future, with two morning departures at 06:46 and 07:37 getting into London at 09:29 and 09:15, returning from London at 17:00 and 17:33 with Melksham arrivals at 18:38 and 19:28. Perhaps the current market (users) are being cleared out in favour of this more lucrative traffic - after all, the operator IS looking to make a profit and a return to London on the only trains that will be available in the future will bring in over a hundred pound per round trip.
Posted by gje at 05:42 AM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2006
Draft Timetable is here
First have published the draft Monday to Friday timetable proposed from December 2006.
I've put Swindon to Westbury via Melksham details on the site.
Full .pdf timetables are on the First Great Western site - look under "Cardiff and Bristol TM to Weymouth / Portsmouth / Brighton" for our service.
Their web page states:
Melksham
3 trains each way withdrawn, with remaining 2 running north of Westbury only (as specified by DfT).
Morning train to arrives into Swindon earlier at 0803, instead of 0818.
Evening train from Swindon runs later at 1812, instead of 1738.
Posted by gje at 01:14 AM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2006
Today or tomorrow
"Friday or Monday we'll be sending out draft timetables". Well - it's Monday and I've seen nowt, so they should be here electronically today OR in a paper form tomorrow.
I'll post TransWilts / Melksham proposals without comment initially to let people form their own views, but I'll follow up with my thoughts fairly soon. And since I don't know what's in the proposals, I can't attenpt to second guess them. I do know that if they fall a long way short of a sensible solution, I'll consider a two-pronged reply:
a) What's the best approach / my thoughts based on proposed service levels and
b) What the approach should be under the "sensible solution" option.
Posted by gje at 04:39 AM | Comments (0)
February 11, 2006
Meeting with a local MP
Yesterday, I spent 20 minutes with Dr Andrew Murrison who's the MP for Westbury - covering Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh and Warminster stations on the "TransWilts". A part of the discussion related to the various threats / changes on other lines in his constituency - he's particularly concerned about the Bristol to Waterloo through service at the moment which is in a far earlier stage of consultation, but the discussions ranged much more widely too, especially looking at footfall statistics, ticket sales stats, and what they do (and don't) show.
I left behind a whole load of information for his researcher, who has a rail background, to look into further. in going through the highlights, one of the things that especially interested Andrew was the dramatic ticket increases for Melksham - and he was surpised to find that these were industry official figures rather than something we had come up with. Andrew has asked for a meeting with Derek Twigg at the Department for Transport - main topic on his agenda is "The Wateloo" but "The TransWilts" and services through Melksham should now come up too.
Main threats to train services in the Westbury constituency at present.
1. TransWilts service - Swindon to Salisbury and Southampton (red)
All through trains withdrawn. Just 2 local trains per day retained northwards from Westbury.
2. Bristol to Waterloo service (yellow)
Through services may not be retained in re-franchise operation.
3. Express services to London (blue)
Largely withdrawn; replaced by an extension of the local train from Bedwyn.
4. Services to the West of England (orange)
Only 2 main line trains heading West per day to stop.
Posted by gje at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)
February 09, 2006
Waiting, with baited breath
We should see some draft timetables over the next few days. What will they show? Any effect from our campaign? I'm hoping so, but, frankly, I think it's unlikely that we'll see the big prize of services at an appropriate level.
The original ITT document provided for a rush hour train up to Swindon in the morning, back in the evening peak, and an additional return journey during the evening. That was Monday to Friday; weekend was woolly / not mentioned / taken to be a zero service.
I'm hopeful that we'll have a couple of trains on Saturday and a couple on Sunday. I'm hopeful that the timing of services will be more "practical" than the original proposal. And if this is indeed the case, I'll feel some tinyt degree of success in getting the original ridiculous proposal looked at. I do get the impression, reading between the lines, that First have been instructed to cut the number of trains they have on the track and there's severe pressure to run our line with zero trains assigned to it.
I've an open mind about the draft timetables; I want to look at the detail before I comment but I'm certainly prepared to help make suggestions of what would be good small alterations if necessary. And faciitating others to do so by helping with publicity while the consultation is open.
Posted by gje at 07:14 AM | Comments (0)
February 08, 2006
Timetable consultation coming up
The timetabling meetings for 2007 (i.e. service from Dec 2006 onwards) are taking place this week with all the railway companies involved, and a draft is being sent out to the "Consultation List" on Friday or Monday. I'm told I'm on the list, so I'll be able to fill you all in here; please give me until late on Tuesday (that's 14th February) to get the appropriate information on line here.
There's said to be a couple of weeks for feedback on the new timetables, and as well as posting up the details of the timings I'll tell you about any arrangements I know if you want to put feedback in.
Posted by gje at 05:25 AM | Comments (0)
February 07, 2006
From my postbag ...
"After using the service again after a break of a couple of years I have been pleasantly suprised to find more people using it than before. It seems perverse to prune the service just when it is starting to bear fruit."
I couldn't have put it better ...
Posted by gje at 07:14 AM | Comments (0)
February 05, 2006
Recent Correspondence
Major update of incoming coirrespondence - see here.
* George Batten of the County Council writes that it's unlikley they can afford to buy in services (but I note that planning signs have gone up in our street for bus stop improvements on what is a perfectly good pavement)
* A reply from Peter West at the Department for Transport. Have a look at this one here. Odd positive flickers - for example it seems that we WILL have 2 trains each way each day on Saturday and Sunday, but also much of the story I've heard before about light responses and loading, while lacking any definition of what's meant by "light" ... and missing the point that I'm looking to help them lower the subsidy needed by providing a more appropriate service.
* Lesley Coleman at First, confirming that she IS the one to pass the information on to appropriate people there. I still think - heck, it's her job - that she's managing the information flow to the people at the sharp end ....
Posted by gje at 08:54 AM | Comments (0)
February 03, 2006
Keep watching - coming to the boil!
Theatre trip - after a long week, Lisa and I took the 17:02 north from Melksham which sat at Thingley junction for 20 minutes before pulling in to Chippenham and turning around to head back, empty stock, to Westbury ....
Meanwhile - or rather, over the last couple of days, letters in from all and sundry ... and web site to be updated tomorrow as a result.
We returned on the evening train. On time, and a cheerful conductor. Got chatting to a regular reader and occasional poster ... learnt a little more of yet another life to be made more complicated if the service goes ....
Posted by gje at 11:20 PM | Comments (0)