Thanks for having me! This forum is such a great place to access the 'We-Hate-GWR▸ ' Hive Mind...
It's more nuanced than that here. Honest. More of a love/hate relationship for some of us!
I saw that discussion above and thought "what an excellent hook to hang comment onto concerning the Coffee Shop and how it fits in" - rather more than just
likeing both posts
When I started seeking a better service (in the widest meaning of 'service') for passengers and potential passengers, I was very much aware of blogs such as "Worst Great Western" and "First Late Western", and groups such as "More train, less strain" - see
http://www.passenger.chat/1574 . And to this day you'll find similar activity - much of it on Facebook - with groups like the Association of British Commuters who have taken the
DfT» to court, and Northern Resist who's relationship with their train operator is so poor they get blocked from the operator's facebook page. In our own region, "First Bus is not a public service - it's a disgrace" has recently joined that genre, though I'm delighed to see them renaming to "First Bus Bristol Have your say".
The Coffee shop was never intended - and never has - taken quite the same adversarial approach.The Coffee Shop's approach - see http://www.passenger.chat/1761 - is to look to promote better, better know, better tailored, better tuned public transport provision across the Thames Valley, South West and South Wales. At times, that will involve us being critical, cynical, candid with the specifiers and operators of those services, and to seek changes which enhance the product for the customer - but at the same time, so much of the real experise needed to make these enhancements is within the organisation with whom we are being candid/critical/cynical, and we can be really much more effective if we help ensure that
goal are mutual goals, that
partnership takes priority over protest where it can, and that we work together in an environment of
mutual respect and trust.
It speaks for the enduring nature of our approach that the threads I've referred you to above are 10 years old and yet still pretty relevant.
It speaks for the nature of our approach that we're on excellent terms (for the most part) with GWR, the DfT, local councils, etc.
It speaks for the nature of our approach that even in the days when forums have somewhat given way to other social media, we still have strong support
And it speaks to the nature of our approach that we have takan a significant and noticable role in certain improvements and in certain informing of people.
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