Great Western Coffee Shop

Simon Carpenter, from the group More Train , Less Strain , said: "I think we're looking at another protest." (link below.)
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7141755.stm

"That seems to be the only way First Great Western actually listens to us."

"Not only have we had problems with the timetable changes, we've still got the overcrowded trains and we're not looking forward to a fare rise in the new year."

FGW admitted there were problems but claimed services would improve over the coming days.

Looks like the RPIs are in for busy time then!!!!!!!!

Hopefully! FGW did say they wouldn't accept it twice!

can't wait for MTLS to complain about them being treated unfairly when they all get a nice hefty fine for everyone who does it...

i'm sure First would like a spare ^2million (2,000 x the max enforceable fine, which i believe is ^1,000?) to offset some refurb costs, or even hire some more units :P

I have a feeling that MTLS will try something different this time if they decide to do something in protest.

Why not send junk mail to the DafT afterall, the control who gets what trains.

A petty protest like this won't do anything.

You can discuss this and other issues with the MTLS folks at the brasserie within the former Bath Green Park station on Saturday (15/12/2007 , 10:30 am , see link below.)
http://oldfieldparktrains.blogspot.com/2007/12/14th-december.html

Sadly Im out of town tomorrow otherwise I'd have popped along as the FGW Coffee Shop roving reporter to give you the scoop on what's planned. If anyone else is going...Tony A I know you will be there!... then do report back on how it went.

You'll hear how it went in time!

Look forward to it Tony!  :)

Plan is for another fare strike in the new year.

Yawn yawn zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............i know its been stated fares going up to ^6.60per day, but how much would you pay for a weekly return? bet it would be a considerable saving.
and what is the comparable cost of bus /car/ taxi.......work this lot out and i  expect the train would be competitive

Awesome, i bet FGW are waiting for the penalty fares to come rolling in!

Prosecutions you mean! A penalty fare will only be issued if there is no fraud suspected, a bit like a police on the spot fine for drinking etc, to produce a fake ticket is blaitent fraud with the intent to obtain a service by deception (false ticket!)

Yes, i meant that!

what is the penalty for a false ticket?

It count's as fare evasion which carries a maximum 3 months imprisonment and/or ^1000 fine, once you've got a criminal record for that then try and get credit! Black listed for years! (when I say you I don't mean you personally, just a figure of speach!) ;D

The last fare strike tickets hardly looked like the real thing. Using a ticket with the destination "To Hell And Back" and "Cattle Class" is hardly deceptive. Fraud would be more along the lines of making a fake ticket with the correct destination which looked identical to the genuine article and not mentioning participation in the "strike".

lots of RPIs about today getting in some last minuite practice

I would suggest FGW taking action against MTLS protests will play right into the protesters hands as the press will be on hand to record the whole thing and will make a story out of it.

IIRC wernt FGW going to take the founders of MTLS to court after the last fare strike?

They did indeed!

Then i'd put money on it happening this time...