Great Western Coffee Shop

From tonight's Bath Chronicle. Let's hope it's true and that FGW come up with a better working timetable for December's change. We won't have to wait long to see the draft timetable which is due early summer. Hopefully they will do what they did last year and put the draft timetable on their website so everyone who has an interest can comment.

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=17135670&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

Under-fire train operator First Great Western is making a fresh effort to improve services in and around Bath.City MP Don Foster has been lobbying the company to change its timetable for months.

Now the firm has said it has listened to him, and concerns raised by local passengers, and that it is working on a new timetable.

"The company is going to produce a draft timetable which will go to public consultation in the early summer and which is due to start in December," Mr Foster said yesterday.

"I am optimistic that the four things we in Bath need to happen are likely to be included in that draft timetable.

"The only point of caution is that even if First wants to do these things, it has to get approval from Network Rail and the Government."

In the past six weeks Mr Foster has held three separate meetings with the firm and says it is redrafting the timetable for services serving Bath and the west.

He says the new timetables will include:

Increased, and better-spaced, services between Bath and Bristol, especially at peak times;

Better-spaced services between Bath, Trowbridge and Westbury and more stops at Freshford station;

Improved connection at Bath between commuter and high speed trains;

An increased service between Bath and Abbey Wood.

"If we get offered all of these things by First we will need to shift our lobbying attentions to Network Rail and the Government," said Mr Foster.

"The other good thing is that all this would strengthen the case for reopening Corsham station.

"Since taking over the rail franchise First group has had an appalling record.

"I think there might now be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel - although we will have to waitand see."

A First Great Western spokesman said the firm had listened to Mr Foster's views and those of commuters and was keen to maintain an ongoing dialogue.

He said: "We can confirm we will be revising our service timings and patterns to strengthen local services and connections in and around Bath.

"Work is also due to start soonon the refurbishment and enhancement of Bath Spa station."

First Great Western took over the regional franchise last year and in December introduced a new timetable which saw services between Bath and Bristol slashed.

The move prompted a passenger revolt and in January, hundreds of people boarded trains without paying fares in protest.

Since then passenger groups and politicians have been meeting with the company, urging them to rethink their services.

Yesterday Tony Ambrose, of protest group More Train, Less Strain, which led January's fare strike, welcomed the news.

"It's great they're improving the timetable and suggests First is starting to listen to its users but it is still running old rolling stock which breaks down frequently," he said.

"This means there's nothing to fall back on to and unless they put money into the rolling stock, services will not progress."

Mr Ambrose said campaigners were still very concerned about services to Melksham and Frome and wanted commitment from First that those services would also be improved.

The First spokesman said: "Trains will always break down from time to time.

"But we have increased our investment in technical modifications and internal refurbishment on the whole West Country regional fleet from ^1m to ^4m.

"It's too early to say what the timetables for Frome and Melksham will be.

"But it's unlikely we will increase the number of trains going to Melksham unless we get some form of sponsorship from a third party to make it financially viable."

ENDS

Isnt that where Gordon Edwards lives.........


How , exactly?

Here is a note of caution related to the May 2007 timetable (link below.)
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2043.msg4887#msg4887

Funny you should ask I was thinking that after I read it. I cant see it having anything to do with it reopening Corsham station as FGW dont operate local services between Bristol-Swindon since the withdrawal of Bristol-Oxford a number of years back.


Here is a note of caution related to the May 2007 timetable (link below.)
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2043.msg4887#msg4887

Be interested to know where CliveD got the new May 2007 from????

Thought there were more than enough stops at Freshford already. >:( >:( >:(

Why is there a fast service from Bristol/North Bristol in the evenings (BTM/Bath/Trowbridge) local outer surburban type running, and none at all in the mornings.

Every b****y train calls at Avoncliff and Freshford in the mornings and then hangs around at Bristol TM for 10 mins. Can someone explain the logic of that one.

It takes 15 mins longer to get to work than it does to get home (that's if they don't break down before they get there) and this on a 40 min journey.

I'm sure if there were guaranteed 40 min journey times from the West Wilts area to the Greater Bristol area then quite a few cars could be removed from the A46/M4 and the ring road in the mornings. At the moment people are more likely to take the chance on getting through in the comfort of their own cars slightly quicker than the current 55 min.

No competition there at all.

Alison Forster keeps the FGW publicity machine spinning in the link below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6577331.stm