Great Western Coffee Shop

Not a good start on the railways for some new members!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3g3zyz7k48o

Also posted in http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=28886.msg348214#msg348214
What now with a Labour Government - Mark Hopwood predicts

I *think* I am delighted that new MPs are experiencing this for the first time in many cases.   It shows them just what the rest of us experience but is new to them; with the Labour and Liberal Democrat surges, a number of our new MPs are very surprised to find themselves in parliament and have a learning curve, and a degree of sympathy from me too.

Where this may NOT help is in putting things right on "The main lines that were forgotten" - those that do not run to or from London.   In our region, few MPs will have a personsal interest in getting thirgs right on Cross Country services or on Portsmouth - Cardiff, on both of which tired second hand trains are the norm and may continue to be so.

It’s the honeymoon period for these new MP’s…… they’ll gradually quieten down over the next 4 years before reawakening

Its within in their gift to do something about it

...or the gift of Rachel Reeves and the Treasury?

Two separate conversations in Cornwall at the weekend, the Kernow persons in both conversations held the view that within five years the railway would be permanently closed west of Exeter, which is either unduly pessimistic, or unduly realistic (if it's possible to hold the latter stance).

If people have access to a vehicle, for journeys up country, Tiverton Parkway (~110 miles and <2 hours by car from Truro) is to some extent already the park-and-ride of choice for both Devon and Cornwall.

Mark

There are some of us who live West of Truro!
Add another hour at least, please.
Would also query the less than 2 hours drive between Truro and Tiverton.

West of Plymouth might stand a 'better' chance. But not very likely methinks

............GWR next in line?

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2024-07-12/avanti-west-coast-bosses-summoned-to-meeting-over-woeful-rail-service

The message from both NR and GWR (day to day managers and not the bubbly drinking share holders) will be get GBR right and we will be in a better place

Won’t make a blind bit of difference, sadly it’s a load of hot air from Louise Haigh.

For sure so much comes across as hot air.  But behind the headlines which to a great extent are necessary for the audience, there is a possibility of a meaningful exchange of views and deeper understanding of positions, with a look at the outcomes each party wants.    We will probably never know, but stranger discussions have happened in the past.