Great Western Coffee Shop

David Drew, Labour & Co-operative MP for Stroud, Gloucestershire put down an Early Day Motion 'FGW Train Services' on 10 May , 2007 calling for FGW to be run in the public sector (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/05/first_great_western_train_serv.html#more

For an alternative view see the link below.
http://firstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2007/05/unfair-dismissal.html

Interesting point.

I agree that FGW are not fit to run the franchise, but I also believe that the DfT is not fit to run a railway either.

It would be good to have a regulator that was obsessed with quality (punctuality, reliability,safety) and service (trains running when and where peaople want them) rather that a meddling government department. Then the franchise operator could concentrate on providing a reliable service, and not be hamstrung by a government that wants ^1.4 billion, to control the number of trains/carriages around teh country.

Its just another way to tax us really without being told. All money, in my opinion made on the railways should go back into the railways.

Rail watchdog London Travelwatch has asked the government to consider terminating FirstGroup's Great Western franchise (links below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/06/uk_rail_watchdog_urges_end_of.html#more

http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/06/call_to_end_abysmal_rail_firm.html#more

Another voice of sanity.

It's a shame that enough people did not complain when the worst performing rail company in Britain retained it's own franchise 18 months ago.

The only reason that could justify it's retention was by promising to pay the government a rediculous sum of money, and to do this it has cancelled services, lost carriages, reduced the amount of spare/contigency capacity etc. Hence, the bad service we now see.

I wonder if the government promised First Group anything as part of this deal that sees FGW pay the government over ^1.1 billion. It's a lot of money for the company with worst rolling stock, and some of the poorest and most congested track to pay for operating a service.

I think the reason for that was at the time people were resigned to the fact that First was going to retain the GW franchise and gain the Wessex franchise and had no idea just how bad it was going to get despite all the warnings in the press and railway media that there was going to be trouble ahead.

There is no doubt in my mind that there is no way the government is going to strip FGW of this franchise because of the ^1.1 billion that is coming their way over the next few years. They had no choice with GNER as they handed back the keys as it were. They will just hold firm that in the end hoping FGW sort themselves out and the cries for it to be stripped of its franchise die down, performance figures go back up and complaints about service go down. Wishful thinking I think.

Here is a further link on this.
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=17676132&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

Interestingly , First Great Western's sister company , First Avon and Somerset , which provides bus services in the Bath and Bristol area , has escaped being fined by the Government traffic commissioner.

A public inquiry had been held to investigate whether the company was meeting its timetable obligations.

It found that "there was very little non-compliance in Bath" and that while there were problems elsewhere , steps were being taken to address them.

Interesting article,

"Track, signalling and infrastructure problems had been behind many of the difficulties, she added, and a ^750m repair programme being carried out by the responsible Government company, Network Rail, would help to "dramatically improve" punctuality and performance."

What repair programme? I know there are weekend repair works throughout FGW land; is this part of the programme? I thought they where just patching the dilapidated network in this area. Or does Network Rail planning to increase rail capacity adding adding stations, platforms, points. track, etc.

^750M is a lot of money, where is it being spend, and when?

List of projects in the area (Route 13) with cases sufficiently advanced to be considered as approved , and completion dates :

2006 - 2008 :

Paddington station - Span 4 roof and platform drainage works

2007 - 2008 :

Paddington station - High voltage equipment renewals

Kensal Green - Carriage Washing Plant relocation to Old Oak Common Depot

Paddington ^ Reading Relief Lines - Linespeed increase

Acton - Cutting stabilisation

Hayes & Harlington - Station enhancements

Maidenhead station - Extension of down main line platform

Reading East - Embankment stabilisation

Track Renewals - Plain line renewals are planned at Goring (down relief lines), Miskin , Pontyclun , Wickwar , Naas and Pyle

Track Renewals - S&C renewals are planned at Foxhall Junction , Swindon West , East & Transfer Bridges , Narroways Hill , Llanwern East , Newport West and Gaer Junction

Uffington - Embankment stabilisation

Marston West - Embankment stabilisation

Swindon station area - Track layout modernisation for the Swindon station area and east Swindon approaches and sidings

Swindon PSB - SPT concentrator renewal

Chipping Sodbury West - Cutting stabilisation

Bristol Parkway station - Provision of a 3rd platform

Severn Tunnel East - Cutting stabilisation

Newport station - Platform 4 extension

Newport PSB - SPT concentrator renewal

Llanharan - New station

Port Talbot East Area Signalling Renewal (PASR) - Resignalling scheme with track layout modernisation

Port Talbot PSB - SPT concentrator renewal

Dauntsey Bank - Embankment stabilisation

Christian Malford - Embankment stabilisation

Saltford Tunnel East - Cutting stabilisation

Bristol PSB - SPT concentrator renewal

Marsh Junction Depot - Development of the former DMU depot

Flax Bourton - Embankment stabilisation

Tredington - Embankment stabilisation

Charfield Loop - Embankment stabilisation

Westerleigh North - Embankment stabilisation

Reading Green Park station - New station

Honeybourne - Embankment stabilisation

Tutshill - Cutting stabilisation

Sudbrook - Pumping station

Ebbw Valley railway - Convert former freight only line to passenger status with provision of 6 new stations on 18 miles of single line with a 3 mile long passing loop

2008 / 2009

Bourton - Embankment stabilisation

Little Somerford - Embankment stabilisation

Pilning DGL & UGL - Conversion to passenger status

Track Renewals - Plain line renewals are planned at Chipping Sodbury , Severn Tunnel Junction , Hinksey ,
Wolvercot Junction , Defford , Oddingley & Montpelier

Track Renewals - S&C renewals are planned at Old Oak Common , Friars Junction , Hayes & Harlington , Airport Junction , Slough Station East & West , Slough ^ Windsor , Didcot East , Swindon East & Transfer Bridges , Bathampton UPL , Bath Goods , Pilning DGL & UGL , Stoke Works Junction , Yate South & Middle and Charfield Loops

Severn Tunnel - Cable hanger route renewal

Severn Tunnel - Communication system renewal

Severn Tunnel - Telephone concentrator renewal

Chippenham - Embankment stabilisation

St Annes Park - Cutting stabilisation

Patterdown Farm (Thingley) - Embankment stabilisation

Worle Junction - Upgrade from single lead to double lead junction and part redoubling of branch towards Weston Milton

Tumpey Green - Embankment stabilisation

Berkeley South - Embankment stabilisation

Perivale - Embankment stabilisation

Pound Green - Embankment stabilisation

Rodbourne - Embankment stabilisation

Purton - Embankment stabilisation

Sapperton - Tunnel repairs

2009 / 2010

Westerleigh East - Embankment stabilisation

Newport Area Signalling Renewal (NASR) Phase 1 - Resignalling scheme with provision for track and station modernisation

Newport station - Station regeneration

Cardiff PSB - SPT concentrator renewal

Eckington - Embankment stabilisation

2010 / 2011

Severn Tunnel Junction ^ Cardiff - Relief Line speed increases up to 75mph - Main Line speed increases up to 110mph

2012

Cardiff Area Signalling Renewal (CASR) - Resignalling scheme with provision for track layout and station modernisation

2013

Reading Area Signalling Renewal (RASR) - Resignalling scheme: complementing track layout and station modernisation

Newport Area Signalling Renewal (NASR) Phase 2 - Resignalling scheme with provision for track layout and station modernisation

2014

Oxford Area Signalling Renewal (OASR) - Resignalling scheme: complementing track layout and station modernisation

CJ Harrison condemns the London Travelwatch statement (link below.)
http://firstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2007/06/lack-of-conviction.html

FOSBR have joined calls from MPs , unions & passenger groups for First Great Western services to be run in the public sector (link below.)
http://www.fosbr.org.uk/news.php?newsid=0000000120

A view echoed by a large proportion of their frontline staff too...

Sadly, that's more or less the state of it.    :(

Really ... a change in franchise (with all the chaos that would ensue) within the current system might end up just replacing one set of ((top managers and shareholders)) with another heading aloong the same lines.   Look and see how much National Express are in the news with regards to probable rises in unregulated fares on the East Coast, and the furrour that Stagecoach have on a similar subject in South West Trains.

We may not like the elements on the system that can put profit before people, shareholders before customers, operational convenience and avoiding penalties before passenger needs ... but changing the gamekeeper isn't going to alter the rules they follow.  I would persoanlly still wish to work very much with the people and company we have at the momemt, rather than to object to them to the extent that we can't work with them.