Great Western Coffee Shop

can anybody explain to me why FGW (or should it be LGW), which is actually a bus company, had its franchise renewed when it had one of the worse performance records on reliability and timelyness and now hold most of the top positions in the league of overcrowding?  Why are railservices run if not for the passengers?

I can still remember the day when the DfT announced that FGW had won the franchise. Total disbelief.

The short answer is that of the criteria used by DfT to evaluate franchise bids,

• Past performance
• Timetable
• Routes
• Rolling Stock
• Safety
• Money

of these options, the DfT looked at money. FGW promised topay more money by

• Reduce fleet size
• Increase passenger density on trains (More seats and buffet car being lost on small, overcrowded routes
• Reduce Timetable
• Cancel rolling stock replacement and refit HST and local trains
• increase ticket costs above inflation

These little steps enable FGW to pay the government over ^1.1 billion. This is after all other costs and Network Rail track fees are paid. FGW is the DfT cash cow.

Simon sums it up nicely as to why we have to put up with FGW. Another point I would add was that unlike other franchises I don't think the competition was as strong as it could have been. Possibly because of the poor specifications put down by Dft put people off. FGW didn't want to lose one of its jewels in the crown not matter what the price was going to be.

I was hoping it wouldnt be FGW but always knew it would be. But Dft much take a great share of the blame as well because its there decisions which allow FGW to get away with the service offered because they are operating within their franchise requirements.

Expect much stiffer competition next time round...hopefully  ::). However, have you noticed that all the recent franchise agreements only last for 8 years which brings them all to end near the same time as FGW's franchise so there is going to be a lot of franchise renewals in eight years or so time by which we could either have a different transport policy or a different government.