Yes i think its just a graphical thing.

113,000 is about 300 a day. Surely a properly timed frequent bus with links to Avonmouth, P&R^▸ (Park and Ride) and the mass of employers currently not served by anything would be cheaper than maintaining the branch and benefit more people.

But i do see your point, ideally, both would be served.

Absolutely disgusting seen in the context of the services most us put with everyday and the suspended fuel duty rise. Its the hyper-inflated costs which means are railways are expensive to run, not that passenger's aren't paying their 'fare share'.

 ... but what can any of us really do, not much really

There is a different map here: http://travelwest.info/sites/default/files/12.%20Greater%20Bristol%20Metro%20Map%20March%202012.pdf which is a little more detailed.

An hourly service to Henbury seems like a missed opportunity.

My own un-informed personal opinion would be to close Severn Beach and run those trains around the loop to Parkway, and perhaps Yate where they could terminate.

Thanks all.

I saw this guy again last week, which was the next time I had to go into BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains). He remembered me and had obviously been put right by someone. Said that it was only 'if i did it a lot it looked iffy' or something like that. A, if i did it often I'd buy a ticket to BRI, and B, if its legal its legal surely?

The whole buying a season to Bedminster and ^breaking journey^ at BRI seems like its taking the mickey a little, wouldn't do it often, but... You really think it would work?

Very interesting discussion.


I think that is what got me the most, it was the ticket inspector's general attitude. I have a annual season ticket for goodness sake, and do a lot of travel by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) on top of that. I'm one of their most loyal customers. Most businesses want to strike a good relationship with their customers so they go off and and tell others' about their good experience. What other business does it make sense to treat your customers as potential thieves. I do have a choice, this isn't London, parking in Bristol isn't that hard.

Perhaps pay-by-phone and smartcards will make life easier, if it ever gets here and is practical.

Milky Bar, it was just the guy on the train not one of the gate meanies. 

Thank you, both of you for helping.

I don't think anything will happen, he took the details of the season ticket photocard and will probably just ask a colleague in the staff room, who will hopefully put him right.

I suppose I'll just have to get there super early and queue behind the people buying split tickets to Edinburgh via settle for a week next Tuesday and paying with loose change and luncheon vouchers or whatever it is that takes them so long at 8am on a weekday... =p

Hmm... seems to be clear that you can take dogs on a train here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/luggage_animals.html

But, maybe there are special rules for sleepers.

Why is everything to do with trains so complicated. 

For the nearly the last year i have been using an annual season ticket from a station on the WSM route to Bedminster. Every now and again i need to go to Temple Meads. So far every time i've needed to do this, i've bought a return from Bedminster to Temple Meads. Once or twice i've had to buy on the train or at the gate because the queue was too long. This morning i couldn't buy a ticket before getting on the train.

The ticket guy got very weird and started asking accusatory questions as if i was a serial fare evader saying that adding the BDM-BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) section was not valid because the train i was on did not stop at Bedminster and that I probably did this nearly every day. He then took my details.  

Reading the NRCOC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage):

S19. You may use two or more tickets for one journey as long as together they cover the entire
journey and one of the following applies:

(c) one of the tickets is a Season Ticket (which for this purpose does not include Season Tickets or travel passes issued on behalf of a passenger transport executive or local authority) or a leisure travel pass, and the other ticket(s) is/are not.

But:
S30. If you use the Season Ticket to travel beyond the station or zones for which it is valid, you will be treated as having joined the train without a ticket for that additional part of your journey and the relevant parts of Condition 2 or 4 will apply.

So my reading of this, is I can carry on doing this, but really do need to buy before I alight. That's frustrating because it removes yet more flexibility! Tbh, travelling by train has become a real drag...

Anyone care to offer an opinion?

Wow.

Yatton station basically has a 130 year long story of decline from major junction through to Clevedon railhead, post office interchange an on to not even having a ticket office

There's a book in it.

No one interested in 'Metro'? Or you just think there's no point?

I will admit to be really shocked Hungerford has no ticket office!

Nailsea and Backwell is an awful station. Reminds me of lots of outer london ones, up on stilts with lots of concrete. Yatton is very lucky, its a really lovely station. 

Well yes. But arguing for more ticket provision at station A doesn't necessitate arguing for getting rid of provision at another. Nailsea is packed at peaks, but yatton is more evenly spread, its a railhead for a larger area which includes Clevedon and others. It's still 'Yatton for Clevedon' on the signs. But I have nothing to base this on but daily observation.

Hmm. I don't know...

You can see the thinking.

- people need to buy tickets anyway, cos if they don't we fine 'em. So they'll use machines or whatever, so in theory we don't lose any revenue
- any loss of passengers as part of a compound effect of making rail travel less popular doesn't matter because the industry can't cope with growth anyway
- instead of tackling the horrific inefficiencies within the industry, consultancy gravy train, army of loss adjusters, shareholder dividends, and network rail gold plating; its easier just to sack people and make life tougher for our customers.

I think all four council's are behind this: http://greaterbristolrail.com/

Some videos of councillors promoting better rail services in the area, including better frequencies, Portishead line, and new stations.

There is an e-petition set up by Cllr Kent of BCC^» (Bristol City Council - about) to highlight the idea to central govt. Which I think we should all try and encourage people to sign.

Also, 4 LA's have launched www.travelwest.info with a nifty real time rail map at www.travelwest.info/rail.

Is this a serious threat?