"Britain is now better connected" says government minister

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Britain is now better connected and rail passengers across the country are benefiting from faster journeys and more frequent services, rail minister Andrew Adonis claimed when he opened the upgraded ^8.9bn west coast mainline.

http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=9449

Hmmm ... he may be right in some places, but since the government he is a part of was elected on 5th May 2005, there have been service reductions too ... I live in Melksham, where (in 2005) there were 6 trains calling between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m during the week, and now there are NONE AT ALL.

Lord Adonis should be fully aware of what has happened under the current government to the rail service that links all the major population centres of Wiltshire. From what I have read about him, he's a very bright an knowledgable bloke - going out of his way to build up more knowledge of his role too. And he was a prospecive candidate for parliament for Westbury too ...

I find it very instructive to read what people say to different audiences - what the directors of First say at shareholder meetings, and - in this case - what a government minister says in an area where 8.9 billion has just been spent - that's enough money to run a TransWilts service for 10,000 years. I would love to have Andrew Adonis come to Melksham and explain how things have improved for us but last time I invited a senior rail person to the town, he declined on the basis that he couldn't get here and we rescheduled to a town 25 miles away

[moonrakerz]

but last time I invited a senior rail person to the town, he declined on the basis that he couldn't get here

....and I bet he said that with a straight face as well !

[devon_metro]

Graham, whilst your cause is worthy, I think the speeded up WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) far outweighs the loss of the Transwilts.

[grahame]

Graham, whilst your cause is worthy, I think the speeded up WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) far outweighs the loss of the Transwilts.

Yes, I totally agree ... "across the country" he said, though ... so there was no element of checks and balances quotes, but a stetment that the it was improvements all around.

[simonw]

There are several problems with the governments plans

It has focused on improving a few specific and expensive services only, and not spreading the benefit more widely. For example,

- No action on improved Bristol TM^‡(resolve) - Bristol PW^▸ (Permanent Way) to allow more local/IC^▸ (Inter City) services
- No action on improved Severn Tunnel crossing to allow more local services between Bristol and Cardiff
- No action on East - West Rail Link (Oxford - Cambridge) link
- No action on TransWilts services

Whilst many of the improvements have happened, this government is very North South focused.

[bemmy]

There are several problems with the governments plans

It has focused on improving a few specific and expensive services only, and not spreading the benefit more widely. For example,

- No action on improved Bristol TM^‡(resolve) - Bristol PW^▸ (Permanent Way) to allow more local/IC^▸ (Inter City) services
- No action on improved Severn Tunnel crossing to allow more local services between Bristol and Cardiff
- No action on East - West Rail Link (Oxford - Cambridge) link
- No action on TransWilts services

Whilst many of the improvements have happened, this government is very North South focused.

Firstly, there will never be enough money for Britain to have a 21st century European rail network. Whatever the reasons, there just won't. So what we get is "flagship schemes" to provide a photo opportunity in an election campaign. The same is largely true of other services such as health and education.

Secondly there's a pretty obvious hierarchy in terms of what areas are deemed important:
1. London & the South East, partly because the high population density makes public transport more crucial, but also because London is the centre of the universe.
2. Scotland.
3. Wales.
4. The metropolitan cities not covered by 1 & 2: Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle.
5. Other urban and ex-industrial areas of the North and Midlands.

Because there's never enough money, nowhere outside those 5 areas will get any significant investment. Even the Cotswold line is only getting its few miles of redoubling to improve punctuality in and out of Paddington.

[paul7575]

There are several problems with the governments plans

It has focused on improving a few specific and expensive services only, and not spreading the benefit more widely. For example,

- No action on East - West Rail Link (Oxford - Cambridge) link

I don't think that's right. Just because it isn't being clearly funded in the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) plans, Gov't are still paying for the development, it's just the funds are being channelled through the Milton Keynes' development agency and other regional authorities.  I think in conjunction with Chiltern's recently announced plans, at least Oxford - Bedford is quite likely to start on the ground in the next year or two...

Paul 

[devon_metro]

Large government funded schemes are often not better.

Bottom up schemes where local communities are involved and passionate about their rail service will probably get more done. Look what the Severn Beach line group have achieved!