Can Andrew Haines turn around FGW?

[whole diary]

[vacman]

Thought i'd start this one, bit late but never mind, I find things have begun to get slightly better since Andrew took over but things won't change over night. This poll is more about issues of FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s doing such as short formations, removal of buffet's etc, etc....

[martyjon]

I will defer my vote until the new timetable has been implemented and has had two weeks to bed down. With the loss of the 158's to Northern and the 180's going into store I am at present undecided. lets see what the next 6 weeks brings forth.

[Timmer]

I would like to say that he can but as Martyjon says with the loss of 12 158s and the 180s I can only see things getting worse. The biggest problem that he faces is overcrowding on the ex-Wessex routes particularly on services via Bristol and down to the South coast. The only way anyone can solve this is to get more rolling stock on the line.

Overcrowding is really bad now whats it going to be like once all this stock goes? Yes I know that 180s are being partially replaced by HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) that First bought a few years back but not all of them and that will do nothing for local routes.

[CliveD]

I too am undecided, since based on the recent shambolic performance on the Portsmouth and Weymouth routes of late, I would say not despite all his talk in interviews I have seen that he intends to put "..passengers before targets..". It depends on whether or not he will be prepared to face the wrath of his Local Lines customers when trains are short-formed and over-crowded once the 12 158's are despatched to Northern come the December timetable change.

[simonw]

Without backing from NW and Dft, No.

There is a desperate need for

• increased track capacity (Didcott to Reading to Padington, between BP^» (Beyond Petroleum (Former name - British Petroleum) - home page) and BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)), BTM and Bath 
• increased train capacity (More trains and carriages on local and long distance routes)

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) can improve the experience of its customers, but the franchise levy and NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/Dft limit what can be achieved.