DfT - "Cause For Concern About FGW^s Performance"

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Letter from the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), which MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain) claim means that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are under 'special measures' (link below.)
http://mtls.org.uk/node/49

[12hoursunday]

Letter from the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), which MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain) claim means that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are under 'special measures' (link below.)
http://mtls.org.uk/node/49

Just a load of MTLS spin

The Department For Transport has confirmed FGW is a failing company and is being monitored regularly . In a letter to MTLS they have written "On the basis of the information we have available, there is cause for concern about FGW^s performance and we are discussing this with FGW currently. The Department for Transport (DfT) continues to look for further improvements to FGW^s performance to match the significant improvements seen elsewhere in the rail industry.Nowt on the Department of Transport website re this

" In line with all other train Operating Companies, FGW has a Joint Improvement Plan in place, progress against which is monitored four-weekly through the Performance Delivery Group (^PDG^), which is regularly attended by Transport Ministers. FGW is currently developing a detailed recovery plan addressing cancellation issues specifically.Like it says ALL Train Operating Companies called up monthly

"Ministers and senior officials continue to emphasise the importance of improved performance to FGW at a senior level. FGW have assured Ministers that they are working hard to improve the performance of train services. The department will, of course, continue to monitor performance of the FGW franchise to ensure that commitments given to Ministers and the public are met and that further improvement to the service is provided to passengers in future."

Thanks to pressure from the public, the DfT at last understand that they must pay closer attention to the FGW franchise. Now more than ever, it is vital to continue to report cancellations and other service failures to MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context)'s and the DfT. If First continues to fail to provide an acceptable service at a fair price they must go. The time for excuses, and apologies is long over.

Figures from a national passenger survey recently released by Passenger Focus indicated that FGW has the lowest satisfaction ratings of any train company in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). FGW punctuallity dropped to an all time low on 64% of some of their routes in December.
A recent survey by the Bristol Evening Post that compared fares into London from similar distances as Bristol found FGW fares to be between two and three times those of comparable companies.Nothing new here also Train fares have been the highest in europe for 20 years or more

The MTLS group are now starting to clutch at the preverbal straws. Heard hardly nothing from any of them in the weeks since the failed fare strike and more confirmed news like this http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1670.0 is bound to silence them further. R.I.P MTLS!

[tramway]

The MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain) group are now starting to clutch at the preverbal straws. Heard hardly nothing from any of them in the weeks since the failed fare strike and more confirmed news like this http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1670.0 is bound to silence them further. R.I.P MTLS!

So, First were planning all this stock improvement as far back as 2005 then, without letting on at all. Clever that. So all we had to do was sit back and wait and all the letters, blogs, complaint forms, petitions etc were a complete waste of effort. Bummer.

Bet Dom Joly isn't going to be too happy having wasted a journey to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)).

[Btline]

I think the fare strike might have encouraged FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to get more stock. 

BUT- Andrew Haines sent an email to me saying that he can't make an announcement about rolling stock yet.