Pewsey station - facilities, services / fares, incidents and user group - merged posts

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Not too late to come and join us...

[johnneyw]

Not too late to come and join us...

Good luck with the project.

[grahame]

A big "Thank You" to everyone who came along to what may turn out to have been the inaugural meeting of Pewsey Vale Rail Users Group.  We expected a dozen, hoped for a couple of dozen ... but there must have been somewhere between 40 and 50 people in the hall.  And really concerned and interested people with a very wide range of issues, questions, agendas, thoughts. The $64,000 question - "do we want some form of local user group" got an emphatic "yes", and TransWilts (who seeded this inaugural meeting, fertilised with much local help) are sponsoring / helping with the next steps.  Far too much to do in one meeting ... far too many questions, and people need to think on what they heard.  So - first thing - date of next meeting, please put 11th May 2018 at 19:00 in your diary.  Bouverie Hall booked, and all welcome.

What did I come away with?   A feeling of real engaging interest, some anger, worry, upset, frustration. But also a feeling of "lets move this forward" and an appreciation that at times there are no easy / perfect solutions for everyone, and a desire to work positively and (for the most part!) pragmatically forward.

Issues / elements split - in my thoughts - into five elements that we talked about:
1. Immediate individual customer issues
2. Short term systemic issues
3. Setting up the user groups and mechanisms forward
4. Learning more about how all this stuff fits together to be effective in requests and realistic in aspirations
5. Medium and longer term directions and goals

Looking further ...

1. Immediate individual customer issues
These need to be dealt with as they occur by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) staff, answered at stations or referred through GWR customer services for the most part. Twitter and Facebook to @GWRHelp are also very useeful and quick to respond. Exceptionally, a Rail User Group or CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) when well established will have informal links to help (re)make a failed connection.

2. Short term systemic issues
"Little things that can make a big difference". At present especially relevant to engineering disruption for 2018 - a couple of things in bus patterns especially from Pewsey to Newbury, and information flows ans sources. Key follow up from last night - Rob Thomas; also follow up via myself (Graham Ellis). But note - do not expect short term miracles. Much is set in stone ans the engineeirng closures, etc "must" be done as planned otherwise there is massive negative knock on.  Explanations, yes; changes - just the odd one where it's easy to do and won't bring in new problems / issues

3. Setting up the user groups and mechanisms forward
4. Learning more about how all this stuff fits together to be effective in requests and realistic in aspirations
These two are for 11th May - and I have some work to do to prepare.  There is a great deal of precedent, good practise and information out there - it needs to be filtered and tuned for Pewsey.  As a starter, there's an old description of who's who in rai organisations at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=5343.0 ...

5. Medium and longer term directions and goals
This is where a user group can be really effective. Having had a short term / immediate engineering issues representative of GWR at yesterday's meeting, we asked for a medium / longer term person next time so that we can address those issues too. The rail industry isn't totally uninformed about what's needed / wanted for Pewsey and the rest of the line - so there's already some oil on the wheels.   For the "medium term" - looking at timetables for 2019, for example - I  (Graham Ellis) take the TransWilts lead.  For the longer term strategy, it's Paul Johnson. That's as we help seed and grow whatever it is the Pewsey group wants to set up; as things progress theough the next months, our involvement / help is there as needed, but needs to some extent to be faded (or financed) as a Pewsey and / or line specific group / CRP evolves.

As on 7th April ... please let me know ( via grahamellis @ transwilts.org ) matters / questions for GWR on 11th May, or indeed any short term elements not brought up yesterday.  If those matters are with me by 14th April, it gives me a good chance to correlate the questions and feed them through our GWR, Wiltshire Council or own paths.

Finally - big "Thank You" to Rob, Paul, Bob and Horace, Steve and Bill for coming along to the meeting and all their help in seeding the group from outside their home station areas.  To Dawn and Colin, John and Richard, Susie, Trevor and Dan for their help within the Vale.   And to everyone who came along on Friday evening, or who emailed in ahead of time to pass in comments or questions.

Documents / presentations from last night:

http://atrebatia.info/pewseyusers.pdf - poster advertising event
http://atrebatia.info/pewsey_overview_20180406.pdf - evenng program and link slides (Graham)
http://atrebatia.info/pewsey_keynote_20180406.pdf - Keynote / CRP / TransWilts / Pewsey Vale (Paul)
http://atrebatia.info/pewsey_initial_20180406.pdf - Initial comments on questions mailed in (Graham)

A note to new readers of the Coffee Shop ... I tend to have too much to do and too little time, so for logs like this I concentrate on getting the data out to an understandable level rather than totally grammatically correct - please overlook any typos and consider the content.   For official documents, I do proof read and tune ... but I need to get on to 2019 timetable issues now ...

[grahame]

The following email sent to all who attended the meeting and asked for an update, or who wrote in advance and asked to b told how it went


Dear Pewsey Rail Users,

Many thanks for coming along to the Bouverie Hall in Pewsey on Friday night for the Railway Meeting organised by TransWilts. This was the inaugural meeting of what may turn out to be a "Pewsey Vale Rail Users Group". 

It was heartening to see so many people on a Friday evening - and the number of people attending and the passion with which many of you spoke suggests that a co-ordinated rail user group would be viable, and of some benefit.  That's not only benefit to you in the community, but also benefit to the people who specify and run your services, as it will give them co-ordinated feedback to understand what the issues are for users of Pewsey station, and how their product can be improved in the future.

I have written up a summary of the evening and posted it at
   http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=19536.msg235031#msg235031
   (horrid long URL - short link at http://twcrp.info/t19536 to the thread!)
and linked to it from Facebook at
   https://www.facebook.com/TransWilts/posts/1355292154570823
The main post also includes links to the presentations and to answers provided on the evening to early questions.  I have also sent our thanks to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and Wiltshire Council for their positive support, and to the Bedwyn and other Pewsey groups helping too. And I have booked the hall for next time too!

Issues / elements split - in my thoughts - into five elements that we talked about:
1. Immediate individual customer issues
2. Short term systemic issues
3. Setting up the user groups and mechanisms forward
4. Learning more about how all this stuff fits together to be effective in requests and realistic in aspirations
5. Medium and longer term directions and goals

Far, FAR too much to talk about in a single meeting, and lots to go away and think on.
* Please make a diary note for 11th May 2018 - same time (19:00), same place (Bouverie Hall).
* Please let me know of any short term questions during this coming week so we can look for answers

Really good to have the local support from PCAP and other groups in the community; with their local background, with our community rail experience, with a train operator who's listening, and with other station groups more than happy to work 'with' on the same network of services, the stage is set for effective community rail work at Pewsey for the benefit of all.   Ultimate objective issues might include better buses to Newbury during engineering, better average journey times to London, filling the massive timetable gaps.  Providing useful connections (commuter and other) at Westbury, etc. And although I say "ultimate" objectives, there may be a few quick wins too; we can (and have) asked. But really the longer term needs to be thought about too - rail planning is done years ahead, and you need to be in now to avoid being in a "you're too late in asking" in the future.

I will update the online sites / threads above during the next month, and send at agenda for 11th May a few days ahead. At this stage, its still the weekend and no-one's even been back in their office yet to start working on too much ... yet I have had numerous inputs and encouragements which tell me that this is going to work for the mutual benefit of all!

Again - thank you for your support and coming on Friday. See you on 11th May!

Graham

Graham Ellis - grahamellis@transwilts.org
Community Rail Officer, TransWilts Community Rail Partnership
A division of the TransWilts Community Interest Company (CIC^▸ (Community Interest Company ))
http://www.transwilts.org - 0845 459 0153 / 01225 708225

This email is bcc’d to all attendees who signed in to request updates and also (manual copy) to the gentlemen to whom I promised an update from the meeting in previous emails. Recipients are welcome to share the contents and encourage others to come along in May, and / or to get in touch in the meantime.

[rogerw]

Glad it got off to a good start.  I was away this weekend or otherwise I may have shown my face

[devonexpress]

. Its time for First Group (Great Western Railway and MTR)

Since when did MTR have anything to do with Great Western Railway? 

[grahame]

. Its time for First Group (Great Western Railway and MTR)

Since when did MTR have anything to do with Great Western Railway? 

Reading back the original post, it states "Great Western Railway and MTR" - not suggesting to me that one is part of the other in any way.    First / MTR (in the form of SWR^» (South Western Railway - about)) already operate train services on part of the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) main line from London to the West Country via Pewsey - from Castle Cary to Westbury, just one station away - and it is logical for a rail user group to have a view to its region when looking ahead - especially at services close by on its own line.

[devonexpress]

. Its time for First Group (Great Western Railway and MTR)

Since when did MTR have anything to do with Great Western Railway? 

Reading back the original post, it states "Great Western Railway and MTR" - not suggesting to me that one is part of the other in any way.    First / MTR (in the form of SWR^» (South Western Railway - about)) already operate train services on part of the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) main line from London to the West Country via Pewsey - from Castle Cary to Westbury, just one station away - and it is logical for a rail user group to have a view to its region when looking ahead - especially at services close by on its own line.

But Pewsey isn't served by South Western Railway    Great Western Railway serve the station, but that is 100% First Group, so why MTR is in that post I have no idea.

[grahame]

First / MTR (in the form of SWR^» (South Western Railway - about)) already operate train services on part of the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) main line from London to the West Country via Pewsey - from Castle Cary to Westbury, just one station away - and it is logical for a rail user group to have a view to its region when looking ahead - especially at services close by on its own line.

But Pewsey isn't served by South Western Railway    Great Western Railway serve the station, but that is 100% First Group, so why MTR is in that post I have no idea.

See above

[grahame]

For Friday ... brief agenda as just posted

Pewsey Vale Rail User Group - 2nd meeting, 11th May 2018 (Friday) - 7 p.m. formal start at the Bouverie hall but we'll be there early so come on in - all welcome. Following requests at the inaugural meeting, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will be represented at a very senior level by Jane Jones, their Head of Public Affairs. Jane is well versed in GWR issues, and will also be briefed on Pewsey specific issues. She has the questions from last time, will have time for more questions, and has promised to take away questions she cannot answer right off. She does need to catch the 19:45 to Plymouth to get there by the end of train service.

After Jane has been with us, the TransWilts team will look forward at other developments since last time, including the formal setting up of the independent group; I have the Chippenham RUG^» (Rail User Group - about) constitution as a base. And we will also look at the co-ordination with other groups on the line. Noting for June - GWR have their Community Rail annual conference on 15th June in Swindon, and we have already got 2 or 3 attending, with ability to add one or two more. It's an excellent chance to meet other passengers and groups - helps passengrs and helps GWR in co-ordinating provision to an greed direction rather than having to grapple with disparate requests that need not be disparate.

Please come along - whether you are currently a rail user at Pewsey Station or not!

[grahame]

Very, very useful evening on Friday - posting here to get the widest audience.  In a nutshell, everything coming together ... with community looking at the opportunity of positive rail provider engagement into the future, and the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) happy to have a group they can liaise with in Pewsey.   From a TransWilts viewpoint, great to have an autonomous and linked group in Pewsey.    Big thanks to Jane Jones from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) for her support, including (but far from limited to) spending all of Friday evening in Pewsey.

Following text is my email to attendees - but very shareable.   If anyone wants a set of the enclosures or a contact to be able to get involved themselves, please let me know!


I am writing to follow up on Friday evening's meeting of what's becoming the Pewsey Vale Rail User Group.  Please forgive me in sending this as a general email (via bcc) to everyone who's signed in for either the 6th April or 11th May meetings, or has asked me to keep them in the picture.

HEADLINE - Please email Dawn Wilson ( [ask me - not posting for spam harvester!] and/or "reply all" to this email ) if you would be willing to be involved with helping the group / would like to keep informed.  Prior experience and knowledge of such things NOT needed - things are really falling into place with local community support, local council support and rail system contact / support.  All sorts of things can be done - you do NOT need much time either, though could get deeply involved if you wish. This is an excellent opportunity for passengers, rail industry and community to come together in partnership for their mutual benefit.

DETAIL - from last Friday

Thank you to Dawn, Colin, John and Bill (from within the Pewsey Community Area) and to Jane, Bob and Horace (GWR, TransWilts and Wiltshire Council) for their help in setting up, speaking to, running the meeting and the arrangements that go with it. Attached are copies of the GWR presentation, my (Graham, for TransWilts) presentation, and an example user group constitution (from Chippenham).  Sorry (but really I am delighted!) that we ran out of printed copies on the night.   THANK YOU to everyone who came along or who has expressed an interest.

Jane Jones from GWR spoke on the overall GWR plans, and on Pewsey Vale and Berks and Hants (that's the line's name) specifics - in terms of services, engineering disruptions, and station access.  She also spoke of the usefulness to everyone of community groups - rail user groups and community rail partnerships - and offered seed funding to help the group set up. I suggested that the group apply for a Pewsey Carniva fund grant, and have been assured that you're already ahead of me on this one - "done". Jane took several specific questions away with her, and left several of you with her contact details such that you / she can follow up.

Resolved - to set up the Pewsey Vale Rail User Group under the auspices of the Pewsey Vale Community Area Partnership who already have the infrastructure for such community groups - banking, insurance, data registration etc.  With affiliation to TransWilts for continuinty of rail / public transport links.   With Pewsey Parish Council offering accommodation for committee and similar meetings.

Some agenda items / issues I noted - many of which there is already some visibility of.  And THANK YOU to Colin for putting in a Pewsey response already to the GWR consultation that closed a couple of months back.

*** Shorter term ...
May timetable change
Rovers from September
More Even and a couple more trains from January 2019
Also faster due to reduced dwells
Some connectional possibilities
Incoming tourism leafets

*** Medium to Longer term ...
Working with other stations on the line for effecive integrated improvement
Better travel options westward (e.g. Bristol commutes)
Earlier and later?
Up to hourly?
Connections overall

*** Also
Connctivity with buses
User group and / or Community Rail options
Community Rail Partnership / what is designation, etc

Many stations / areas have rail user groups - in fact Pewsey has been one of the few stations with very little - so there is a wealth of skill and knowledge out there, much of which can be of use in Pewsey and The Vale. It's very rare indeed for groups to be seen to be competing with each other - the others may be busy but they'll be keen to help the common good too.  TransWilts has a constituiton that talks about public transport "to from and within" Wiltshire, though current funding relates to the North/South access which means we can help - but not as deeply as on "our own line" - and would love to do so.  Westbury is a key hub station, with a wide variety of connection opportunities to allow the railway to provide journeys with linked trains off your immediate line. Pewsey's 101, 102 and 5 bus routes are operated by GoAhead and - in something of a co-incidence - the TransWits team were at the GoAhead Stakeholder's meeting earlier on Friday.

Coming up ... some networking opportunities
15th June - GWR Community Rail Conference, Swindon (3 already booked)
20th June - TransWilts Stakeholder Conference, Trowbridge (details in next few days)
22nd June - TravelWatch SouthWest Cross Country Stakeholder's Consultation (missable for you?)
2nd July - TraveleWatch SouthWest "Travel Planning Day" (details to follow)
6th October - TravelWatch SouthWest General Meeting
Note - TravelWatch SouthWest (TWSW^» (TravelWatch SouthWest - website)) is a social enterprise company which acts as an advocate for passengers to lobby for the improvement of public transport in the region and works closely with local authorities, business organisations, partnerships and other stakeholder groups. With the dissolution of the former Rail Passengers Committee for Western England in July 2005, TWSW is the representative body for public transport users throughout the South West of England.  I am copying this email to their secretary - Bryony Chetwode.  Lavington Councillor Richard Gamble (who was at the first meeting is a boar member as am I, and the Bedwyn group is also a member, with Bill being a regular at their general meetings).

SUMMARY - Great start, with all the pieces coming together to make for a really effective Rail User Group ...

To encourage and promote rail travel using Pewsey rail station, including regeneration schemes, tourism/leisure and community development projects.
To create a forum to bring together the knowledge and aspirations of the local Pewsey rail user community.
To enable the local community to increase their economic, social and environmental welfare by making use of the railway line.
To develop the railway services stopping at Pewsey and improving service connectivity on a sustained basis for the medium and long-term.
To promote improved accessibility for all train station users. To develop new appropriate uses for the station environ and their buildings that provide new and improved facilities; thus making the station more user-friendly, encouraging use of the train.
To contribute to reducing traffic congestion, and improving road safety and air quality in Pewsey.
To identify potential sources of funding and sponsorship to carry out projects aimed at achieving the above aims and objectives.
To work in partnership with other stakeholders including the local community.

Happy to come along and support you with the rail / transport elements as this goes forward - fantastic and right to be working with the existing community structures!

Graham

[grahame]

Presentations from the 11th May meeting now available for download:

http://atrebatia.info/pv_gwr_jj_20180511.pdf

http://atrebatia.info/pv_tw_ge_20180511.pdf

[grahame]

Probable meeting - 19:00, Bouverie Hall, 5th October 2018
(slight chance it will be one week earlier - will confirm here when I hear)

[grahame]

Probable meeting - 19:00, Bouverie Hall, 5th October 2018
(slight chance it will be one week earlier - will confirm here when I hear)

Confirmed:

Pewsey Vale Rail User Group Meeting to be held on Friday 5th October 2018 at 7pm
At Pewsey Parish Office, Bouverie Hall, Pewsey SN9 5EQ
The venue is very kindly provided by Pewsey Parish Council


AGENDA

1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Chairs updates
a. Transwilts Newsletter - Circulated
b. Survey for Access to Stations – completed for Pewsey
c. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) launches CCIF^▸ (Customer and Communities Improvement Fund) Fund again
d. Notes from members meetings and emails to Chair collated and can be circulated if those involved are prepared to share.  Put “Not to be Shared” in subject line of any communications to Chair that you wish to remain private.
3. Briefing re GWR and Network Rail Meeting Westminster September 6th – Colin and Richard
4. Attendance of meetings identified by others:
a. RailFuture Meeting Reading Sat Nov 10th. Networking and speakers on relevant local subjects.  There is a fee to attend. 
b. Expenses. If GWR come through with funding this can be reimbursed to members as could travel expenses within reason.  Proposed - No more than 2 members to be funded to any one event. Others may attend at their own expense.
5. Date of next meeting- December or January?

[hoover50]

On 5th Feb 2019, train 1C89 (1633 Padd to Exeter) was declared a failure and CAPED at Pewsey.

All PAX were turfed off the train and onto the platform which is only partially covered with a short section of canopy and the waiting rooms are closed at that time of day.

Looking at various tweets on twitter, passengers turfed off the train were not best pleased at having to wait around in the cold and rain for over an hour!