First to spend ^29 million BBC News

[whole diary]

[vacman]

I have to ask the question had FGW^▸ (First Great Western) not been in breach of its franchise (for cancellations) and not hauled up before the transport secretary, would we have seen the ^29 million action plan which includes the extra carriages for the Cardiff-Portsmouth line?

Who cares!! all that matters is that it's happening!

[Lee]

The view from the I Hate First Great Western blog (link below.)
http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2008/02/half-cheer.html

[west49th]

I would sort of say half n half, we know they are already recruiting drivers and guards.
And the additional 150's and keeping 3x 180 has been rumoured for ages.

So maybe lean towards a yes on that. I think Andrew Haines recognises that the franchise is under performing, obviously. I think if anyone can bring it back to standard, he can.

I am in no doubt that he can too. Now FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have had their knuckles wrapped by the government, with a bit of humiliation thrown in as well, they can get on and sort things out which has already started. First have put more money in the pot so Andrew Haines has got something to work with. What will also help is the completion of the 'West' fleet refresh later this year with the units that have been done looking pretty good both inside and out.

I don't think that the Cardiff-Portsmouth line has had so much national attention as it has done today but its good that this line is at last getting some investment that it so deserves.

Well I'm amazed you're all so optimistic about this.

First, the governent is actively briefing against FGW.

Second, the new stock will only benefit passengers on Cardiff-Portsmouth.

Third, there'sa nasty little insinuation in the ^4m staff training initiative that the problems have lain with the staff. They haven't. They've been the fault of greedy management.

Fourth, the pricing initiative is a con, as it is about attracting incremental business, as opposed to looking after regular (captive) customers.

Fifth, no-one wants higher levels of compensation. They want a reliable service that is good value. that's where the money should go.

What's happening here is not Haines' fault. But it certainly is Lockhead's. And he continues to pull the strings.

[Lee]

Welcome to the forum, west49th.

The view from the I Work For FGW^▸ (First Great Western) blog (link below.)
http://www.iworkforfgw.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=50&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[west49th]

Thanks. I'll try to get the formatting right next time!

[Lee]

And now for the MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain) view......
http://mtls.org.uk/node/75

Further links.
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/02/firstgroup_may_lose_first_grea.html#more

http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/02/rmt_parliamentary_group_says_p.html#more

http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/02/franchising_is_the_problem_tim.html#more

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/display.var.2074430.0.train_company_issued_with_notice.php

http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.2075192.0.rail_firm_gets_warning_signal.php

[smokey]

I have to ask the question had FGW^▸ (First Great Western) not been in breach of its franchise (for cancellations) and not hauled up before the transport secretary, would we have seen the ^29 million action plan which includes the extra carriages for the Cardiff-Portsmouth line?

My question is WHO's going to pay that extra ^29 million, not the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), not First group but my guess the fare paying passenger.
I just hope that the extra seats on the Cardiff-Portsmouth line brings in extra passengers to pay the ^29m, but then enough extra Passengers and you're back to square one with crowded trains.

[Lee]

A report on the anger in Wales at the rolling stock redeployment (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/02/anger_as_valleys_rail_coaches.html#more

WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) appear to be trying to contain this by emphasising that "the lease of the five train units was a ^short term^ measure that would benefit many of FGW^▸ (First Great Western)^s customers in Wales."

Interesting quote :

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said the five Sprinter units would be sub-leased from Arriva Trains Wales to FGW. Asked if the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) was involved in this change, she said, ^I think the answer is probably no.^ She said it was a matter for the WAG and FGW.

An FGW spokesman said, ^I can^t provide you with any detail on that. It^s not going to be in the public domain.^

Quote from the South East Wales Transport Alliance :

^We^re concerned to hear this news and will be raising the matter with the WAG next week.^

Meanwhile, Brian Cooke, chairman of London TravelWatch and a board member of Passenger Focus, said that the Government appeared to be protecting FGW because it did not want to jeopardise the ^1.1 billion that the company had agreed to pay over its ten-year franchise (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/02/rail_privatisation_out_of_stea.html#more

He said:

^It is amazing that the Government knew about this several months ago but waited until yesterday to inform passengers and the publicly funded passenger watchdogs.

^It shows a worrying level of complicity and raises the question about whether the Government are the right people to be auditing train companies^ performance and statistics.^

[Lee]

More article links.
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=19995867&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=19995352

http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=19995957&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news_article.php?section=5&category=89&story=5703

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231774&contentPK=19995266&folderPk=108867&pNodeId=231888

[devon_metro]

The Herald Express suggets that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) forced them to do this when a lot of it was in the pipeline anyway.

[willc]

The ^7m for the new passenger information system was certainly in the pipeline already, as FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have talked about  doing this since winning the franchise, as the many failings of the Thames Trains system were well known long before then.

[Lee]

The Herald Express suggets that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) forced them to do this when a lot of it was in the pipeline anyway.

Here is a link to todays Herald Express report.
http://www.heraldexpress.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=135239&command=displayContent&sourceNode=135077&contentPK=19995151&folderPk=79060&pNodeId=134831

[vacman]

It seems that the press can always turn good news into bad! Wales gets enough English taxpayers money to spend on railways, and lets not forget it's the CARDIFF to Portsmouth line! Cardiff is, strangely enough, in WALES!!!

[Lee]

It seems that the press can always turn good news into bad! Wales gets enough English taxpayers money to spend on railways, and lets not forget it's the CARDIFF to Portsmouth line! Cardiff is, strangely enough, in WALES!!!

Thats pretty much the WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) line :

A report on the anger in Wales at the rolling stock redeployment (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/02/anger_as_valleys_rail_coaches.html#more

WAG appear to be trying to contain this by emphasising that "the lease of the five train units was a “short term” measure that would benefit many of FGW^▸ (First Great Western)’s customers in Wales."

[swlines]

To all press reading this:

I totally agree - it's outrageous that ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) are subleasing FGW^▸ (First Great Western) sets which are spare each day anyway!!!!