Fewer local trains to Bristol Parkway

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

I agree, Red Squirrel. In my former occupation, I took a few opportunities to raise the profile of Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road stations with a number of people looking for work or training around Parkway. This included the manager of the (now closed) Jobcentre in Stapleton Road, who didn't even realise that there was a railway 100 yards down the road, let alone a station, and my own manager, then based in Trowbridge, who found it so much easier to catch the train she had never considered before than drive for her 3-monthly visits to make sure I wasn't dead. This change certainly isn't going to improve matters, and could well have some people who have been using the train regularly turning back to the car.

Another point. Both Lawrence Hill and especially Stapleton Road have seen a large upturn in passengers since the upgrades to services. What will it be like if those pax have to travel to Temple Meads to board the already usually full Cross Country services to get to Parkway?

[Red Squirrel]

indeed they are, I don't doubt that.

But if they weren't, they'd still be affected in exactly the same ways....as I say, there's no need to include the word 'poorest' as it makes not the slightest amount of differwence whether those communities are poor or not in this case.

That would be true if people from these communities had the same choices available to them as their wealthier neighbours. But they don't. I doubt many of them will just shrug and get an Uber.

[Noggin]

Aren't there supposed to be additional trains coming back in at the next timetable change anyway?

[ChrisB]

There are - and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have put in some trains that do go direct - not many, I agree, but at times that do work for those on fixed times.

[TonyK]

There are - and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have put in some trains that do go direct - not many, I agree, but at times that do work for those on fixed times.

So long as their fixed times match the fixed times of the trains, of course. I recall the opening of a transport depot not far from Severn Beach station that had a night shift. A number of people from around Easton started it, knowing that they could get their by train and saying that they would be prepared to wait over an hour after the end of the shift for the first train of the day home. None lasted more than a week when the reality set in. We suggested to the company that if they moved the night shift back an hour, folks could still get there by train, and wouldn't have to wait an hour, so might actually work with them for longer. It wasn't possible because of the knock-on effect on the day shift, they said. The people concerned were keen to work, and the only reason they were going by train is that they didn't own a car or motor bike. Severn Beach has no other transport link bar a twice-daily bus.

So the poorer did lose out there, and will do again.

[Bmblbzzz]

This don't affect the poorest any more than the non-poorest - that's my point. So mentioning the poorest is n't necessary - everyone is similarly affected!

The better off you are, the more options you have. If the rail commute isn't working, you can drive. If you decide to look for a new job, you're more likely to have savings which tide you over any period of unemployment. And if you decide to move home to be nearer work, you're likely to have a wider choice – because you can afford more – as well as savings to pay for the costs involved.

[Bmblbzzz]

The people concerned were keen to work, and the only reason they were going by train is that they didn't own a car or motor bike.

Let's have some music.
https://youtu.be/nQfWzKTOE74

[TonyK]

Let's have some music.
https://youtu.be/nQfWzKTOE74

On the stick in the audio thing in my car, despite their obvious support for the Arenal miles away from Arenal Island. I don't play it very often, as it's too mellow for when I'm driving, although "Teardrop" gets a look-in if I'm on time.

[froome]

When we lived in Bristol, Stapleton Road was our local station, and my partner worked near to Filton Abbey Wood. At that time there were no direct trains between the two, and we campaigned for years to get them instated. They were, just as we moved to Bath (but to close to Oldfield Park, which does have direct trains to Filton, and was one of the reasons for our move). It is ironic, as well as sad, that we now have a better service to Filton than for those who live in east Bristol.

[Red Squirrel]

The other irony is that four-tracking of Filton Bank was supposed to be the key that unlocked the door to improved local services...