Missing Easement

[whole diary]

[jamestheredengine]

So yet again between Christmas and New Year, the South Wales trains are diverted between Swindon and Newport, not stopping at Bristol Parkway, but stopping additionally at Patchway. Simple enough, short delay, never mind.

But yet again the way they've done this has made all the fares between Melksham and stations in South Wales disappear. Shock horror, the diverted train will pass through Chippenham and the journey planner sees this as a DOUBLE BACK. Never mind that all but the last train of the night don't actually stop at Chippenham.

Whose neck does one have to wring to get the people who encode journey planners to realise that when they're using this particular diversion, there needs to be an easement that journeys between Melksham and destinations via Newport (South Wales) may double back between Chippenham and Swindon?

[grahame]

Not unusual for engineering works to have side effects on fares ... though it's a while since I raised such a systemic case with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)  and a number of people have moved on / around.  I will refer my contacts to this thread - following description to help fill them in further on the issue

The quickest route from Melksham to stations in South Wales is via Swindon, changing there into a London to South Wales train.  I used to regularly travel between Melksham and Swansea, and that was not only much quicker via Swindon, but also avoided the need for multiple changes. It is valid "any permitted".  There IS a direct train from Chippenham at 06:33, connecting off the 05:33 Melksham to Swindon with a 50 minute wait at Chippenham! Other than that service, the slower and multiple change alternatives are:
1. Change at Trowbridge and Newport or Cardiff
2. Change at Chippenham, Bristol Temple Meads and either Newport or Cardiff.

The request is for "any permitted" journeys from Melksham to South Wales during engineering works which divert the trains through Chippenham (not stopping) rather than through Bristol Parkway to be allowed.

[grahame]

An easement has been requested - agreed in principle, putting it in place / actually coding it is central and has been passed through from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to (I think) RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context).