E-mail from FGW regarding the TransWilts

[whole diary]

[Graz]

Letter from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Customer Relations, it's bad news I'm afraid.

--

Dear Graham,

Thank you again for your email regarding rail services in Wiltshire. As promised by
Andrew Haines in his reply I can now update you on progress. 

We had hoped that we could organise an additional service through Wiltshire serving
Melksham in particular. We looked very carefully at all the options, but whilst the
plan received good support, and remains something we want to do, the cost of the new
service is considerable. It will not be covered by the revenue that the service will
generate, and as a commercial organisation we can only therefore proceed if we can
find some joint funding to offset the costs. Despite our efforts this has to not
proved possible to date, and we will not be able to offer any extra services in the
next timetable due out in December.

We will continue to discuss the plans with stakeholders and will keep looking for a
partner to help finance the service, but this will not be possible before the
December 2009 timetable (at the earliest).

Thank you again for your interest and I am sorry that I do not have better news.

Yours sincerely

Leigh Owen
Customer Services Advisor

[Lee]

I got much the same e-mail.

[Graz]

I'm still concerned the focus is blinkered on serving Melksham when there are plenty of other trememdous benefits this service will bring. For example, I don't go to Melksham, but an increase in trains from Frome or Warminster to Westbury would bring a big benefit to me.

A reply to Leigh and Andrew Haines is on it's way...

Edit: Would you mind if, when I finish, you could post the e-mail on CANBER^▸ (Campaign Against the New Beeching Report), Lee? It tries to explain the other benefits the TransWilts would bring and I think I did a pretty good job!

[swlines]

Now, don't get me wrong, but I'm going to say the same thing every time a set back happens.

Serving Melksham (just forget the fact there are benefits for other stations for the moment) is operationally very difficult for the West fleet - and a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) could not 'easily' serve it (although I think inroads should be made to trying to run the 0640 Bristol to London from Castle Cary via Trowbridge... but anyway.

I think it's time to start lobbying Wiltshire CC as well as FGW^▸ (First Great Western) themselves.

[Lee]

A reply to Leigh and Andrew Haines is on it's way...

Edit: Would you mind if, when I finish, you could post the e-mail on CANBER^▸ (Campaign Against the New Beeching Report), Lee? It tries to explain the other benefits the TransWilts would bring and I think I did a pretty good job!

Send me a copy and I'll put it up there.

I think it's time to start lobbying Wiltshire CC as well as FGW^▸ (First Great Western) themselves.

Dont worry, we have been lobbying Wiltshire CC, and will continue to do so.....

[swlines]

Dont worry, we have been lobbying Wiltshire CC, and will continue to do so.....

Not really doing much though at the moment is it?

[devon_metro]

Whilst passenger numbers are rising elsewhere, why allocate the stock to a line with awful loadings?

[tramway]

Not really doing much though at the moment is it?

WCC^▸ (Wiltshire County Council (Until March 2009)) do very little at the best of times. There are many good words in the local transport plan, which an adequate Transwilts service would substantially underpin the objectives.

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ltp2-vision-objectives.pdf

At the moment they hell bent on building a bypass the wrong side of Westbury and allowing the building of a waste processing plant on the opposite side of the town to the cement factory which will actually use the output. Completely ludicrous.

[tramway]

Whilst passenger numbers are rising elsewhere, why allocate the stock to a line with awful loadings?

Grahame's point is that it wouldn't have awful loadings if it was run properly.

[devon_metro]

Most definatly true, but the stock is still needed elsewhere. One of the transwilts workings is booked for a 158. A total WASTE of stock designed for a well loaded line!!

[Graz]

Only awful loadings because the current timings are so awful- it'd happen on any other line should a service be introduced that is as bad as the service is on the TW. The line has -tons- of potential if a decent service was run!

Perhaps lower capacity stock could be introduced to begin with until passenger confidence grows once again.

[Btline]

I have seen a picture (it was at the top of the page in the banner 2 months ago) with crowds boarding a train at Melksham. Lightly used?

And how many times FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/DfT^» (Department for Transport - about):

A RAILWAY IS A PUBLIC SERVICE, NOT A PROFIT MAKING ORGANISATION. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE PROFITABLE IN ALL AREAS.

Ditto for Post Offices, Royal Mail etc.

[swlines]

I have seen a picture (it was at the top of the page in the banner 2 months ago) with crowds boarding a train at Melksham. Lightly used?

Wasn't that picture taken during the high summer prior to the service cuts? Or was it the Father Christmas special.

And how many times FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/DfT^» (Department for Transport - about):

A RAILWAY IS A PUBLIC SERVICE, NOT A PROFIT MAKING ORGANISATION. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE PROFITABLE IN ALL AREAS.

Ditto for Post Offices, Royal Mail etc.

A railway is a public service, and at least a break even organisation. It should be able to make a profit in order to further invest those profits into the railway itself - which is not what happens at the moment but what should happen. Either way, the railway needs to make a profit to survive in this climate.

[devon_metro]

I have seen a picture (it was at the top of the page in the banner 2 months ago) with crowds boarding a train at Melksham. Lightly used?

And how many times FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/DfT^» (Department for Transport - about):

A RAILWAY IS A PUBLIC SERVICE, NOT A PROFIT MAKING ORGANISATION. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE PROFITABLE IN ALL AREAS.

Ditto for Post Offices, Royal Mail etc.

Pulled in by the propoganda I see Mr Btline 

As swlines states, it was a christmas special, and is always busy. Needless to say, a picture of the normal service would be more appropriate to provide a balanced argument (considering the FGWCS has no apparent loyalties towards STT^▸ (Save the Train) (the name would suggest so at least))

[Timmer]

A lost opportunity as far as I am concerned. Wish I could say I'm surprised by the decision but I'm not. I can only say that I feel for all those who use the line and have campaigned for improvements.