Bath Spa station - improvements, incidents (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Just to let everyone know that Bath Spa travel centre will be closed for aprox 4-6 whilst renovation work is carried out. It will also affect the ticket sales area at times I suspect. They are also installing ticket barriers in the ticket hall area.

Always a busy travel centre, its one of the few that remain at mainline railway stations with most having been closed down long ago. I'm sure it will be missed these next few weeks especially by the tourists who are better to stay away from Bath which is turning into one big building site with the construction of the new shopping centre and bus/rail interchange.

[BandHcommuter]

Just to follow on from this, I understand that the new ticket office will be a "single point of sale" (located in the existing travel centre area) replacing the existing ticket office and travel centre. I would guess that some windows will be dedicated to advance purchase or immediate travel depending on the time of day. The current ticket windows will be removed to make extra room for the gateline, and more self service ticket machines.

[Timmer]

Just to follow on from this, I understand that the new ticket office will be a "single point of sale" (located in the existing travel centre area) replacing the existing ticket office and travel centre. I would guess that some windows will be dedicated to advance purchase or immediate travel depending on the time of day. The current ticket windows will be removed to make extra room for the gateline, and more self service ticket machines.

So to confirm their will not in essence be a dedicated travel centre as was previously 

[BandHcommuter]

So to confirm their will not in essence be a dedicated travel centre as was previously 

That is indeed my understanding.

[Timmer]

Here's what FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have to say about their plans:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?id=496

First Great Western has started work on a major refurbishment of Bath Spa station.

The building work represents an investment of over ^400,000 by First Great Western as part of its ^200 million investment in trains, stations and customer service.

A completely new interior with enhanced facilities will create a more contemporary impression for visitors to Bath. The station ^ originally modelled on an Elizabethan country house, will have new floors, an open-access ticket desk without glass screens, a dedicated ticket counter for disabled customers, new lighting, new colours and new counter areas. The external character of the station will remain unchanged.

Major works start on May 21 and are scheduled to finish on 9 July. A phased programme of internal alterations to the Grade 2 Listed building will allow the station to continue to operate as the work progresses.

Adrian Clarke, Transportation Policy Manager, Bath & North East Somerset Council says: ^Bath & North East Somerset Council has been working closely with First Great Western to improve the environment for passengers arriving and leaving Bath Spa Station. The station is one of the busiest in the region and these improvements will help to further enhance Bath as an important visitor destination.^

Andrew Griffiths, First Great Western^s Regional Manager says: ^This is an historic listed building that reflects Brunel^s legacy to the railway. The modernisation has been carefully designed and approved by the authorities to reflect the building and its surroundings in an historic city.^

Ian Monks, Station Manager Bath Spa says: ^Our customers will really notice the difference ^ especially the new open plan concourse.^

During the building work, First Great Western staff will be in the concourse to help customers as they buy their tickets. 4 self-service ticket machines will also be in use whilst parts of the existing ticket sales area are partitioned off to allow the builders to upgrade the interior.

ENDS

Sounds quite promising. Its long overdue for sure.

[Lee]

Random bag and car searches are being carried out at Bath Spa (link below.)
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=17720067&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

[Jim]

Good

[whistleblower]

Not sure whether to laugh or cry at this story.  Over the weekend a colleague took the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service to Brighton.  After everybody had left the train he found a suitcase had been left behind.  It had airline tags from an Arab airline and had Arabic writing on it.  No, really!

The platform was packed with people and he called the Police and started trying to clear the platform on his own.  When the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) policeman arrived he said it wasn't suspicious as it was not hidden.  The fact that there is nowhere to hide a suitcase on a 158 was not part of his deduction.  He lifted it out of the train on to the platform which, despite the efforts of my colleague was still busy with passengers, and promptly flicked the catches to open it.

So there's a handy tip for any terrorists trying to get one over the BTP.  Make it look like a cannonball with a smoking fuse coming out of it.  Write BOMB on it - preferably in Arabic - put it on full display and send it to Brighton.

[Jim]

Blimey, but, why am I not suprised!

[Timmer]

Random bag and car searches are being carried out at Bath Spa (link below.)
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=17720067&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

The thing that springs to mind on reading this is that the horse has bolted and is in the next field and probably wont be back for sometime. But thats how terrorism works to try and bring terror, fear and disruption to people's everyday lives until they strike again.

[Lee]

Fears are rising that careless drivers could cause an accident while dropping off train passengers at Bath Spa (link below.)
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=18048960&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

Motorists avoiding the SouthGate development works are stopping in Rossiter Road so passengers can cross Halfpenny Bridge to get to the railway station.

Now Bath and North East Somerset Council has said that parking attendants will put on extra peak-time patrols to deal with the problem.

[Timmer]

Fears are rising that careless drivers could cause an accident while dropping off train passengers at Bath Spa (link below.)
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=18048960&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

Motorists avoiding the SouthGate development works are stopping in Rossiter Road so passengers can cross Halfpenny Bridge to get to the railway station.

Now Bath and North East Somerset Council has said that parking attendants will put on extra peak-time patrols to deal with the problem.

Not a good idea.  Because its a two carriageway road separated by a central reservation, many drivers think its a dual carriageway with the speed limit of a normal dual carriageway and speed up considerably along this short stretch of road. It think its meant to be a 30 limit. Its not clear at all. Sorry for going a bit off topic again!

[Timmer]

Sounds quite promising. Its long overdue for sure.

I wrote that back in May, just as they closed the travel centre for the ticket office refurbishment and though it sounded quite promising at the time however the end result is very disappointing. The ticket hall is dull and unwelcoming and there are not enough barriers which apparently struggle to cope at peak times. I didnt want to say anything in case I was the only one who didnt think it was upto much but after seeing comments from others appear in the local press it seems that im not the only who feels that this has not been an improvement to Bath's ticket and travel office. Can we have the old travel centre and ticket office back please

[spike]

The new ticket hall, while nice new and shiny, isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. There are plenty of self service ticket machines though which isn't too bad (as long as they'll sell you the right ticket, arrive just before Savers become valid and they don't spit them out!!). However, the biggest issue is the ticket gates - if you get two trains coming in at peak time at the same time then the log jam of people trying to get out from both platforms is horrendous. Not to mention additional people trying to get into the station through the same gates.

Not very well thought out at all.

As usual, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have managed to cock it right up.

[simonw]

Gates are a major pain.

At Bristol Parkway, TWO gates are expected to handle 300+ passengers leaving peak evening trains. Last year they promised to add more ticket machines and gates. One new ticket machine is all they installed.

As a consequence, on many evenings he gates are left open. Would you want to hold up 300 tired passengers?