Great Western RUS published

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

I guess the actual RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) as published probably deserves its own thread?  Link to the news release:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Press-Releases/RAIL-VISION-SPELLS-THE-NEXT-FRONTIER-FOR-GREAT-WESTERN-13ac/SearchCategoryID-7.aspx


Edit: There is a direct link to the full RUS document now:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/great%20western/great%20western%20rus.pdf

Paul

[Deltic]

From page 11 of the RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy):

The Draft for Consultation also recommended an hourly service from Westbury to either Chippenham or Swindon subject to the further development of these schemes by the scheme promoters. However, during the consultation period it became apparent that the passenger figures used in the analysis were distorted due to a discrepancy in purchasing of tickets at Melksham for travel between Bath and Trowbridge. The economic appraisal has therefore been remodelled, using the latest passenger data available, with the hourly Westbury to Swindon service achieving a sufficient BCR^▸ (Benefit Cost Ratio) to be able to be recommended but the option for a Westbury to Chippenham service offers poor value for money (mainly due to the infrastructure costs for the required bay platform at Chippenham). There are still concerns over the validity of the demand data and it is evident that the business case for these schemes is highly sensitive to the level of passenger demand, particularly at Melksham where footfall is currently low and the effect of a significant service enhancement on demand is uncertain. The RUS therefore recommends that the scheme promoter develops these options further by undertaking a detailed review of the local area demand and identifying the most optimum service pattern. This can then be modelled, for operational and performance viability, with a full business case completed.

Does this mean that the burghers of Melksham have been trying to fiddle the figures for the usage of their station, that the usage is so constrained by the current poor service levels as to make extrapolation difficult or some combination of the two?

I'm also confused as to the status of the Swindon to Kemble redoubling.  In one place it says funding is not certain, in another it says it will take place in 2012.

[Phil]

passenger figures used in the analysis were distorted due to a discrepancy in purchasing of tickets at Melksham for travel between Bath and Trowbridge

If I remember correctly, this was not down to the people of Melksham as such, but due to a ticketing discrepancy whereby tickets from Meksham to Bath via Trowbridge were 50p cheaper than tickets from Trowbridge to Bath direct.

Trowbridge passengers quickly cottoned on to this, understandably, and for a long while (over a year or more I think) routinely bought Melksham - Bath tickets instead of Trowbridge - Bath tickets, thus distorting the passenger figures.

To be fair, even the ticket office staff at Trowbridge were wise to it and if they liked the look of you, would offer to sell you one of the "special tickets".

[Deltic]

It makes you wonder whether other investment schemes have been given the yeah or nay on the basis of passenger figures distorted by the many discrepancies in the fares / ticketing system!

[grahame]

Does this mean that the burghers of Melksham have been trying to fiddle the figures for the usage of their station ...

No, it doesn't.

It has been an intense frustration when putting technical cases together that the figures have been distorted by people who used to buy tickets from Melksham but never come near the place.  I'm relieved that the distortion has now been taken out - it leaves the way clear for the case to be better seen without the fog of "funny" figures ... and the case still stacks up, you'll note 

[grahame]

Full text on the TransWilts element is at

http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8080.

(pages 85 and 86 if you look at the whole .pdf file) and I'll fire up a thread in the "Swindon to Westbury" board too.

[IanC]

(Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about)-RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy)-c73.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Resource-Library/GW-RUS-c73.aspx

Paul

Embargoed until March 1st? Huh?

[John R]

Anyone else notice that whilst other RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) publications get a listing under the National press releases, the GW^» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) one is only shown under the relevant regional listings. Also nothing on the main home page.

We're obviously not as important as the East Midlands.

[paul7575]

(Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about)-RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy)-c73.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Resource-Library/GW-RUS-c73.aspx

Paul

Embargoed until March 1st? Huh?

That was the version linked to from the press release, but there is now a better link to the RUS section of the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) website, so I've edited my original post again so we'll only have the 'faster' (and probably more permanent) link.

Paul