From the BBC


The headline rate on standard petrol and diesel is 52.95 pence per litre, which has been frozen since 2011-12, including a "temporary 5p cut" introduced in 2022-23 which is supposed to be being withdrawn later this year.  Fuel Duty - £24 billion - £835 per household

For the financial year April 2024 to March 2025, the UK rail industry's income from passenger fares was £11.5 billion (and £12.6 including other sources). Government funding for the UK rail industry in 2024-25 was £11.9 billion, supporting nearly half of the total £25.9 billion in industry income.

52.95 pence in 2011 would be equivalent to 77.89 pence today.  If that 25p fuel tax that has been foregone were to have been taken this year and invested in the railways, it would amount to an extra investment / income of around £12 billion. So fares could be halved and £6 billion invested too.

Of course, it gets more complicated; reduced fares and increased investment (if it's done right) will rocket passenger numbers, and passenger numbers will grow; being mass transit, the cost per passenger reduces and you have whole new balance of sustainable public transport becoming the norm.  UK electification rates more in line with other counties in Europe?   People moving even more rapidly away from fossils fuels?  `Inflation stoked by the tax increase and political unrest from those reliant on private cars?

 

Our machines were set to accept them from 0927, so we could load for a 0930 departure ready to depart on time.

Plymouth city council issue passes with a + symbol on top right to holders who are over 80 or visually impaired. These passes are valid at all times.

 
From the BBC:

 
In West Berks, it's 9-30 am to 11 pm!

 

Very likely - though I'm not when. Not there to observe


Something to do with the 11:56 arrival at Westbury from Paddington not getting there until 12:31, per chance?   The 12:17 to Swindon left at 12:34.   Thank you [whoever] for not cancelling the round trip to Swindon as has happened too often in the past with this train.

 
Heading off-topic: the other day, a road closure to enable services to be taken to a new-build. The road has a one in seven slope, and in the transverse trench, existing runs of various things - a c. 6" plastic pipe, somewhat enwrapped, and a cheerful c.18" jointed ceramic pipe, still not at great depth, both inclined to match the road's 1/7 gradient, the joint that was visible being in less than perfect condition with at one point a triangular piece as big as a thumb allowing access to the inside - though on the upper side of the pipe - and the joints being more or less aligned.

The workforce beavering away methodically on their new stuff.

On the third time of passing I plucked up the courage to ask them what was what and they immediately switched to cheerful conversation mode: "The grey pipe, that's your gas - the ceramic pipe, that's the fouls." (I think they called it that...). When I expressed surprise at the, er, poor condition of the foul sewer's joint, they said "Yup, everything underground in Bath is broken - that one's actually quite good!"

It was then time to reflect on the widespread existence of jointed ceramic pipes beneath the streets of the UK, of indeterminate age and often at no great depth, and now coping with increased loading and ground movement brought about by present day road traffic.

Mark

 
There is intention to add another 175 in to passenger service from 16 March to run Plymouth - Penzance - Exeter St Davids - Penzance - Plymouth as there are now 6 serviceable sets that can run in passenger service.  However 175006 broke down again today with a bogie fault and 5Z13 training run was cancelled as a result.

 
Oxfordshire: - different again

Within Oxfordshire you can use your pass during the following times:

    Monday to Friday 9am - 12am (midnight)
    Saturday - anytime
    Sunday - anytime
    Bank Holidays - anytime

 

https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/4986/Concessionary-fare-pre-9am-exemptions-effective-from-April-2025

 
Cornwall.
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/transport-parking-and-streets/public-transport/national-concession-bus-pass/
When and where can I use my bus pass?
Your bus pass allows you to travel free of charge at anytime on the majority of services within Cornwall, Truro Park and Ride is excluded from the scheme.

You can use your bus pass to travel on bus services outside of Cornwall between 0930 and 2300 Monday to Friday.  You can also use it anytime at weekends and Bank Holidays (not Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales or the Isle of Man.) Outside of these times you must pay the standard fare for your journey.

 
Wouldn't the re-routed trains appear on the station departure boards in some form?

 

I dropped a note to my supplier - tickets bought from GWR at Bath Sps Station for train and bus journeys to Ruthin, which were not honoured on the Chester to Ruthin bus ... note dropped at 07:31 on 16th February

Reply from GWR passing the query on (even though they were the suppier of the goods?), 24th February at 14:48
Definitive reply from TfW on 5th March AT 14:16

I sent a courtesy copy of my email to GWR to and they responded with a deinitive answer 15 minutes later -  at 07:46 on 16th February

15 minutes for the independent operator (who was not the person I purchased from and 16 days later through the responsible channels / big companies. Why is it that there's what at times to be such a systemic delay in answering questions in organisations that should have the resources to handle the enquiries they get efficiently?

Matter resolved in that the T8 team / operators and their drivers have now been briefed, I understand. But I have no confidence that there aren't other bus services / operator in Wales who are supposed to accept the "Explore" tickets - which are not cheap and sold to occasional leisure travellers who will turn away passengers with valid tickets.

 
North Somerset (and adjoining counties):

Journeys starting in North Somerset, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire:
 - disabled passes can be used at any time every day of the week, thanks to funding from the Bus Service Improvement Programme
 - older person's passes can be used off-peak from Monday to Friday (before 4am and after 9am) and any time on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays

Local buses starting anywhere else in England:
 - Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 11pm (some areas may allow passes to be used at other times)
 - anytime Saturday, Sunday or public holidays

 
Devon: https://www.traveldevon.info/bus/national-bus-pass/using-your-bus-pass/

Cards valid from 09:30 > End Of Service Weekdays

A mildly amusing, but somewhat childish, episode locally was the realisation by Devon County Council that until late last year the weekday card validity was set as after 09:30. However cards were still being accepted by Stagecoach drivers on the 09:30 departure of our local I service. Mr Jobsworth obviously spotted this and Stagecoach were issued with a 'cease & desist' instruction, which was given to all relevant drivers, which stated that any 09:30 card scans would not be reimbursed by DCC. For a while intending pax were directed to the next stop where the service departed at 09:31! Sanity has now been restored.

 

Ah yes - looks like it.   Wish they had told us ... first step of adding in stops is starting to work ... but lesson to be learned in terms of being able to quickly tell customers.

Interesting choice - adding Melksham and Swindon calls but not Trowbridge and Chippenham ones.  I understand it's a difficult call and there is no good solution.

 
But..

 
From National Rail

Description
A points failure at Bedwyn means all lines are blocked. As a result, trains between between Frome / Westbury and Newbury may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or diverted.

Perhaps they are cancelling local trains (via Melksham) in order that fast trains to/from the Westcountry can use the line?

 

Notified at 07:21 ... no alternatives offered.

But if the points just failed (where ?) there is some immediate sympathy on the day for the last minute cancellation.  And it's possibly too late to switch trains around.

What if I were travelling?  With both train and bus operations being pretty regulated, perhaps I should be allowed to catch the 07:44 or 08:25 bus at Trowbridge to Melksham or Chippenham - arriving at the railway station in Chippenham at 09:00 or at the bus station at 09:27.   

Yes - I know that the bus replaces a 20 minute journey by one that's over three times as long ... but it's doing the best for the customer when things go wrong - as would be reminding passengers that the may dogleg via Bath is they're joining at or before Trowbridge.   Is it really that hard to think of the customer at short notice?  Could AI and/or pre-emptive arrangements make customer consideration at the time of disruption to be automatic?

 
This topic has been moved to Diary - what's happening when? and merged with an existing topic there.

https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=20407.msg373151#msg373151

 
07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:34
07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:34 will be cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

08:44 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26
08:44 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

 
From Wiltshire Live


In Swindon, I believe it's the minimum government hours of 09:30 to 23:00 on Mondays to Fridays, and any time on Saturday or Sunday.

In Wiltshire, I believe it's from 09:00 to last timetabled service on Mondays to Fridays, and any time on Saturday and Sunday.

In Bath, I don't know what the starting time is but in theory it's to 23:00 Monday to Friday, and any time Saturday and Sunday.

The 09:00 cutoff in Wiltshire makes huge sense.  Being valid on the final service also makes sense - and both of these are successes for common sense.  Between 09:00 and 09:30,  there used to be a "quiet half hour" after work and school journeys were completed, and before the seniors "could" travel ... yes, I know people with a senior card can pay, but many of them take the view "I cannot travel".   The slightly later start also lead to people who wanted to be out getting on the bus at perhaps 09:15 and buying a short distance journey, then getting off and back on at the first timing point after 09:30, in one instance large numbers of them at a countryside "flagpole" stop on a narrow lane with a sloping verge.

The late bus 273 from Bath at 23:15 (Monday to Friday), 23:20 (Saturday) rarely carries many seniors.  In theory, I believe you have to pay if you join before Shockerwick and can travel on your bus pass if you hold a senior card from Shockerwick onwards.  In practise, I only use this service very, very rarely as a fallback and can't recall being asked to pay.

What is the situation in Somerset? Dorset? Devon? Cornwall? ...

 
Now, what are Network Rail up to here? Last week I could hear some banging and power tool noise late at night from the station, and after a couple of nights the treads and deck of the public footbridge had - I thought - been covered with something feltlike. But in fact extruded hollow "planks" (presumably of some polymer) had been fitted in place of the wooden ones.

This morning I got a "dear neighbour" letter from NR (dated 4th) warning me that they would be doing noisy stuff at the end of next week (Friday 20th 7:00 to Monday 23rd 6:00). The work is described as "deck and treads renewal". It's not described as overnight work, and the trains won't be stopping (which was true last week as well).

Now, you may remember that the wooden treads and deck were fitted in 2021, following listed buildings consent from the council's planning department. The first application was thrown out and there was an argument about NR's proposal to use GRP "wood" (and other things). The council's heritage officer objected, and a new proposal to use hardwood then did pass. But I can see no sign of any new application for any such work.  So, as I said, what are they up to?

PS: I can't find any claim that the 2021 painting of the steel in "Southern Maunsell Dark Olive" would provide any stated level of protection from corrosion. However, the performance provided over less than five years does look rather disappointing in any terms.

 
Has anyone ever been offered (or used) a ticket split at Dilton Marsh?   If so, is it common practise on any of the splitting apps?

 

More like not letting a private TOC get the credit for it and/or letting the Scots figure out the procurement first. 

 

I am very relieved from today's central timetable briefing that the Sunday timetable changes for the summer are not further cuts - they are a continuation of the cuts already made last December - and indeed there is an extra IET running up and down between Bristol and London, tuned towards the busiest gaps.

 
Our worker server went offline just before midday - as you'll see it's back now. The outage was about 3.5 hours.

Evidence suggests that the company that provides the infrastructure that hosts the Coffee Shop had changed something in their configuration, and in doing so had lost one of the two IP addresses we use.  Of course, this needed research at my end before I said "oy!" and I was at the doctor's at the time so it took me a while to get onto it.  Once reported, it took them about an hour to respond to my support request and then solve the issue.   All this lot while attending GWR's central area timetable briefing. from 13:00 to 14:30 - more about that anon!

At the doctors only because they wanted a same of my blood ... checking up on me.  Only detrimental effect of all this lot - a rise in my blood pressure and need for another cup of coffee!

I do not expect this particular problem to recur - however, our original provider sold his hosting business and this in not the first time the new company has done an oopsie.  Yes, I have backups.

 

 

We were told front 2 coaches (which were in normal formation, A and B).

Claimed delay/repay for 60-119 mins, 50% of a return, but they've refunded the full amount.

 

To Be Cancelled?