Great Western Coffee Shop

Consultation Question 8

a) Which direct services such as those described above should be preserved in the next franchise?
Why?
b) Are there any other stations between which you feel direct services should be provided?
Why?
c) At which locations should connections between different services be improved? Why?

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Explanatory text

Whilst passengers value being able to make direct journeys, some direct journeys may be provided more for operational reasons than because an identified market exists, e.g. linking of services together across Bristol between Great Malvern, Cardiff, Gloucester, Westbury, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton and Weymouth. In these cases, we are unlikely to perpetuate such cross-city linkages, and allowing the next franchisee flexibility to modify service patterns could be important in supporting future service improvements and efficient operations.

However, we recognise that there may be aspirations for a wider range of direct journey opportunities, particularly to and from London, and could require the franchisee to develop proposals for these for possible implementation in the franchise from 2022.

Where it not feasible to provide direct services, we will expect the franchisee to consider providing suitable connections between their own services where possible, e.g. between main line and branch line services in Devon and Cornwall. Where connections may be between different operators, we propose to build on the approach used in recent franchise competitions to seek greater collaboration with other operators and local stakeholders to identify the connections that matter most to passengers, and to coordinate their timetables where practicable to provide convenient connections.

See http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=19037 for the background to this topic

A flexibility across the city of Bristol (allowing service to terminate there rather than be through such was Weymouth to Worcester) makes sense. However though journeys within the Bristol travel-to-work area that are cross city do benefit from being available without a change of train at Bristol Temple Meads.   For example, passengers from Yatton, Nailsea, Keynsham and Trowbridge (and other stations on those lines) commute in significant numbers to Filton Abbey Wood.

Should though services at peaks be retained across Bristol at least to Bristol Parkway, and if so is it reasonable to ask that this be done at the expense of timing improvements elsewhere in the area?

In Exeter, both St Davids and Central are key commute destinations, with passengers from all directions headed to both of them.   Doesn't it make sense to join up the services so that trains arriving  into Central from the Exmouth and Yeovil Junction lines carry on to St David's, and carry on further from there via Dawlish and via Crediton?

How about continuing some Paddington to the South West services via Bristol?  At least as far as Exeter!

Apart from being a useful service it would retain route knowledge for diversions.