Great Western Coffee Shop

Can you believe it's been two years since the expanded FGW franchise began?

Here's to seeing lots of improvements in year three!

I wonder if they will give out cake to passengers or maybe that will remind them how long they have left with FGW.

Third year lucky?  :D

G**d - let's hope so.

First took over a service of 10 trains a day to our town of 23,000 people and cut it back to just 4 the following December (06:48, 07:17, 19:11 and 19:50).  They have - after a great deal of fuss - prepared a draft 2009 timetable showing 12 trains a day, well spread at 06:48, 07:17, 08:24, 09:28, 11:17, 12:28, 14:17, 15:28, 17:08, 18:21, 19:11 and 19:50. But I understand that its provision is not certain as we still need to provide more local support!

I expect they would expect a lot of plaudits for doing litlle more than putting back a service that should never have been trimmed but I for one WILL give them my heartfelt thanks if they run 12 trains on Wednesday, 1st April 2009 as a standard part of the daily service.

In case you wonder

* The town in question is Melksham

The changes would also have the following effect:

* Salisbury to Swindon - up from NO direct trains to 4 per day
* Trowbridge to Swindon - Journey times cut from over 60 minutes to 35 minutes
* Frome - 3 hour gaps during day reduced to 2 hours
* Overcrowding relief from Trowbridge to Bath
* Extra Salisbury - Westbury services to reduce overcrowdinf there
* Chippenham to Salisbury - reduced from 85 minutes to less that 60.

And YOU CAN SIGN UP AS A SUPPORTER (please! at
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/pledge.html (http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/pledge.html)
and there are links to more information there too

(Campaign opens properly on Wednesday but the site is already operation and collecting a few early names)

Start a petition on the number 10 website. if you are lucky, Ruth will listen to you.

And let's hope that by 2009, some redoubling will be taking place in response to mine, and two other peoples' petitions!

If you look at the website Graham states he doesn't want to do it on Number 10's website as he wants to get it across to people more likely to listen.

Indeed, but the question / suggestion was a good one. Believe me, I've had plenty of time to think this one through.  Actually just documented it in another thread - here:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=2257.0

and probably a good idea to carry on discussions there or the moderators will pick me up for running multiple threads on the same subject  ;)

Actually, it is my fault.  :-[ I posted the idea of a petition here BEFORE reading the parallel thread,  ::) and posting another response (which has been replied to- as indicated above) which I then posted a response again.

Oh dear- even I don't understand what I am typing now. ???

But.....

I have now agreed that a petition is not a good idea. ;)

The end. Duplication over. Full stop. :-X

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