Great Western Coffee Shop

Yesterday, I took a walk around my home town.   The road that passes our house seemed - if anything - busier than it normally is. The train passing by looked like it was virtually empty.


On Saturday, Grant Shapps promised funding to restart public transport as it was before the Pandemic shutdown.  And he also told us of the once in a lifetime opportunity to get travel right for the future.  But what is "right", and is the network and timetable as it was before the shutdown actually the right basis for the future?  See last Friday's TravelWatch SouthWest discussion (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=23394.msg288810#msg288810) for some starting thoughts

Topic: Coffee Shop - Tuesday Club
Brief talk and discussion - what can we regain from the restart of public transport (but how low do we start!)?
Time: May 26, 2020 04:00 PM London

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A "screenful" of us for a "fireside chat" which ran on with conversation that will be briefly noted here when writ up;  here are the 'starter' slides:

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/tc20200526_1.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/tc20200526_2.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/tc20200526_3.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/tc20200526_4.jpg)

As all good meetings, a couple of actions.  And for me a help in understanding and clarifying thoughts and an enjoyable meeting with friends - thank you.

Notes from Reginald25 - with huge thanks:

Brief talk and discussion - what can we regain from the restart of public
transport (but how low do we start!)?

Session for Coffee Shop members (although notes declared to be going public_

Present - Grahame, MartyJon, RogerW, Lee, GBM, Bryony, Struving, S&Tengineer, BobM, Reginald25.

*     Noted that currently buses (and probably trains) that members have seen are almost empty
*     Mixed messages (slide 2)

*     Rate of public transport ramp-up determined by government, starting from a very low point
*     Funding to keep services going and to ramp-up from government to pre-pandemic levels appears to contradict 'opportunity to change services to meet a new normal'

*     Appears more cooperation between bus companies will happen, as companies try to match service offerings to demand and capability.
- Previously such cooperation was not permitted under competition rules.
- Particularly important for smaller operators
*     What funding will there be for buses when service patterns become established?


*     Return to pandemic services not always desirable where the original provision was not ideal (e.g. Melksham to Bath services were run by two companies with a considerable overcapacity).

*     As working patterns change, services will adjust to suit demand (or demand will adjust to fit in with service provision). Only likely to be settled after a number of years.

*     Once a day bus services (e.g daily coach to London from Melksham) are likely to be harder to get back, if ever if there’s the right case
*     Extra services (trains and buses) can lead to unexpected demand, e.g. very late trains/buses
*     Timetable presentation from GWR would be useful for an online TWSW session
*     ‘Turn up and go’ (as in the 70s/80s for London to Scotland air services) might be a ;possible model, but thought not really appropriate for trains, only buses
*     ‘Run when sufficient passengers’ model might also be considered, again mainly for buses.


*     Working patterns likely to change with continued home working, staggered start times and modified working site locations
*     Staggered working not as easy to implement as there are interactions such as child care to fit in. Staggered starts likely to be more significant in London and similar conurbations
*     Requirements of commuter services to conurbations are likely to change, but not clear what the long-term requirements for long-distance will be, perhaps little change.

*     Social distancing will affect capacity.

*     Noted that in Cornwall average set a loading on some services in 25%, implying a peak loading of full capacity. With SD that could give rise to passengers being unable to board.

*     Group opinion was that business models will probably change
*     Williams report will influence this as it will be influenced by the pandemic
*     Franchise models likely to be different if at all.
*     Models will depend on the how the demand changes as we climb out of lockdown.

Edit to add two bullet points

Thoroughly enjoyable an full of ideas and friendly challenge to stimulate thoughts . Many sub-topics could each have had their own fireside chat.  Thank you host ;)