Great Western Coffee Shop

So no matter what this group has to say about the removal of the Up-Side car park it seems the people in high profile postitions think different. Let's hope that this is now put to bed!

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Fears-fatal-crush-Bath-Spa-Station-unfounded/article-593566-detail/article.html (http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Fears-fatal-crush-Bath-Spa-Station-unfounded/article-593566-detail/article.html)

It always struck me as a strange argument to pick.  I suspect that MTLS really don't like the fact that they wil in future be unable to walk straight from thier car to the platform.

They may well have a valid (minor) criticism but their attempt to dress it up as a safety issue rather than a matter of (in)convenience has failed.

Maybe I lack imagination but it's a bit of a mystery to me how removing that small ramp and car park negatively affects safety: from my observations not very many people at Bath leave the station through that gate anyway, so it seems unlikely that its closure will result in a huge increase in the number of passengers passing through the barriers, which are admittedly very cramped. The provision of lifts is surely a massive improvement for elderly and disabled passengers given the number of stairs up to the platforms from the booking hall.

It might even be possible to make an argument that the loss of the ramp and car park improves safety, by providing one less source of conflicting traffic movements immediately outside the station. I don't want to be cynical but I agree with Tim: it strikes me that the supposed safety issue may have been cooked up to try and draw attention to a fairly trivial matter.

Very well said, Blakey. I agree with every word.

MTLS haven't got anything else to moan about now, infact they're just clutching at straws in order to still try and serve a purpouse, why don't they be good and dissapear into the unknown quietly!

They may have a good use in Kent. Govia are using their monopoly over rail and road to hike fares 35%. A fare strike would be a good way to get the government to stop these ILLEGAL rises.

I'm sorry btline, what are you rambling on about.

It works the same way as First Class. You get a better service (in this case faster) so you pay more. Simple economics really.

Here's an explanation:

Firstly, journey times for most are going UP. Furthermore, the station is further away from where people work (West End, or The City), so convenience is DOWN.

Meanwhile, people in Greater London are having their services AXED and are paying 8% more this year for the privilege!

If SE were keeping their express and semi fast trains, as well as a good service at smaller stations; people would have a choice on whether to pay for the Javelin, or stick to normal services.

However, SE are AXING semi fast trains, and some stations are having 60% CUTS in service. This is basically FORCING people onto the Javelins, hence FORCING people to pay 35%.

I have no problem with the idea of a high speed commuter link - but SE are going to cause misery to hundreds of thousands of commuters - the season ticket fares are high enough already.

what they gunna do pay the conjection charge and fuel for there car or get a second car....remember lifes full of evil bas***ds, this is a service people need to get to work and put food on the table..... no alternative..... LETS SCREW EM!!!!!

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/30509233@N02/2895410424)

MTLS seem determined not to give up on this one though and have organised a protest outside Bath Spa station for Monday morning:
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/travelandtransport/Protest-station-ramp/article-621010-detail/article.html


More details on the protest can be found on the front page of the MTLS website http://mtls.org.uk/ though I do wonder if there will be much support for this one.

is this to be The very first Stairs stike!!!!

LOL!  :D very good dog box.

Sorry, am I missing something here.

They are protesting because of the removal of a ramp?

Meanwhile, millions are dying in the middle east......

Come on, at least the fare strikes had a vague justification. This seems pathetic. :D

I wonder if there'll be a fleet of daleks parked up outside Bath Spa on Monday morning.  ;)

They'll have to do their protesting on Dorchester Street, as they will not be allowed on the forecourt of the station I am glad to say. Anyone found handing out leaflets on railway property will be evicted. (ticket in possesion or not!)

That would be interesting if applied as a general rule. What's the definition of "railway property" at (say) Bristol Temple Meads or Melksham?

Now that definition at Melksham is an interesting one ... the platform to the gate is Network Rail property, outside the gate it's (I think) BRB Residuary, and a roadway over which free access is allowed to all the businesses who rent property from the BRB.

If the BRB land is NOT considered railway property, then leaflets may be handed out just outside the gate.  If it IS considered railway property, then an employee of the tyre company handing out leaflets to motorist coming in to have their tyres changed would be evicted if found!

This Save The Train Forum archive quote might help:


Just out of interest, who owns the car parking spaces?

Report on today's protest by MTLS and judging by the picture on the report they were handing out leaflets on the station forecourt:
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Leaflet-protest-Bath-station-ramp/article-625149-detail/article.html

It was obvious such a low-key protest that FGW sensibly decided it wasn't worth making a fuss over.  The whole protest puzzles me.  There are much more important things happening in the world and much more important railway issues than a ramp at Bath Spa.  I'm quite looking forward to the revamp of the "transport Plaza" myself

Quite agree.

I look forward to the day I travel through Bath and its not a building site!

I suspect you'll have to wait a little longer for that wish to come true seeing as they haven't even started on the "transport Plaza"

Yes ... unfortunately, devon_metro, things aren't looking too good:


See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7857628.stm  ::)

Indeed, as someone who lives in Bath today has not been a good day. If anyone knows where the Western Riverside project is, or maybe was, to be built will know what i'm talking about...A lot of former factory wasteland the former gassworks!  :(