I am sorry but the name of the service is immaterial to me.  When I use a transport service I want to go from A to B at a reasonable time, in reasonable comfort at an affordable fare.

Probably Bristol Post re-circulating again an old story on a slow news day.

Not clear to me if

1. This is added to the agenda for this evening

2. This replaces the meeting this evening

3. This is a new meeting

Can someone from Bristol / FoSBR / in the know please follow up?  Thanks!

Morning I saw this late last night

Looks very much like The Bristol Post are mixing things up again
The topic may well be added to the agenda for tonight but I wouldn't think that it's going to be a whole new meeting at such short notice.

Our FOSBR Quarterly meeting is tomorrow with a focus on the Severn Beach Line troubles and our FOSBR Rail Plan 2018 with short, medium and long-term solutions to improving local rail services. Thank you Bristol Post for publicising this!

Public meeting called to discuss the ‘unreliable’ Severn Beach train service

A travel pressure group is hosting a public meeting to discuss the frequent delays and cancellations to services on the Severn Beach line.

Friends of Suburban Bristol Rail (FOSBR) say it has received a number of complaints about the service, which it fought hard to resurrect more than a decade ago.

Issues appear to have begun last in July after the service – which is controlled by Great Western Rail – received ‘new’ trains which had been recycled from the Thames Valley branch.

It is unclear why the launch of the ‘Turbo Trains’ increase the frequency of delays and cancellations, but FOSBR want to increase pressure on GWR to improve its service.

“We have spoked to Great Western Rail again and again about this problem coming up for over a year now, but nothing has been done,” FOSBR spokesperson, Julie Boston said.

“It is horrendously disruptive for people trying to use the service – people in Bristol trying to get to Severn Beach and the other way round for people trying to get to work or just make travel plans.

Yes, Dilton Marsh.  The pictures there being purely platform 2.    Platform 1 works pictures to follow.

Lower prices could lure 40% of non-rail users into trains, study finds

Trains are too expensive, according to those who prefer to travel by other means.

According to a report, ‘Tomorrow’s passengers: understanding how to make rail travel more attractive to infrequent and non-users’, published by Transport Focus, almost 40% of people who never or rarely travel by train argue that the cost is the main reason, closely followed by inconvenience.

Cost was consistently considered the main barrier across a variation of demographics – income, location and disability – and older people and those not working were more likely to consider that the fares are too complicated.

Those with access to a car find it more convenient overall, but also named station parking as a barrier, due to either a lack of space or the cost of parking.

Station plan is derailed by red tape

CAMPAIGNERS believe ‘ridiculous’ barriers are being put in the way of a railway proposal for Marlborough by Wiltshire Council.

Dreams of creating a railway in Marlborough were dealt a blow after the town heard it was at the bottom of a council list of towns likely to have a station built in Wiltshire.

Article continues

Wow! Thanks for those pictures, grahame. 

The scale of the work required at Dilton Marsh (for that is where you were, I think ) perhaps gives some idea of the even greater scale of work that would be required to deliver our disabled ramp access to platform 1 at Nailsea & Backwell Station.

As EMU's the 319's were 100mph units, weren't they?

So, yes a bit slower than a 387, but a bit quicker than a Turbo, although true to say we don't know what their speed will be under diesel power?

Kind of irrelevant on the North Downs anyway, as I don't think there is any linespeed above 70?

Come along to find out about our new discover network of buses for Somerset, Bath and Wiltshire with services D1, D2 and D3. Our wheel of fortune has some great prizes and you can find out how services 265, 267, 271 and 272 are changing. More information on services can be found at http://www.firstgroup.com/discover

Welcome to the discover network of bus services, connecting Bath with towns and villages in Wiltshire and Somerset. Along with the new name, we've given each route a new easy-to-remember number; the old 265 becomes the D1, the 267 is now D2 and what used to be the 271 and 272 are now simply D3.

The buses have had a makeover too, with a smart new look on the outside and more modern interiors. We've also equipped them with free WiFi and USB charging points, so you can stay connected on the move.

D1 Bath - Winsley - Bradford-on-Avon - Trowbridge - Westbury - Warminster - Salisbury

D2 Bath - St Martins Hospital - Norton St Philip - Beckington - Frome

D3 Bath - Box - Whitley - Melksham - Bowerhill

Fares

Depending on where you are travelling the Bath & Bristol Outer Zones or West of England tickets will offer you the best value for money. Young people (16-21) and students (of any age if in full time education) can get up to 30% discount on all tickets if they have a First photo ID pass or student photo ID. Children aged 5-15 can get up to 50% discount on all tickets and children under five can travel for free with each fare paying adult/young person/student or concessionary pass holders. 

We have issued the media release below announcing the next stage of our smart mobile ticketing roll out.  This will mean customers will be able to buy tickets on their phone and then use their phone as their ticket on the train.  This will mean customers can buy tickets while en route to the station and never again need to worry about losing their tickets!

Use your phone as a rail ticket
Great Western Railway expands use of mobile tickets
 
Go from booking to boarding in just a matter of minutes and without the need for a paper ticket, as Great Western Railway (GWR) launches mobile ticketing across its network today.
 
GWR has expanded the availability of mobile tickets across its network, enabling customers to travel with their ticket on their smartphone or tablet, and the train operator is giving 20 lucky people the chance of winning £200 of e-Vouchers.
 
If all users of the app were to buy paper-free tickets it would save a 10-metre high stack of orange rail tickets every week, or over half a kilometre every year.
 
Passengers can now use their smart phone or tablet as a pocket ticket machine to purchase and to travel following the installation of barcode readers at station ticket gates across the GWR network.
 
Download or update the app for free and see if you route has been updated today.
 
The scheme covers all singles and return tickets; standard and first class, adult and child. Season tickets; Group Save and Rangers and Rovers are not currently available.
 
By downloading the GWR app customers can instantly purchase a wide range of ticket types, including on the day ‘walk-up’ fares, from the GWR app for the majority of journeys across the GWR network.
 
Tickets are displayed on the phone screen as an encrypted barcode to be scanned by new readers at ticket gates, and can also be checked on board by train managers with mobile barcode reading devices.
 
GWR’s Head of Retail Lee Edworthy explains:
 
“Technology has fundamentally changed the way that we travel. The expansion of mobile ticketing will make buying a ticket and travelling with us much easier and more convenient, saving valuable time for customers.
 
"As one of the UKs leading transport providers, GWR is committed to making travelling by train even easier, and that is why we continue to develop our online and mobile ticketing service, ensuring we put our customers first and help communities to prosper.”
 
To be in with a chance of winning one of 20 prizes of £200 in GWR e-Vouchers, simply register on www.gwr.com/mobilecomp, and purchase a ticket from today, Wednesday 18 April until Wednesday 16 May for travel up to and including Wednesday 23 May.
 
Customers can download the GWR app for free from GWR.com/mobile or from the Android and Apple app stores to a smart phone or tablet, and instantly purchase tickets.
 
Previously only a limited number of tickets for selected journeys could be displayed on a mobile device and all other ticket types purchased had to be collected from a ticket machine using the unique reference number sent to the customers’ device via e-mail.
 
Popular GWR routes where this service can be used include those in and out of London Paddington, Bath Spa, Bristol, Exeter, Oxford, Plymouth, Penzance, Cardiff, Swindon and Reading.
 
Those customers buying tickets for use on other journeys right across Britain can still use the GWR mobile app and then simply collect their tickets from a Ticket Vending machine or sales office at the station.