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RichardB
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« on: December 22, 2011, 13:38:27 » |
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Thanks to Gordon Edwards, tireless Secretary of Travelwatch South West for tipping me (and lots of other people) off. Here is the DfT» Consultation document for the new franchise. Make sure you have your say! http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2011-36 |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2011, 14:05:43 » |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2011, 14:15:46 » |
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99 pages to print out.....bit at a time, methinks!
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Zoe
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« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2011, 16:25:53 » |
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Having an extra 2tph to Bristol TM‡ via parkway will enable more stops to be axed from Cardiffs.
I wouldn't bank on that. The Bristol services won't be able to stop at that many places if they are to meet the journey times stated by Phillip Hammond earlier in the year. The Westbury semi fast service hopefully will enable all Devon/Cornwall trains to have all stops East of Taunton to be axed.
Don't forget Castle Cary, axing all calls on these trains would make journeys from Devon and Cornwall to Weymouth more difficult. It also would not be a great idea to axe all stops as they still need to stop at Reading for Heathrow. |
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« Last Edit: December 22, 2011, 16:30:54 by Zo^ »
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anthony215
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« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2011, 16:44:34 » |
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I say the new additional Bristol-London trains via parkway should be non stop Parkway - Reading although that would mean the south wales - London services would have to make a call at Swindon.
I will download the document after midnight tonight when I get unlimited downloads.
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Btline
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« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2011, 17:16:33 » |
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When I say east of Taunton, I don't mean Reading. My mistake. Pretty much everything should stop at Reading.
Perhaps a mixture of stops can be axed from Bristol/Cardiff, so all trains are only stopping once or twice overall.
Re Weymouth. I think the odd stop at Westbury would be better than Castle Cary for better connexions. But most stops should be axed to get journey times down.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2011, 17:33:11 » |
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One does need to get from Swindon westwards occasionally!
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2011, 17:33:32 » |
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... most stops should be axed to get journey times down.
Doesn't that rather defeat the purpose of passenger trains?    |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Zoe
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« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2011, 17:35:18 » |
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Re Weymouth. I think the odd stop at Westbury would be better than Castle Cary All that's going to do is to force anyone going from Weymouth to Devon/Cornwall to double back and extend journey times. |
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devon_metro
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« Reply #9 on: December 22, 2011, 17:37:37 » |
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The Westbury semi fast service hopefully will enable all Devon/Cornwall trains to have all stops East of Taunton to be axed.
Have you ever been to Westbury and seen the number of people that change from WOE▸ trains to Cardiff/Pompey trains? |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2011, 17:38:56 » |
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It's not just faster trains, but joined-up trains (i.e. connections provided) that is necessary thinking here
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mjones
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« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2011, 10:58:29 » |
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Lets hope the promised 1 tph to Worcester (must be FS not SH) and Cheltenham goes ahead.
..
Curiously, the current service pattern is described as "Hourly services to Worcester with five daily extensions to Hereford"... |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2011, 11:00:22 » |
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That's the sort of thing to point out in the consultation....
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mjones
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« Reply #13 on: December 23, 2011, 11:17:13 » |
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Is there an optimistic interpretation of this, which is that they've allowed for the possibility of the Oxford to Worcester service becoming fully hourly before the end of the current franchise, if the additional rolling stock permits?
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ChrisB
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« Reply #14 on: December 23, 2011, 12:14:39 » |
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THe end of the current franchise is 16 months away. When is that going to happen? Don't forget no major changes during the purdah period also...
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