More direct trains Trowbridge to Paddington?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Wiltshire Times

Support for extra trains from Trowbridge to London

UNANIMOUS support was given by Trowbridge Town Council over plans to have new direct train services between the town and London Paddington.

The government has put out a consultation asking passengers how they want the Great Western Rail Service to look in the future, which could involve splitting the franchise in 2022.

This could provide long distance services between London and Wiltshire and in particular, provide more carriages to Trowbridge Railway Station and have direct services from the county town to Paddington.

I am unclear as to how splitting the franchise would be bringing direct services from Trowbridge to Paddington.  Perhaps other members could explain the correlation?

[grahame]

From Wiltshire Times

Support for extra trains from Trowbridge to London

UNANIMOUS support was given by Trowbridge Town Council over plans to have new direct train services between the town and London Paddington.

The government has put out a consultation asking passengers how they want the Great Western Rail Service to look in the future, which could involve splitting the franchise in 2022.

This could provide long distance services between London and Wiltshire and in particular, provide more carriages to Trowbridge Railway Station and have direct services from the county town to Paddington.

I am unclear as to how splitting the franchise would be bringing direct services from Trowbridge to Paddington.  Perhaps other members could explain the correlation?

Others seem to share my puzzlement

I hardly know where to begin with this post. "Further" suggests there has been some improvement already. Where and when, please? "Continuing" suggests it has been happening for some time. Evidence, please, not just assertion by implication. Both claims are risible. As a former regular customer of Late Western who stopped commuting from Trowbridge to Bristol because of frequent delays and overcrowding that often kept me standing, I have a view that does not match your rose-tinted version. The split between the then GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) and Northern led to a fractured service when I lived in Yorkshire. Rail franchising is nonsense, costing billions (most recently with Virgin being allowed to walk away from a bungled contract rather than take the costs it should take as a private sector business) and I'd bet the majority would not take your view. Even John Major has recognised it doesn't work as he envisaged, however hard the franchisees try to make it work, as they all do. None of them are in business to provide a bad service, but the industry does not work as it should. Have you caught a German or Swiss train recently? The contrast is stark.

[Tim]

From Wiltshire Times

Support for extra trains from Trowbridge to London

UNANIMOUS support was given by Trowbridge Town Council over plans to have new direct train services between the town and London Paddington.

The government has put out a consultation asking passengers how they want the Great Western Rail Service to look in the future, which could involve splitting the franchise in 2022.

This could provide long distance services between London and Wiltshire and in particular, provide more carriages to Trowbridge Railway Station and have direct services from the county town to Paddington.

I am unclear as to how splitting the franchise would be bringing direct services from Trowbridge to Paddington.  Perhaps other members could explain the correlation?

If they had said "Westbury" rather than "Trowbridge" that might have made sense.  Unless they are resurrecting the idea to Run Temple Meads- Bath- Trowbridge- Westbury-Paddington, but even those plans don't necessarily mean a STOP at Trowbridge and were more about adding capacity from Bristol (and competition if run by a different operator).