From tonight's Bath Chronicle. Let's hope it's true and that
FGW▸ come up with a better working timetable for December's change. We won't have to wait long to see the draft timetable which is due early summer. Hopefully they will do what they did last year and put the draft timetable on their website so everyone who has an interest can comment.
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=17135670&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047Under-fire train operator First Great Western is making a fresh effort to improve services in and around Bath.City
MP▸ Don Foster has been lobbying the company to change its timetable for months.
Now the firm has said it has listened to him, and concerns raised by local passengers, and that it is working on a new timetable.
"The company is going to produce a draft timetable which will go to public consultation in the early summer and which is due to start in December," Mr Foster said yesterday.
"I am optimistic that the four things we in Bath need to happen are likely to be included in that draft timetable.
"The only point of caution is that even if First wants to do these things, it has to get approval from Network Rail and the Government."
In the past six weeks Mr Foster has held three separate meetings with the firm and says it is redrafting the timetable for services serving Bath and the west.
He says the new timetables will include:
Increased, and better-spaced, services between Bath and Bristol, especially at peak times;
Better-spaced services between Bath, Trowbridge and Westbury and more stops at Freshford station;
Improved connection at Bath between commuter and high speed trains;
An increased service between Bath and Abbey Wood.
"If we get offered all of these things by First we will need to shift our lobbying attentions to Network Rail and the Government," said Mr Foster.
"The other good thing is that all this would strengthen the case for reopening Corsham station.
"Since taking over the rail franchise First group has had an appalling record.
"I think there might now be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel - although we will have to waitand see."
A First Great Western spokesman said the firm had listened to Mr Foster's views and those of commuters and was keen to maintain an ongoing dialogue.
He said: "We can confirm we will be revising our service timings and patterns to strengthen local services and connections in and around Bath.
"Work is also due to start soonon the refurbishment and enhancement of Bath Spa station."
First Great Western took over the regional franchise last year and in December introduced a new timetable which saw services between Bath and Bristol slashed.
The move prompted a passenger revolt and in January, hundreds of people boarded trains without paying fares in protest.
Since then passenger groups and politicians have been meeting with the company, urging them to rethink their services.
Yesterday Tony Ambrose, of protest group More Train, Less Strain, which led January's fare strike, welcomed the news.
"It's great they're improving the timetable and suggests First is starting to listen to its users but it is still running old rolling stock which breaks down frequently," he said.
"This means there's nothing to fall back on to and unless they put money into the rolling stock, services will not progress."
Mr Ambrose said campaigners were still very concerned about services to Melksham and Frome and wanted commitment from First that those services would also be improved.
The First spokesman said: "Trains will always break down from time to time.
"But we have increased our investment in technical modifications and internal refurbishment on the whole West Country regional fleet from ^1m to ^4m.
"It's too early to say what the timetables for Frome and Melksham will be.
"But it's unlikely we will increase the number of trains going to Melksham unless we get some form of sponsorship from a third party to make it financially viable."
ENDS
