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Author Topic: Alison Forster - merged topics  (Read 25337 times)
Timmer
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« Reply #30 on: September 19, 2007, 20:45:58 »

I have read other posts on this forum which at least one other member has expressed his concerns that his daily commute will be 50 minutes more than at present. I wonder how many more commuters havent realised the extent of the changes being made to the cross-Bristol services from December ?
If they haven't they soon will once the December timetables are finally published. Why arent they published already one has to ask? Unless you take the time to investigate useing the OJP (Online Journey Planner), you won't know what nasty surprises lie in wait for some passengers from local stations around Bristol once one of the two Cardiff services reverts back to head down to Taunton and with Cheltenham/Glos services heading South via Bath. Because these are quite major changes to the timetable in the Bristol area, FGW (First Great Western) should do the right thing and publish them NOW so passengers can be prepared for the change.
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« Reply #31 on: September 20, 2007, 10:24:46 »

I have a copy of the original draft December 2007 timetable , and if the OJP (Online Journey Planner) is accurate (historically the "final" timings only tend to vary from the OJP by a couple of minutes , if at all) then several services appear to have been altered for the worse. This could suggest that FGW (First Great Western) have both crew and rolling stock shortages that were not originally foreseen (see also http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=651.msg2286#msg2286) Alternatively , the planned move to daytime servicing of units could be partly to blame.

According to the original "plan" (which I also have a copy of) FGW were meant to publish the December 2007 timetable 16 WEEKS before the start date. We are well past that point now.

On the other hand, it may be a way to mask any upcoming furour over the forthcoming timetable changes which can be pointed at AF as being on her watch as well.

Although I dont know for sure , I think that martyjon could well be right. Rumours (well - informed) have suggested for weeks that the whole December 2007 process was in a complete mess.

Note : There is a message on the front page of the FGW website stating "Bookings for train tickets are now open for travel until Saturday 8 December" with a big bold "8" prominent. This is probably in case people try to buy tickets for trains whose timings have yet to be officially confirmed after this date.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2007, 11:20:38 by Lee Fletcher » Logged

Vous devez ĂȘtre impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Lee
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« Reply #32 on: September 20, 2007, 12:41:35 »

Here is Economy Klaus's view (link below.)
http://firstlatewestern.blogspot.com/2007/09/few-lines-on-alison-forsters-sideways.html

The views of Don Foster MP (Member of Parliament) & MTLS (More Train Less Strain) can be found in the link below.
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=18439638
« Last Edit: September 20, 2007, 13:01:06 by Lee Fletcher » Logged

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Timmer
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« Reply #33 on: September 20, 2007, 17:38:42 »

You can always rely on Economy Klaus to put his humorous spin on things.

The views of Don Foster MP (Member of Parliament) & MTLS (More Train Less Strain) can be found in the link below.
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=18439638
Of more interest to me was one Chronicle reader's (no its not me) list of 'achievements' so far for this poorly specified franchise. I'm sure you will agree it is quite a list, all of which have been discussed on this site at various times. It just made me think seeing them all together in one paragraph how far things have slipped and what a job Andrew Haines has to turn things around, if he can of course because many of the below are down to the Dft:

Quote:
What have I done to deserve the removal of buffet cars, the installation of new seats that don't align with the windows, padding of the timetable, realibility hovering around 70%, inadequate ticket gates at Bath, ^124 fares to London, shortening of the three car alphaline trains to 2 coaches, withdrawl of services from Melksham and Severn Tunnel Junction?
End Quote
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grahame
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« Reply #34 on: September 20, 2007, 18:31:24 »

... because many of the below are down to the Dft: ....

Yes and no ... It's not that cut and dried.   Whilst the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) ran the bidding process, it was down to the First group to decide what to bid, and they erred (badly) on the side of paying HM Government a lot of money, and cutting out a lot of what they felt was fat (but has turned out to not be fat) in that high payment.

For example, First were asked to put in an option for providing a Swindon to Westbury service through the day.   The Jacob's report (so negative on other services) had actually suggested that a round trip every 2 hours during the day was pretty "even" in terms of pricing - i.e. it would be neither particularly loss making nor especially profitable to run the service, but when the bid came in (I won't quote the amount I was told) it was soundly rejected by the DfT.    Complex scenario ... and I'm really not sure that it can be said to be down to either party.

On the brighter side, with 50% growth now forecast for nearly all the towns along the TransWilts (that hadn't been quantified, I dont think, 4 years ago), the service as now provided is being generally acknowledged as inadequate, and Andrew will be in a position to make himself very popular with Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome and Warminster inhabitants who want to get to Swindon at very little price to First.
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Timmer
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« Reply #35 on: September 20, 2007, 20:10:33 »



On the brighter side, with 50% growth now forecast for nearly all the towns along the TransWilts (that hadn't been quantified, I dont think, 4 years ago), the service as now provided is being generally acknowledged as inadequate, and Andrew will be in a position to make himself very popular with Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome and Warminster inhabitants who want to get to Swindon at very little price to First.
Let's hope he does Graham...Transwilts would be a very good place to start in reversing the damage of the decisions of the last couple of years that have been made by FGW (First Great Western)/Dft.
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« Reply #36 on: September 21, 2007, 19:15:22 »

New interview with Andrew Haines - top story tonight on Points West below.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mqWplWJ92hE

When he starts making comparisons with Harry Potter, I get more than a little concerned!.....
« Last Edit: September 21, 2007, 19:20:59 by Graz » Logged
Timmer
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« Reply #37 on: September 21, 2007, 19:59:18 »

When he starts making comparisons with Harry Potter, I get more than a little concerned!.....
Yes I found that quite amusing when he said that. He has a huge job to do but if he can get First to open it's wallet he could just turn this company around.
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« Reply #38 on: September 21, 2007, 22:37:39 »

Without vision and money, not even Harry potter could fix FGW (First Great Western).

I do not pretend to have the answers for FGW problems, but if Andrew Haines could consider

- Increase local services in Bristol, Wiltshire (Trans Wilts) and Berkshire (Newbury, TV Corridor) particularly in late evening
- Increase Peak time HST (High Speed Train) capacity to/from London. Add more carriages, or use existing trains to meet real passenger demand better.
- Install more ticket machines, or pay for more staff to work longer hours at stations
- Install more barrier gates in stations. Frequently at BPW» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) in the evening 300+ passengers are queueing to get through TWO gates. Many with suite cases or tickets that will not scan.
- Reduce prices. Rail fairs from Bristol to Reading are twice those of Birmingham to Reading (Virgin) and Salisbury to London (South West Trains)
- Improve information when things go wrong. It is really annoying seeing a delay increase as time does, or to be told a train is five minutes away, or arriving in a station when it is broken down 40 miles away!

All I want is a reliable, clean service that costs approximately what driving would cost, or less. Anyone who tells me that a return trip to Reading from Bristol costs ^72 by car is mad. That is FGW fare.
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grahame
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« Reply #39 on: September 22, 2007, 09:07:00 »

Without vision and money, not even Harry potter could fix FGW (First Great Western).

I do not pretend to have the answers for FGW problems, but if Andrew Haines could consider ...

Andrew Haines does come with an excellent reputation - so I suspect the vision is there.  And from the little direct evidence I have so far, he listens internally and externally so that he can piggyback on the visions of others.  I was notably disappointed in the days that First were bidding to take over the Wessex servivces as to how little they listened - "we know all about the services through Melksham" they told me. But those days are a distant memory and constructive inputs and realistic discussions do now take place at various levels.

However - he's right - he's not Harry Potter (who I understand has only limited railway experience anyway, and would not have been considered suitable even if he was available Wink )

Money ... in some areas, a little can go a long way and it might not be needed at all.  The proposal for a major improvement to the TransWilts service which you picked up in your suggestion list called for NO EXTRA INVESTMENT but promised three extra round trips a day, including a key morning peak one that would give the return of a viable service. 

I have not studied the finances of the other ideas you put forward Simon, but I would imaging that late evening service increases would incur extra staff costs but would not mean any more trains were needed (unless there's an issue about time to service them all overnight and some have to be pulled after the peak). 

And alas peak provision is always a nightmare;  it was put to me that it's not efficient to hire an extra train to cure gross overcrowding for 10 minutes, twice a day, as that train runs from Keynsham to Temple Meads in the morning peak, and back in the evening. I know the point was made to me in that way to stress tje issues that need to be considered, but it does make you think.

Barriers / gates / ticket queues.  It's struck me that there is scope to simplify some elements of the system, and a simpler system should be more efficient to operate if only by reducring the number of buttons and menu options.  Why can there be 27 different single fares listed when you ask for a SINGLE from Melksham to London ... currently just two practical trains (07:17 and 19:50) per day?

On price reductions .... the cynical view says that if the trains are full, and there's no easy way to add capacity, then there is no point in the commercial operator reducing prices.  What would the effect be?  Overcrowding, more unhappy customers, and less money to boot.  No point in trying to create a market you can't cope with.

I've actually spoken, and on the record too, that certain fares would stand an element of increase - emphatically NOT the ones you're mentioning, but rather others where the cost per mile is much lower - Melksham to Swindon is about a third of the Chippenham to London rate per mile, and could be increased at the same time that the service is increased to an appropriate level by around 20 to 25% with little complaint or effect on traffic levels.
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« Reply #40 on: March 30, 2010, 08:24:20 »

Just endured a very noisy journey on the Bristolian as two passengers conversed at a level that the whole coach could hear. I nearly went and asked if they could be a little more considerate to their fellow passengers, but didn't as the one not visible to me was clearly known by all the train crew. Turned out to be Queen Alison. 
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Timmer
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« Reply #41 on: March 30, 2010, 13:55:42 »

Does Alison still work for First in the role of safety exec or whatever her title was after moving from FGW (First Great Western)?
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« Reply #42 on: March 30, 2010, 19:30:12 »

Just done a quick web search with no joy, unless she's moved to the greater Boston area (there's an Alison Forster with a linkedin profile there!).

Could never make my mind up about Alison - certainly a lot of things went disastrously wrong on her watch. Having said that, I don't know the what extent to the problems were actually down to her or whether she was just a victim of circumstances outside her control. There was no doubting her railway pedigree, having risen through the ranks from a BR (British Rail(ways)) graduate trainee, and she was very much respected and liked by the few FGW (First Great Western) staff of my acquaintance. Oh, and in a BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) interview she revealed herself as a bit of an HST (High Speed Train) crank by saying that when they're retired from service she wants one preserved in her garden...! Another story I heard was that the plain blue livery on the FGW power cars was down to her: after seeing the "interim livery" (as it was meant to be at the time, going back to 2006) she liked it so much that they all stayed that way, and I have to say I agree!
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Ollie
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« Reply #43 on: March 31, 2010, 17:24:54 »

Nope she left last year.

http://v3.iworkforfgw.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=177
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grahame
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« Reply #44 on: March 31, 2010, 17:46:38 »


And on that basis I'm slightly concerned as to whether we should be discussing personal travel plans, etc, here.  I looked back at our guidance on this (which happened to mention her by name) ... it's at

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=4858

And it didn't consider / make any note of when people left; clearly we can still discuss the legacy, what services were like here [Melksham in my case] when she took over (10 well spaced trains a day) and when she left (many less, really wierd timings).  But my overall thought is that to my knowledge she's no longer a figurehead and on current stuff, we should respect privacy as we would for other individuals.
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