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Chris from Nailsea
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« on: August 27, 2009, 22:53:49 » |
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From the Bristol Evening Post: A train journey from Bristol Temple Meads was in the top 10 most overcrowded commuter services going in or out of London, according to figures from the Department for Transport.
A First Great Western 6.30am service from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington travelled with 574 passengers, 179 more than its maximum capacity of 395.
The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information request to the DfT» on overcrowding.
The top 10 relates to figures for over-capacity trains on commuter services arriving or departing from London in the morning and evening rush hours during the autumn of last year. They were taken from one-off measurements of the passengers on each train on a particular weekday, so do not represent average overcrowding on a particular service.
In responding to the FOI▸ request the DfT noted that according to more recent figures, the number of people travelling on the FGW▸ 6.30am service has been reduced.
The Bristol journey came ninth in the top 10 most overcrowded journeys. The number one spot was taken by a Capital Connect service to King's Lynn in Norfolk, which had 352 passengers more than its capacity of 494.
First Great Western spokesman Dan Panes said: "We constantly monitor the use of all our services to ensure the safety and comfort of our customers. The published passenger figures for our 6.30am Bristol/Paddington service dates back to last year. Since then we have taken positive steps to tackle overcrowding through timetable changes to create additional capacity and by encouraging customers to use less busy trains wherever possible. For example, in December last year we changed the timings of our Greenford/Paddington services so customers can now catch two trains to get them into London between 8am and 8.45am, rather than one. This has helped reduce overcrowding by more than 70 per cent. We are also offering incentives, such as promotional fares, to encourage customers who usually travel on our 6.30am Bristol Temple Meads/Paddington service to use less busy trains, like the 6.40am service. While the 6.30am service is still a busy service, we have been able to reduce overcrowding on this service by around 45 per cent."
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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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inspector_blakey
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« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2009, 23:37:18 » |
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Back in the day I caught that 0630 a few times (as did a friend who commuted on it every day for a couple of months) and it was always absolutely fine as far as Didcot, busy as you would expect but everyone had a seat. I would hazard a guess that those statistics must only apply to the RDG‡-PAD» section of its journey.
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JayMac
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« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2009, 23:56:56 » |
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I agree. I doubt whether 574 board at Temple Meads on that service. And what promotional fares are/were available on the 0640? If there was a promotion, FGW▸ kept it very quiet. Did the spokesman mean greater AP availability?
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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Tim
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« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2009, 09:59:04 » |
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Back in the day I caught that 0630 a few times (as did a friend who commuted on it every day for a couple of months) and it was always absolutely fine as far as Didcot, busy as you would expect but everyone had a seat. I would hazard a guess that those statistics must only apply to the RDG‡-PAD» section of its journey.
In my experience from Bath this train is busy but not exceptionally overcrowded except after Reading and then not as bad as some trains (most of the Xc ones I have every caught seem to be much worse). Loading does vary with disruption, school holidays, days of the week etc, but i would not say it was terrible for overcrowding. You have to remember that a refurbed HST▸ has 472 seats not 395. This gives only 101 excess passengers which is only 20 in each standard class coach - say 7 in each vestibule + 6 in the saloon - very busy yes, but hardly sardines. And it is a peak time train |
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bemmy
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« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2009, 10:21:34 » |
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I agree. I doubt whether 574 board at Temple Meads on that service. And what promotional fares are/were available on the 0640? If there was a promotion, FGW▸ kept it very quiet. Did the spokesman mean greater AP availability?
Probably, I caught the 0640 once with a very reasonably priced advance ticket (something like ^24 I think) which I only bought a week or two before travelling. It was only about half full on arriving at Paddington. Seems like a pretty pointless survey as it was only done on one day....... is it not likely that the 0630 was fuller than usual that day because of delay or cancellation to one or two earlier services from Swindon/Didcot/Reading? |
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devon_metro
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« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2009, 14:44:08 » |
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I never understand why passengers don't get the 0640, it follows the 0630 into Paddington and has been known to overtake it!
Its quicker and there is no crush of commuters at Didcot and Reading!
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grahame
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« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2009, 15:20:20 » |
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I never understand why passengers don't get the 0640, it follows the 0630 into Paddington and has been known to overtake it!
Wasn't it the 06:40 that was cancelled more often than in ran in the aftermath of the December 2006 changes? People have long memories when it comes to poor service and unreliability ... I can certainly still remember the appalling service on the TransWilts after the changes of that month.  |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
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dog box
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« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2009, 19:20:26 » |
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Coach A = 76. Coach B = 84. Coach C = 70. Coach D = 84. Coach E = 84. Coach F= 17. Coach G = 48 Coach H = 48....dont think some one can add up
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All postings reflect my own personal views and opinions and are not intended to be, nor should be taken as official statements of first great western or first group policy
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JayMac
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« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2009, 19:30:54 » |
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Coach A = 76. Coach B = 84. Coach C = 70. Coach D = 84. Coach E = 84. Coach F= 17. Coach G = 48 Coach H = 48....dont think some one can add up
Even more if coach F is a new TSMB and not a TFB▸ ...... |
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2009, 20:40:26 » |
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No, mini buffet means less as they are 2+7. The highest capacity ones are ones with a TFB▸ . These have 23 seats in the buffet.
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JayMac
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« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2009, 23:45:15 » |
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Ooops, my bad.  Are the new TSMBs not going into any 2+8s? |
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2009, 23:46:44 » |
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Nope as that would negate the performance benefit of the tsb!
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JayMac
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« Reply #12 on: August 28, 2009, 23:51:18 » |
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I suppose we can expect the TSMBs will be converted again to trolley stores when the HST▸ fleet is cascaded to XC▸ following GWML▸ electrification!!!
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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dog box
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« Reply #13 on: August 29, 2009, 08:38:28 » |
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TSMB seats 70
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All postings reflect my own personal views and opinions and are not intended to be, nor should be taken as official statements of first great western or first group policy
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