This probably ought to be a separate thread...
1) You fought a successful campaign against the original Draft December 2006 Timetable , which would have seen services decimated to many smaller stations on the Barnstaple line
What is your view on DfT» plans to look again at revised stopping patterns?
As I am sure you are aware, the original recommendation was to close all the stations apart from Crediton, Eggesford & Barnstaple
I note that some calls to smaller stations on the Barnstaple line are not guaranteed in the Greater Western Franchise Specification
I don't think there's any immediate threat to the overall stopping pattern: there's no advantage in missing Umberleigh (because of the adjacent level crossing), and Yeoford is devoid of any other public transport (and may become a good deal busier if Dartmoor Railway start running between Yeoford and Okehampton). The extra stops at Copplestone haven't been a success, however, and it would make far more sense to have more trains at Morchard Road.
It's fair to say that the Jacobs Report has caused more than a little disquiet amongst the group. My
personal opinion is that there is more than one station which serves no useful purpose and could probably be closed without causing significant hardship.
However, I certainly don't think it's the role of a User Group to propose station closures: if
FGW▸ , Network Rail or the DfT came along with a couple of closures in mind we'll look at the proposals and give a considered opinion. We couldn't agree to any closures without a guarantee of compensating improvements in the service, though.
2) What do you think about the forthcoming deployment of Class 142 "Pacer" units on lines in your area?
We don't want them, obviously. Up to now we've been protected by a local Network Rail instruction that Pacers could only operate to Barnstaple once a week, but we suspect that's now been overruled (although no-one has yet admitted to doing so). The ride on jointed track is terrible (and especially bad just south of Umberleigh
LC▸ ).
On the flip side we have raised the possibility of running extra services on the line - perhaps even getting an hourly service out of it - as compensation of our soon-to-be disgruntled users, which has not been rejected out of hand.
