Fears some Swansea - London services could be reduced and less seats during peak

[whole diary]

[anthony215]

Just seen this on the western mails website:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2012/02/14/train-seats-could-be-halved-on-peak-time-rail-routes-under-new-franchises-91466-30324427/

Not sure what to make of this as hopefully  some common sense will prevail.

I do agree that some of the early morning London services such as the 05:58 from Swansea can be lightly loaded at times however some such as the 06:58 & 07:58 from Swansea are well used by commuters and if they are cut there no way ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) could cope.


I do like the idea of a stopping service between Swansea/Cardiff & Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context)/Bath spa especially if it improves the case for extending the wires beyond Cardiff.

[paul7575]

The article seems to be written from the basic point of view that all the IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) will be based at Bristol, therefore won't need to go to Swansea for berthing overnight, while conveniently ignoring that there's to be another IEP depot built in Swansea?

Wasn't the planning application reported approved only a week or two back?

Paul

[anthony215]

I was thinking about that and yes planning permission has been granted.

It would be nice to see those sidings being used more often rather than just being left to rot. Hopefully staff can transfer from Llandore depot.

[Rhydgaled]

From my responce to the GW^» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) franchise consultation (which is still a work in progress):

With the all-day hourly EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) service from Swansea to Bristol Temple Meads suggested earlier, perhaps continued extension of a second London train per hour to Swansea in the peaks (as at present) is unnecessary. However, it should be ensured that the improved electric local service (both the Bristol service and the hourly Swanline), along with the hourly London and Manchester services, provide an increase in peak time seats between Cardiff and Swansea, morning and evening. Instead, I would suggest a single extra Swansea ^ London service, morning and evening, calling at Cardiff Central and Newport only. Ideally this would be one of the named trains (eg. The Saint David). The named trains should be more-readily identifiable as such (not by livery as East Coast have attempted with the Flying Scotsman, since the specially liveried train cannot be confined to the named service or guaranteed to operate it). Instead perhaps LED information displays fitted in the side windows of each carriage (near the doors) could display the train name, perhaps at the start and end of a scrolling list of stations stops, eg. ^The Bristolian, ^ calling at: Bath Spa, Chippenham, Reading and London Paddington. ^ The Bristolian.^ Displaying the train name on the front, either on an LED display (in the case of IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) if they have one on the front) or a headboard (for other stock) (potentially using Skelton-lettering so as not to obscure the yellow panel) would help too.

The capacity provided by the evening Intercity service to Carmarthen might well be more useful if it ran earlier, leaving Cardiff between 17:00 and 18:45 rather than 19:28 at present (which doesn^t reach Carmarthen until 21:20).

[John R]

The thoughts about electric train capacity between Bristol and Swansea are very sensible (except of course that the current franchise reletting assumes that the wires won't go beyond Cardiff).  Though I suspect a response to the franchise consultation which talks about named train headboards is likely to be put into the "nostalgic rail enthusiast - not to be taken seriously" pile, so you may wish to consider whether you go into that level of detail.