Andrew Griffiths Joins MP And Yate-Bristol Commuters On Morning Train

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Andrew Griffiths was asked by Northavon Liberal Democrat MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) Steve Webb to travel with him from Yate to Bristol (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7370581.stm

Mr Webb said people were being failed by FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

He said he wanted Mr Griffiths to hear first hand passengers' frustrations about the poor quality of service that they receive.

The train was due to get in at 0836 BST, but arrived six minutes late.

Mr Griffiths said he had spoken to several passengers en route to Bristol and did not know why the train was late.

"Our performance hasn't been good enough," he said.

"At the end of last year we were positioned bottom of class, in April we have improved.

"We are running nine out of ten trains on time, six minutes late is classed as not on time, which is a bit disappointing."

[swlines]

I can answer why it was late! Congestion as a result of 2E17...

[Lee]

Looks like MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain) were on the scene as well (link below.)
http://moretrainlessstrain.co.uk/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=8de261dd5d62298299ac3d5b08972b1a&topic=218.msg610#msg610

[Chris from Nailsea]

Mr Griffiths said he had spoken to several passengers en route to Bristol and did not know why the train was late.

"Our performance hasn't been good enough," he said.

"At the end of last year we were positioned bottom of class, in April we have improved.

"We are running nine out of ten trains on time, six minutes late is classed as not on time, which is a bit disappointing."

Probably best not to tell Jim.   

[vacman]

Looks like MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain) were on the scene as well (link below.)
http://moretrainlessstrain.co.uk/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=8de261dd5d62298299ac3d5b08972b1a&topic=218.msg610#msg610

Don't tell me those clowns are back on the scene!

[Jim]

Looks like MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain) were on the scene as well (link below.)
http://moretrainlessstrain.co.uk/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=8de261dd5d62298299ac3d5b08972b1a&topic=218.msg610#msg610

Don't tell me those clowns are back on the scene!

Hope they had tickets! "Managment on train - better strike as we might get checked"

[devon_metro]

MTLTA on ITV, shame nobody watches ITV eh? 

[jester]

Channel Five  (last night atually) nobody watches that either??

[Jim]

MTLTA on ITV, shame nobody watches ITV eh? 

I saw Mr. T. A the other day. He was looking quite happy, perhaps that's because he had a 150/1, so he got a seat?

[devon_metro]

Unacceptable. He should have had a pullman restaurant car for himself only.

[Lee]

Further article links.
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=243687&home=yes&more_nodeId1=242222&contentPK=20498967

http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20498008&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

[Btline]

I fail to see what the benefit of this was!

Shock horror - a manager of FGW^▸ (First Great Western) dares to try the service....

And it was as if AG was saying, "Shame it was 6 late; if only it had been 5 mins late, then it would have been on time!"

[swlines]

It's 4 mins 59 seconds for lateness

[BPWuser]

Not sure the issue here is any different to other parts of FGW^▸ (First Great Western) land (e.g please can we have more carriages). It looks like a case of (dare I say) growth in passenger numbers, so fair play to Steve Webb for getting out and about but it's not just a problem in South Glos.

When FGW took over in Dec 06 there was only one train every hour from Yate to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) in the morning rush hour. The train in question (not sure of the time at Yate but it was the 7.52 at BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains)) was nearly always 4 carriages. It was always pretty full, and overcrowded if at least one carriage was missing. It was also well used by people getting on at BPW due to the poor service in the morning at that time to BTM.

From Dec 07 FGW introduced an extra service that stops at Yate. The 7.52 became the 7.48 (at BPW) and then there is another train half an hour later (the one that AJ caught). As FGW have ^no extra rolling stock^ these trains are now two carriages each, effectively keeping the same amount of carriages as before, but now either one (or both) are overcrowded (according to Mr Webb). FGW also introduced the 8.12 (starting at BPW) which helps take passengers off of the services from Yate.

So when the passengers complain about lack of carriages you can see where they are coming from having been used to four, however there must in theory be more passengers as the one train of four carriages used to just about cope.

One theory about the extra passengers is that a lot of young people get off at BPW and go to the sports part of Filton College (which is closer to BPW than FAW).

Adding the turnback facility at Yate would presumably also help, as the trains that start at BPW could then start from Yate.

However, until we get more carriages the only way to keep the people of Yate happy may be for First to provide a better bus service, but that's a different story.

[Lee]

Are more people commuting from Yate because the extra service introduced in December 2007 gets into Bristol Temple Meads at 0836, thus (in theory at least) providing a more optimal arrival time than was previously the case?