I actually wrote to my
MP▸ (which at the time was Michelle Donelan) nearly 3 years ago about short forms and overcrowding on Cardiff-Portsmouth. After a few weeks got a letter forwarded from Hugh Merriman (then rail minister)
Won't quote whole letter, but relevant part is
Great Western Railway (GWR▸ ) invariably plans to offer five-car services, made up of a two-car unit and a three-car unit, on the Portsmouth to Cardiff route, and it always does its best to send the full scheduled number of carriages. To help reduce the number of short formations, GWR has recently confirmed plans to bring four-car Class 158 trains onto the Portsmouth to Cardiff route from the May 2023 timetable change. I am sure that you and your constituents will join me in welcoming this move from GWR.
From time to time, it is necessary to short form services rather than cancel the services altogether. GWR and the Department prioritise safety and will not allow excess boarding when a train is full; GWR staff are trained on this and if a train reaches capacity, they will prevent further boarding. This might be through removing station stops, or by refusing to allow customers to join a train. This can cause inconvenience for passengers, but passenger safety must be prioritised. Where this does occur GWR staff do everything they can
to support those inconvenienced passengers.
But as pointed out this was during the covid high subsidy years, now passenger numbers are roughly back to normal (and could argue higher on some sections) should (in logical world) return to full service. Except of course GWR have been forced to dispose of trains by
DfT» (some 387s, the
HSTs▸ , etc). And the 175s will barely release anything, just a few 158s which might, (or might not) allow all 8 daily diagrams to be 4 or 5 coaches. Won't be all 5car as GWR does not have 8x5=40 class 158 vehicles (and really with their age need 2 or 3 units spare including one outstationed at Fratton to cover failures), so need more like 45-48 vehicles
It seems Wales has realised there is a problem, and lack of rolling stock for growth, and has recently gone out to tender for upto 3 extra years (April 2026-March 2029) of maintenance of its 158s, rather suggests they are keeping them for time being.
