| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
David Drew Calls For FGW To Lose Its Franchise - 2246/5199 Written by Lee on Saturday, 12th May 2007 David Drew, Labour & Co-operative MP for Stroud, Gloucestershire put down an Early Day Motion 'FGW Train Services' on 10 May , 2007 calling for FGW to be run in the public sector (link below.) http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/05/first_great_western_train_serv.html#more For an alternative view see the link below. http://firstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2007/05/unfair-dismissal.html Re: David Drew Calls For FGW To Lose Its Franchise - 2246/5210 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Sunday, 13th May 2007 Contrary to the views expressed on the Blogspot, which suggest that Mr Drew isn't fit to be an MP, I would suggest he has done a good job, railway wise, for his constituents. Re: David Drew Calls For FGW To Lose Its Franchise - 2246/5226 Written by Lee on Monday, 14th May 2007 To be fair to David Drew , he has asked several PWQ's that have been most helpful to my research. Examples can be found in below. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve reliability and service provision on First Great Western railways. First Great Western has acknowledged that service provision has suffered because it underestimated passenger demand. It has already taken steps to restore capacity in some areas and expects the position to improve further in the coming weeks. Performance issues are the subject of action plans between the company and Network Rail which are monitored monthly. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints he has received in relation to First Great Western's new timetable. The ministerial team at the Department for Transport have received 81 letters since 1 April 2006 from parliamentary colleagues which make reference to First Great Western's new timetable. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what definition the Department uses of peak-time travel on the railways. Peak-time travel on the railways is defined as services between 7 am and 10 am and 4 pm and 7 pm on weekdays. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will initiate an investigation into the operation of the new Great Western franchise, with particular reference to (a) reliability, (b) punctuality and (c) the new timetable; and if he will investigate the current performance of (i) First Great Western and (ii) Network Rail. I hold meetings regularly with First Great Western and Network Rail to assess performance. Joint action plans are in place between Network Rail and FGW to address performance issues. These are monitored monthly. Network Rail is regulated by the Office of Rail Regulation ('ORR'). ORR has been investigating performance on the western routes. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role his Department played in the recent major reconfiguration of the timetable introduced by First Great Western. The detailed construction of the timetable is a matter for First Great Western working within the framework provided by the Department for Transport's (DfT) minimum specification. Where desirable changes have been identified, the DfT has made changes to the specification if this has proved necessary to facilitate their implementation. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers he has to seek reversals of railway timetable changes that may (a) breach commitments given in the franchise process and (b) be contrary to the interests of passengers. Train operators must operate timetables which are consistent with the service specifications in their franchise agreements and the Secretary of State can take enforcement action to secure compliance if necessary. The Secretary of State has no powers to force changes to timetables which are compliant with the service specifications, but does encourage train operators to listen to their passengers and stakeholders and take account of their concerns. Personally , I have always found David Drew to be interested in the wider issues , not just those of his own constituency. Re: David Drew Calls For FGW To Lose Its Franchise - 2246/5229 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Monday, 14th May 2007 [quote author=Lee link=topic=2246.msg5226#msg5226 date=1179135493] To be fair to David Drew , he has asked several PWQ's that have been most helpful to my research. Examples can be found in below. [snip] Personally , I have always found David Drew to be interested in the wider issues , not just those of his own constituency. [/quote] That's fair comment, Lee ... you can appreciate, I'm sure, that the effect of his previous campaign - the success of which which resulted in the current sh*tty timing we have for West Wilts to Swindon - leaves me a bit emotional and "anti". Re: David Drew Calls For FGW To Lose Its Franchise - 2246/5234 Written by Lee on Monday, 14th May 2007 I can understand that (click on http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=846.msg2429#msg2429) , although the way that "identified passenger feedback" was handled did , in my view , pit passengers & politicians alike against each other in order to ensure that they didnt create a "united front." For your interest , the RMT have updated their website regarding this. http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/05/first_great_western_train_serv_1.html Quote from the front page : "FirstGroup's rip-off railway means: * sky-high profits for shareholders; * rocketing fare increases and; * looming service cuts." link to index of articles |
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Save the Train was the campaign to bring an approriate train service back to and through Melksham. Most big contributors are still around writing at the Coffee shop forum where new members are very welcome. The train has been saved - sort of - we have stepped back up from an unusable service to a poorish one but it's doing very well. We did that through setting up the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership. That fulfilled its early objectives; it has been taken over by local and regional government types who are now doing medium and long term work. The team from this forun can also be found at the Melksham Rail User Group (which was the Melksham Rail Development Group at the time these articles were written and we had no users. We mustn't loose sight, though, that the train service remains poor and needs our community support in marketing and campaigning to keep it going in a positive direction ... and all the more so when we're expecting to find a different normallity once we get out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and head for zero carbon via the climate crisis. Yes, it's saved ... it's now a key community facility ... the need for enhancement and the strong and near-universal local support remain, and the rail industry and goverment remain slow to move and provide the enhancements even to level us up with other towns. Please support the Melksham Rail User Group - now very much in partnership rather than protest with the rail industry and local government, including GWR, TransWilts and unitary and town councils. And please use the trains and buses, and cycle and walk when you can. -- Graham Ellis, (webmaster), February 2021 | |||
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