Letter from Department of Transport
Dear Mr Dunn,
First Great Western Services In Bath And Bristol Area
Thank you for your e-mail of 12 December to Rail Group about crowding on FGW local train services in the bath and Bristol area. I have been asked to reply.
The FGW franchise agreement requires it to use reasonable endeavours, in planning its timetable and the rolling stock diagrams needed to implement it, to provide passengers with a reasonable expectation of a seat off peak and within twenty minutes of boarding during the peak period. This does not mean that there is an absolute obligation to provide this capacity on the day of service, as the franchise agreement acknowledges that problems can occur in provision of rolling stock.
I have been informed that FGW, and Wessex Trains before it, have suffered from problems with reliable provision of rolling stock. A number of problems with the rolling stock have also been identified which reduce its availability for use in service. These problems frequently result in trains being displaced from the services on which they should run and shorter trains than planned being used. They can also result in cancellations.
The new franchise agreement commits FGW to two areas of significant investment in response to the problems which have been identified. Firstly, FGW is committed to establishing a new maintenance and servicing facility for the former Wessex Trains fleet of diesel multiple unit trains adjacent to the existing FGW depot in Bristol. I am told that this new facility came into operation over the weekend of 9/10 December. Secondly, the FGW is committed to implementing reliability improvements to the former Wessex Trains fleet used on services in the Bristol area. The improvements, which vary according to the type of train, include modifications to the electrical systems, doors, underframes, engines, transmissions, couplings, air systems, engine cooling systems and brakes.
I can confirm that the question of sufficient train capacity on these routes will remain a priority, as improving train performance is a key objective for the Department for Transport (DfT) We are determined that appropriate action is taken to ensure that the performance of these train services improves.
Yours sincerely,
Judith Shepherd
Rail Customer and Stakeholder Relations 1
First Great Western Services In Bath And Bristol Area
Thank you for your e-mail of 12 December to Rail Group about crowding on FGW local train services in the bath and Bristol area. I have been asked to reply.
The FGW franchise agreement requires it to use reasonable endeavours, in planning its timetable and the rolling stock diagrams needed to implement it, to provide passengers with a reasonable expectation of a seat off peak and within twenty minutes of boarding during the peak period. This does not mean that there is an absolute obligation to provide this capacity on the day of service, as the franchise agreement acknowledges that problems can occur in provision of rolling stock.
I have been informed that FGW, and Wessex Trains before it, have suffered from problems with reliable provision of rolling stock. A number of problems with the rolling stock have also been identified which reduce its availability for use in service. These problems frequently result in trains being displaced from the services on which they should run and shorter trains than planned being used. They can also result in cancellations.
The new franchise agreement commits FGW to two areas of significant investment in response to the problems which have been identified. Firstly, FGW is committed to establishing a new maintenance and servicing facility for the former Wessex Trains fleet of diesel multiple unit trains adjacent to the existing FGW depot in Bristol. I am told that this new facility came into operation over the weekend of 9/10 December. Secondly, the FGW is committed to implementing reliability improvements to the former Wessex Trains fleet used on services in the Bristol area. The improvements, which vary according to the type of train, include modifications to the electrical systems, doors, underframes, engines, transmissions, couplings, air systems, engine cooling systems and brakes.
I can confirm that the question of sufficient train capacity on these routes will remain a priority, as improving train performance is a key objective for the Department for Transport (DfT) We are determined that appropriate action is taken to ensure that the performance of these train services improves.
Yours sincerely,
Judith Shepherd
Rail Customer and Stakeholder Relations 1
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