Protest planned for 22nd January
From the BBC website :
Angry commuters plan fare boycott
Angry commuters have threatened to refuse to buy tickets or show rail passes on First Great Western trains in a row over overcrowding.
Pressure group More Trains Less Strain is planning a day of protest against a cutback in services and poor conditions after a new timetable was introduced.
Spokesman Tony Ambrose said it meant passengers had no idea how long they had to wait for trains.
FGW said once a backlog of maintenance was sorted the service should improve.
The company also said it had put on extra early morning services.
'Cattle class'
The group's day of action is planned for 22 January.
Campaigners plan to hand out tickets at Bath Spa, Oldfield Park and Keynsham - which look like the standard rail tickets - but have the words 'cattle class' printed on them.
Mr Ambrose said he hoped the protest would embarrass First Great Western into addressing the overcrowding issue.
At least when animals are transported they have their own cubicles
Rail commuter
Mr Ambrose said some of the worst trains ran out of Bristol Temple Meads.
"You have no idea whether you will be waiting a quarter of an hour or two hours on the platform waiting for a train.
"Trains come along and they are full.
"If you are on any of the smaller stations you haven't a hope of getting on. I've been on trains and seen hundreds of people left behind at stations."
Some passengers told the BBC it was a "real lottery" how many carriages were put on the trains.
"At least when animal are transported they have their own cubicles," another said.
Richard Hope, consulting editor of the Railway Gazette said: "Cities like Bristol and Plymouth have always had rather poor rail community services.
'Maintenance backlog'
"FGW has taken over these services as from April under a new franchise.
"They've bid for very low subsidy and very high premium paid back to the government.
"They've got to save money and they see this as the appropriate way to save money."
However FGW said it would continue to review the new timetable introduced in December.
Managing director, Alison Forster, said: "Recent capacity problems in the Bristol and Bath commuter areas have been caused by a backlog of maintenance work required on our fleet of local trains.
"We are pulling out all the stops and have recruited additional staff at our Bristol maintenance depot to get this work completed as soon as possible.
"I'm confident that this will improve the reliability of our services and therefore seating capacity over the next couple of weeks," she said.
Additional services are due to start on 15 January.
Angry commuters plan fare boycott
Angry commuters have threatened to refuse to buy tickets or show rail passes on First Great Western trains in a row over overcrowding.
Pressure group More Trains Less Strain is planning a day of protest against a cutback in services and poor conditions after a new timetable was introduced.
Spokesman Tony Ambrose said it meant passengers had no idea how long they had to wait for trains.
FGW said once a backlog of maintenance was sorted the service should improve.
The company also said it had put on extra early morning services.
'Cattle class'
The group's day of action is planned for 22 January.
Campaigners plan to hand out tickets at Bath Spa, Oldfield Park and Keynsham - which look like the standard rail tickets - but have the words 'cattle class' printed on them.
Mr Ambrose said he hoped the protest would embarrass First Great Western into addressing the overcrowding issue.
At least when animals are transported they have their own cubicles
Rail commuter
Mr Ambrose said some of the worst trains ran out of Bristol Temple Meads.
"You have no idea whether you will be waiting a quarter of an hour or two hours on the platform waiting for a train.
"Trains come along and they are full.
"If you are on any of the smaller stations you haven't a hope of getting on. I've been on trains and seen hundreds of people left behind at stations."
Some passengers told the BBC it was a "real lottery" how many carriages were put on the trains.
"At least when animal are transported they have their own cubicles," another said.
Richard Hope, consulting editor of the Railway Gazette said: "Cities like Bristol and Plymouth have always had rather poor rail community services.
'Maintenance backlog'
"FGW has taken over these services as from April under a new franchise.
"They've bid for very low subsidy and very high premium paid back to the government.
"They've got to save money and they see this as the appropriate way to save money."
However FGW said it would continue to review the new timetable introduced in December.
Managing director, Alison Forster, said: "Recent capacity problems in the Bristol and Bath commuter areas have been caused by a backlog of maintenance work required on our fleet of local trains.
"We are pulling out all the stops and have recruited additional staff at our Bristol maintenance depot to get this work completed as soon as possible.
"I'm confident that this will improve the reliability of our services and therefore seating capacity over the next couple of weeks," she said.
Additional services are due to start on 15 January.
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