West MPs call for First Great Western to be renationalised

MPs in the West have called on the Government to consider the renationalising of First Great Western because of its poor performance, poor punctuality and use of old rolling stock.An Early Day Motion, which criticises First Great Western has been tabled by Stroud Labour MP David Drew and has been signed by 19 other MPs. The motion expresses alarm that FGW has replaced existing trains with "inferior rolling stock which could result in slower, less-comfortable and more-crowded conditions for passengers". The motion also calls on the Government to consider bringing the Great Western franchise back into public ownership. Earlier this week it was revealed that only the East Coast Main Line had a poorer punctuality record than FGW which ran only 83.0% of trains in summer 2007 compared to a national rail company average of 90.8% on time. The Commons' motion was welcomed today by Bob Crow, general secretary of transport union the RMT. He said: "This is yet more evidence that the franchising system simply cannot deliver the railway we need "Since the timetable changeover (earlier this month) there have been more delays and serious overcrowding on commuter trains in and out of south Wales and Bristol and, as usual, it is our members who are left to pick up the pieces and face the public's anger." He went on: "It is only a few months since massive passenger and union pressure forced FGW and the Government to bring mothballed trains back into service after the last rolling-stock cock-up. "First may not have chosen these inferior trains, but they will be getting a big discount for leasing them, which they could even end up making bigger profits as a result. "And there's more bad news in the pipeline, because the franchise deal allows First to axe buffet cars from high-speed services under 200 miles.That would leave all services to Cardiff, Exeter and Bristol without proper catering facilities, so we need the biggest possible protests now." An FGW spokesman said: "We are investing £200 million in trains, stations and customer services. Our high-speed train fleet which serves Mr Drew's Gloucestershire area - as well as South Wales - has been fitted with new engines and new interiors to enhance safety, comfort, capacity and reliability in a major refresh programme. "Our west fleet of local trains which also serve Gloucestershire, are also being upgraded in a multi-million pound project and have begun to enter service." The spokesman added that Mr Drew had agreed to speak to FGW "to clarify the basis of his position, particularly in terms of his claims about 'inferior rolling stock' being deployed in our new timetable