The battle to reinstate key commuter trains from Oxfordshire to London has reached Parliament as rail managers launch a review of timetable changes that have caused overcrowding on peak services.
Wantage MP Ed Vaizey tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons yesterday asking fellow MPs to back his call for urgent changes to First Great Western's new timetable, which came into force last week.
Commuters who use Didcot Parkway station have deluged their MP with letters and emails complaining about overcrowding on services into London and problems even getting on board trains that are packed before they call at Didcot.
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Last night, FGW admitted it was aware of overcrowding problems and said it was carrying out a review to see if it can tackle the problem in the New Year.
Mr Vaizey is to meet FGW managers after Christmas to outline his constituents' concerns. He said: "It's been an unbelievable mess-up and First Great Western deserve a good kicking.
"The changes have led to hell on earth for commuters and the company has a lot of explaining to do.
"This has easily been the biggest issue in my mailbag since I became an MP."
Mr Vaizey's motion notes the "travel chaos" caused by the new timetable and "condemns the resulting overcrowding caused by the reduction in services and the use of the smaller capacity Adelante trains instead of the usual High Speed Trains".
Oxford commuters last week demanded the reinstatement of axed 6.45am and 7.25am expresses to London and have launched an online petition.
FGW spokesman Adrian Ruck said the firm was aware of overcrowding on morning peak trains from the county to London and was now monitoring the situation.
He added: "We're aware of the Oxford issues and can confirm that a small-scale review is being carried out.
"Over the next few weeks we will monitor services very closely and, if necessary and possible, will make further modifications in the future.
"We have had lots of feedback, and one issue we note is that some of our customers are unaware of the available capacity on our local services - the Turbo trains - to London Paddington and our High Speed Trains. There are often many seats available on these trains."
Passenger Chris Balfour has been commuting between Didcot and London for the past seven years but said he had been forced to stand throughout the journey for the first time last week.
He said: "This has happened every day and after paying £3,500 for a year to travel on this I think I deserve a bit better."
Garry Bloom, of Oxford Chamber of Commerce, said: "The predicted growth of Didcot shows there should be more rather than fewer trains. With fewer trains it will put more stress on the already busy road system."
Lets not forget that the late evening trains from Didcot to Oxford have been reduced as well, giving you over an hour wait at Didcot to get back to Oxford, on a cold platform once the station has closed! Why did they have to change the old timetable - it always worked well in my opinion!
Lets not forget that the late evening trains from Didcot to Oxford have been reduced as well, giving you over an hour wait at Didcot to get back to Oxford, on a cold platform once the station has closed! Why did they have to change the old timetable - it always worked well in my opinion!
Quote from spokesman Adrian Ruck "We have had lots of feedback, and one issue we note is that some of our customers are unaware of the available capacity on our local services - the Turbo trains - to London Paddington and our High Speed Trains. There are often many seats available on these trains."
Could he please explain to which trains he refers?
Quote from spokesman Adrian Ruck "We have had lots of feedback, and one issue we note is that some of our customers are unaware of the available capacity on our local services - the Turbo trains - to London Paddington and our High Speed Trains. There are often many seats available on these trains."
Could he please explain to which trains he refers?
Quote from spokesman Adrian Ruck "We have had lots of feedback, and one issue we note is that some of our customers are unaware of the available capacity on our local services - the Turbo trains - to London Paddington and our High Speed Trains. There are often many seats available on these trains."
Could he please explain to which trains he refers?
Quote from spokesman Adrian Ruck "We have had lots of feedback, and one issue we note is that some of our customers are unaware of the available capacity on our local services - the Turbo trains - to London Paddington and our High Speed Trains. There are often many seats available on these trains."
Could he please explain to which trains he refers?
We must remember that the timetable change was driven by the Government through the specification it gave FGW in the franchise agreement. Unaccountable officials in London, who never have to face the traveling public, are imposing a greater level of central control on the privatised railway than was ever the case under British Rail. By all means complain to FGW, but don't let the Government hide behind them, when it should take ultimate responsibility for the farce.
We must remember that the timetable change was driven by the Government through the specification it gave FGW in the franchise agreement. Unaccountable officials in London, who never have to face the traveling public, are imposing a greater level of central control on the privatised railway than was ever the case under British Rail. By all means complain to FGW, but don't let the Government hide behind them, when it should take ultimate responsibility for the farce.
I completely agree with the comment by M Jones.
It is all very well for politicians to drool and drivel over this issue but, at the end of the day, a very large share of the responsibilities lies with them. The Department for Transport provided a highly specified franchise agreement which takes a large degree of operating control away from First Great Western. As in everything else Labour controls, it likes to micro-manage from Whitehall as it mistakenly believes it knows better than private companies and individuals how things should be run. As for Mr Vaizey’s party – the Conservatives were largely responsible for the bungled mess that is rail privatisation. It is also rather worrying that Mr Vaizey has such a weak grasp of how the rail network is actually run in that he believes First Great Western are responsible for the new timetable.
It is about time politicians took the log out of their own eyes before they start criticising others.
I completely agree with the comment by M Jones.
It is all very well for politicians to drool and drivel over this issue but, at the end of the day, a very large share of the responsibilities lies with them. The Department for Transport provided a highly specified franchise agreement which takes a large degree of operating control away from First Great Western. As in everything else Labour controls, it likes to micro-manage from Whitehall as it mistakenly believes it knows better than private companies and individuals how things should be run. As for Mr Vaizey’s party – the Conservatives were largely responsible for the bungled mess that is rail privatisation. It is also rather worrying that Mr Vaizey has such a weak grasp of how the rail network is actually run in that he believes First Great Western are responsible for the new timetable.
It is about time politicians took the log out of their own eyes before they start criticising others.
The "Turbo" trains are apparently the ones that take almost two hours to go from Oxford to London and stop at all the stations along the way. I fail to see how this is a viable option for a daily commute from Oxford.
The "Turbo" trains are apparently the ones that take almost two hours to go from Oxford to London and stop at all the stations along the way. I fail to see how this is a viable option for a daily commute from Oxford.
Thank you Mark, I thought that was the case. Those trains will not get me to work for my start time. They are also the trains which are the most uncomfortable - I think the seats were designed to carry sacks of flour. There is certainly no room for arms or legs.
Thank you Mark, I thought that was the case. Those trains will not get me to work for my start time. They are also the trains which are the most uncomfortable - I think the seats were designed to carry sacks of flour. There is certainly no room for arms or legs.
"some of our customers are unaware of the available capacity on our local services - the Turbo trains - to London Paddington and our High Speed Trains. There are often many seats available on these trains". Mark, it is not good practice to accuse your passengers of being less than bright. For the record, we are fully aware of all of the stopping services. We are also aware that the HST services no longer start in Oxford, as did the 6:45. Initial calculations suggest you have taken as many as 90% of seats out of direct, fast trains from Oxford to London in the morning peak. Don't fob us off. We are aware that you have kept our money while slashing services - is this linekd in any way to the fact that in your interim statement "revenue growth (is) ahead of our projections made at the time of the (franchise) bids".
"some of our customers are unaware of the available capacity on our local services - the Turbo trains - to London Paddington and our High Speed Trains. There are often many seats available on these trains". Mark, it is not good practice to accuse your passengers of being less than bright. For the record, we are fully aware of all of the stopping services. We are also aware that the HST services no longer start in Oxford, as did the 6:45. Initial calculations suggest you have taken as many as 90% of seats out of direct, fast trains from Oxford to London in the morning peak. Don't fob us off. We are aware that you have kept our money while slashing services - is this linekd in any way to the fact that in your interim statement "revenue growth (is) ahead of our projections made at the time of the (franchise) bids".
Paul, don’t be so obtuse.
Firstly, First Great Western hasn’t slashed your service – the government, in the form of the Department for Transport, has done that. First Great Western, like every other Train Operating Company provides services to a specification laid down the government. This is a fundamental principle which so many passengers do not seem to be able to grasp. It is ludicrous and futile to blame FGW for something over which it has very little control.
Second, since the new timetable has been operating for just over a week it will have had very little impact on interim revenue projections since the start of the franchise. Besides, cutting services wouldn’t really increase revenue: profit, maybe; revenue, almost certainly not.
Paul, don’t be so obtuse.
Firstly, First Great Western hasn’t slashed your service – the government, in the form of the Department for Transport, has done that. First Great Western, like every other Train Operating Company provides services to a specification laid down the government. This is a fundamental principle which so many passengers do not seem to be able to grasp. It is ludicrous and futile to blame FGW for something over which it has very little control.
Second, since the new timetable has been operating for just over a week it will have had very little impact on interim revenue projections since the start of the franchise. Besides, cutting services wouldn’t really increase revenue: profit, maybe; revenue, almost certainly not.
Paul, I think you have mistaken Mark for Adrian Ruck.
It is a shame there are no direct and fast coach links from Oxford to Reading otherwise I would cash in my season ticket and go for that. Has anyone thought of doing that for the London coaches?
Paul, I think you have mistaken Mark for Adrian Ruck.
It is a shame there are no direct and fast coach links from Oxford to Reading otherwise I would cash in my season ticket and go for that. Has anyone thought of doing that for the London coaches?
Mr Ruck, what is the liklihood of extra carriages on the 0638? There are fewer on this service than on the 0645 it replaces yet starts five stops earlier.
Mr Ruck, what is the liklihood of extra carriages on the 0638? There are fewer on this service than on the 0645 it replaces yet starts five stops earlier.
Dear Adrian Ruck,
I am aware that there are stopping services from Oxford. Your quote about the capacity on other services is in effect saying 'You can stand for just over an hour on a crowded fast train, or sit on inadequate seats for an hour and a half on a slow one.' I am sure you would agree that for a daily commute neither of these options is particularly sustainable.
Dear Adrian Ruck,
I am aware that there are stopping services from Oxford. Your quote about the capacity on other services is in effect saying 'You can stand for just over an hour on a crowded fast train, or sit on inadequate seats for an hour and a half on a slow one.' I am sure you would agree that for a daily commute neither of these options is particularly sustainable.
[quote][bold]Kate Anderson[/bold] wrote:
Dear Adrian Ruck, I am aware that there are stopping services from Oxford. Your quote about the capacity on other services is in effect saying 'You can stand for just over an hour on a crowded fast train, or sit on inadequate seats for an hour and a half on a slow one.' I am sure you would agree that for a daily commute neither of these options is particularly sustainable.[/quote] It's not just commuters into London that are up in arms about the new timetable! Those of us who commute into Oxford each day from the west of England now need to catch the 1721 from Oxford each evening and, assuming it is on time, face a 5 minute dash across Didcot station to make the fast train to Swindon and Bristol. If we miss this train, we have an hour wait at Didcot station. Since the new timetable came in, the 1721 has either missed this connection (or been cancelled completely) 5 times out of the 7 occasions I have travelled! A journey which took me 40 mins before now frequently takes an hour and a half! I'd be keen to hear Mr Ruck's views on this too.
Kate Anderson wrote:
Dear Adrian Ruck, I am aware that there are stopping services from Oxford. Your quote about the capacity on other services is in effect saying 'You can stand for just over an hour on a crowded fast train, or sit on inadequate seats for an hour and a half on a slow one.' I am sure you would agree that for a daily commute neither of these options is particularly sustainable.
It's not just commuters into London that are up in arms about the new timetable! Those of us who commute into Oxford each day from the west of England now need to catch the 1721 from Oxford each evening and, assuming it is on time, face a 5 minute dash across Didcot station to make the fast train to Swindon and Bristol. If we miss this train, we have an hour wait at Didcot station. Since the new timetable came in, the 1721 has either missed this connection (or been cancelled completely) 5 times out of the 7 occasions I have travelled! A journey which took me 40 mins before now frequently takes an hour and a half! I'd be keen to hear Mr Ruck's views on this too.
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