thisisbath.co.uk - The Bath Chronicle
11:00 - 12 July 2005
Linky (c'mon Pete, you know better than to post links that long!)
Transport minister Alistair Darling is being challenged to justify sweeping changes to the region's rail services. At a meeting last night, councillors, business leaders and campaigners decided to lobby MPs over plans which would halve the number of trains stopping at Keynsham and Oldfield Park stations.
Other trains serving Bradford on Avon, Avoncliffe, Trowbridge and Melksham could be axed completely.
The cuts are outlined in a new franchise for the South West, currently being drawn up by the Government. They angered members of the West of England Partnership, at a meeting in Bristol, with members saying more services should be put on, not less.
David Redgewell, a campaigner with pressure group Transport 2000, said: "What was agreed was more than we expected, so I'm very pleased.
"Bath and Bristol are a core part of this region and yet, when compared to the Liverpools and the Manchesters of this world, haven't pulled together their political weight to fight a cause.
"But when they pull together like they vowed to do last night they become a force to be reckoned with."
The partnership now wants Mr Darling to come to the South West to explain the proposed changes.
Mr Redgewell added: "The vote to support getting Mr Darling to the region was unanimous. It was supported by Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Conservatives. Going on the strength of feeling, the Government will not be allowed to cut the services back."
As part of the franchise process, the Government sets the service standards and timetables which the company winning the contract then has to follow.
If approved in its present form, the new franchise will mean Bath to Bristol trains, which stop at Keynsham and Oldfield Park, could be cut from hourly to two-hourly.
But official figures say the use of these stations has tripled over the past decade to more than 750 people per day at each.
The three companies currently running services in the region - First Great Western, Wessex Trains (a subsidiary of National Express) and South West Trains (Stagecoach) - are all bidding for the new single contract.
The matter will be debated by the South West Regional Assembly on Friday.
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Now they're thinking of cutting trains to Keynsham and Oldfield Park to 1 every 2 hours?! It just goes to show these faceless politicians can't understand facts, or read them. Surely if the demand triples, they'd increase it! I'm also not happy at all about Bradford on Avon, Trowbridge and Avoncliff and Melksham trains being "axed completely". It's yet another slap in the face for the commuters of the west country.
This is a total disgrace, and it really makes my blood boil. I'll be campaigning to the government about this. It must not be allowed to go ahead.