From the Bristol Evening Post:
The boss of train operator First Great Western today admitted that the company's rail services were not good enough.
Speaking at the launch of the Western Daily Press Business Guide, First chief operating officer Andrew Haines said he "couldn't deny things aren't good enough".
He said: "In 2007, the West lost out in rail investment to other parts of the UK.
"Government has transferred the burden of railways back on to the rail passenger.
"It received ú30 million of additional revenue from fare increases but for every pound it gets, it spends ú1.60 on the rail network.
"The idea that the fares go to the bottom line of the operator is untrue."
Mr Haines added: "We have seen improvements in the last year but we are hampered because government pays for rolling stock and not us."
He denied claims that there was an history of under-investment in the rail network, saying: "The rail operator has spent ú750 million on repairing defects.
"First has spent ú200 million on the replacement of high speed engines, which are 18 per cent more efficient. We've also taken on 140 more train drivers but I can't deny things aren't good enough."
He also hit out at plans for a strike by train guards due to take place later this month.
Guards at First Great Western, which runs the majority of services in the region as well as long distance routes between the South West and London Paddington, plan to stage a 48-hour strike from midnight on Sunday, January 20.
Key issues for staff include using managers to staff trains on Sundays.
Mr Haines said: "You can't change industrial relations through strikes.
"There has been a massive change agenda at First - 60 per cent of the First Great Western management have been in their post for less than four months."
First is also keen to involve local authorities in improving its rail services, he said.
"We need to copy the Northern Way, which sees the local authorities and the Regional Development Agency come together to develop a strategic investment plan."
The Northern Way is a collaboration between the three northern Regional Development Agencies: Yorkshire Forward, Northwest Regional Development Agency and One NorthEast.
This is a 20 year strategy to transform the economy of the North of England, including rail services.
