Go-Cooperative!

[jules]

Now here is something new!

http://www.go-now.coop/coop/

Bristol based too!!

Thoughts anyone?

[Hobbler]

Interesting idea and certainly a well presented document .

However I am not sure on first sight whether there would be sufficient passenger numbers to support a Weymouth - Moor Street service . Weymouth - Birmingham New Street via Bristol and Oxford to Birmingham Moor Street already seem to have a not unreasonable service. It rather depends on the pricing structure as to whether it would attract passengers.

Unless I am missing something I dont see how Andover to Luggershall fits into any sort of feeder service for this route.

[carpetcone]

It looks like a school/university project to me.

[jules]

It looks like a school/university project to me.

No, it actually seems a very serious attempt to establish as an open access operator. The business is a Co-Operative registered with the Financial Services Authority and the capital raising is very real and all above board. I say good luck to them!

Weymouth - Birmingham New Street via Bristol and Oxford to Birmingham Moor Street already seem to have a not unreasonable service.

But not any direct service, which is the key point. An open access operator is not permitted by ORR to set up solely to compete with an existing route, to "protect" the incumbent franchisee. So, they have to find a route which is not currently operated and will draw additional passengers to the railway, rather than divert existing passengers from elsewhere.

Initially, they are proposing Yeovil - Birmingham only, with Weymouth added later. It would fill a North / South gap for sure and their demand and financial modelling seems very professional. They also recognise it will take 3-5 years of operations to firmly establish a modal shift to rail and a new route - as per Bristol - Waterloo, for example.

I dont see how Andover to Luggershall fits into any sort of feeder service for this route.

I think that is just another of their aspirations, because the infrastructure happens to be there largely unused and they want to explore light rail too. Has nothing to do with their main proposal.

I rather like the idea of a Co-Operatively owned TOC

[Hobbler]

I rather like the idea of a Co-Operatively owned TOC

I too rather like the idea of a Co-op based TOC - my only reservation in this case is whether there would be sufficient passenger demand for a direct service from Yeovil and/or Weymouth to Birmingham via Oxford. I am quite open to persuasion on this point if a demand can be proved.

[Robin Summerhill]

... my only reservation in this case is whether there would be sufficient passenger demand for a direct service from Yeovil and/or Weymouth to Birmingham via Oxford. I am quite open to persuasion on this point if a demand can be proved.

For once I'm not going to pour cold water on a "new railway service" idea!

This one doesn't involve any reopening lines, repurchasing track bed or playing trains with glorified railbuses. This uses lines that are already there, in some cases with plenty of spare capacity.

The organisation themselves would have had to put a business case together and make some realistic traffic projections, and if they think the idea holds water, then good on them for trying!

Personally, I wouldn't be too concerned (and neither would they be) about looking at the potential through traffic in isolation because, as has been said, getting from Weymouth to Brum is possible now, and even in this day and age by a number of different routes. What may be more interesting (and lucrative) for them would be those journyes that are not currently possible wthout a number of changes eg:

Yeovil - Oxford
Frome - Leamington

etc etc

[nickt]

And who knows, Radstock to ? .
Good luck to them anyway.

[Robin Summerhill]

And who knows, Radstock to ? .
Good luck to them anyway.

Bike it up the cycle path to Mells Road, then Parry People Mover to Frome