Blow to county train users (From Worcester News)
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Blow to county train users
3:40pm Saturday 28th July 2012 in Worcester By Tom Edwards
TRAIN users across Worcestershire have been dealt a bitter blow – with hopes of an hourly service to London effectively scrapped until at least 2028.
The Government has started the hunt for a new provider to run the Cotswold Line, but has revealed it will not be asking for more frequent pick-ups.
At the moment commuters travelling from Worcester, Malvern or Evesham to the capital must use First Great Western’s services, which is one train every two hours at best.
The Department for Transport is calling for “broadly the same number of trains” to be in operation, infuriating the county’s MPs.
West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin said: “These minimum service levels are well below what I think a successful bidder should achieve and I hope the short-listed firms will aim high.
“If there was a regular, reliable, hourly service from the area to London it would attract passengers that are currently being lost to Birmingham, Warwick, Newport and Swindon.”
The call for bidders to “aim high” was echoed by Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff , who said: “I’m bitterly disappointed at this spectacular missed opportunity.
“We must have an hourly service, it is crucial to the county’s prosperity. It’s highly unlikely the tender document will be changed, all we can do now is put pressure on any bidders to voluntarily offer a better service and hope they win the contract.”
The Department for Transport’s tendering document states: “The new franchise will require broadly the same number of trains to run between end-to-end destinations as is the case today, while giving the operator greater flexibility over timetabling and station calls.”
It also insists the service offers “frequent journey opportunities”.
The department has short-listed four bidders, one of which is First Great Western, and will be selecting the winner to run the line from July 2013 to 2028.
The rival contenders will have to submit bids by October, with an announcement due in March next year.
First Great Western has just rolled out a raft of bigger trains on the route.
Comments(8)
justsayin
says...
6:10pm Sat 28 Jul 12
John Herbert Smith
says...
1:54pm Sun 29 Jul 12
In the evening peak there are departures from London Paddington to Worcester at ...1622 1722 1750 1822 1922 1948... For the rest of the day it is hourly apart from a couple of two hour gaps.
How on earth is this "one train every two hours at best"? This newspaper is actively discouraging rail travel by writing nonsense about the timetable.
thesquirrel
says...
11:50am Mon 30 Jul 12
We need an express London service stopping at Oxford and Reading only.
Newspaper reader1982
says...
2:31pm Mon 30 Jul 12
John Herbert Smith
says...
7:34pm Mon 30 Jul 12
There is a basic hourly service with a couple of gaps. At peak times, it is every half hour. I think I know what I'm talking about as I am a regular user!
Why has the article not been corrected yet?
I agree that the journey time is too long also. 2hrs should be achievable - it was in the 90s.
Newspaper reader1982
says...
9:55pm Mon 30 Jul 12
I see Peter Luff and Harriett Baldwin are quoted and their the MPs for Malvern and Evesham so id guess thats the whole point really. rather than Worcester as admittedly its less of an issue for Worcester.
John Herbert Smith
says...
2:47pm Tue 31 Jul 12
Malvern does have slightly less, but still much more than "one train every two hours at best".
outside-edge says...
4:49pm Sat 28 Jul 12
All that money wasted on doubling the track between Evesham and Moreton, and Worcester still gets a third rate service. Without the extra trains it's meaningless!