Twyford

Although it has been some weeks since I have updated you on the Twyford trains the campaign has not been left idle.

Last month there were two debates in Parliament on FGW’s poor service – one covering FGW’s failures in general and the other specifically on their services to Maidenhead and Twyford. The outcome of these debates was that the Department for Transport have distanced themselves from FGW’s incompetence. They have stated that they expect FGW to listen to their customers and add to their minimum level of service; and they confirmed that they do not set requirements for carriage withdrawal or allocation. Therefore they have left it to FGW to improve their services to Maidenhead and Twyford and the branch lines.

Together with other Thames Valley MPs I wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport asking for a meeting with him Network Rail and FGW. At first Tom Harris, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, refused outright to meet us. He said he had made it clear that the matter was for FGW to address and therefore had nothing else to add to his previous comments. I was clearly annoyed and was about to take it up with him when his boss, Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, emailed me to apologise for Mr Harris’ hasty response and to offer a meeting on Wednesday 28th February.

Unfortunately this meeting will not also be with FGW and Network Rail, as we had initially asked. Although this is clearly a disappointment I will take this opportunity to raise our issues directly with the Secretary of State and insist that if FGW do not improve their services soon, he should start taking steps to remove the commuter franchise from them.

FGW keep saying they are looking at further improvements. I have therefore written to them specifically asking them what changes they are contemplating to improve our services to Maidenhead and Twyford. I have given them a detailed account of their unacceptable service to Maidenhead and Twyford – made all the better for the information in your emails. I have also asked them to state specifically which of these improvements, if any, have been stopped or delayed by the Government.

I am fed-up of all these groups passing the buck on this issue. FGW, the Department for Transport and Network Rail all have a role to play in the provision of decent services to Maidenhead and Twyford. It may not be easy to solve but all three bodies must realise that they all have to work hard together to come up with a decent solution for their commuters. This means more fast and semi-fast services, a realistic analysis of what the peak hours have now become, more carriages on key services, improved punctuality and better information to commuters at stations and on board trains.

This is not rocket science; this is how to run a rail network. That the DfT have so far shown a blasé attitude towards FGW failures is unacceptable. I will be taking this up with the Minister and asking him exactly what he intends to do about it.

Yours Sincerely
Theresa

The Rt Hon Theresa May MP
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA