As you will know the new December 2007 timetable comes into operation on Sunday 9 December. I thought this would be a good time to up-date on a number of issues relating to the campaign for a better train service. There is also some information about Christmas and New Year services.
December Timetable
I believe that the new December timetable is an improvement. I know it may not give everybody exactly what they want but it is closer to the old Thames Trains timetable which was always the benchmark given to FGW. But it is still not perfect so there is still a need to carry on the campaign….
The Next Campaign.
There are three key areas where I think we still need to campaign.
1. In the morning at Maidenhead there is a gap in fast services between 07.42 and 08.00.
2. In the evenings there are gaps in fast services – for Maidenhead between 17.44 and 18.14 and for Twyford between 17.36 and 18.06 and between 18.33 and 19.06.
3. The fast and semi-fast services still finish too early in the evenings for both Maidenhead and Twyford – nothing after 19.15.
FGW need to understand that people work later and its concept of peak time needs to be extended until at least 20.00. In the December 2004 timetable there was a fast service at 19.44.
As you know they only make minor changes to the timetable during the year so the next chance of a major change will be the December 2008 timetable. I have pressed these points home to FGW and urged them to deal with these issues when they plan the timetable for December 2008. I will also keep pressing them during the year in case we can get some small improvements before next December.
How You Can Help.
FGW make initial bids for the December 2008 timetable in January. Thus there is an exceptionally short period of time in which commuters can react to the new timetable starting this weekend.
In view of this I would strongly encourage people to get in touch with FGW and myself with feedback on the new timetable before Christmas. This is the best chance we have of achieving more improvements.
December disruptions
I am afraid that services to Paddington over Christmas will be severely disrupted as Network Rail will be carrying out engineering works to replace the points at the Airport Junction. These points have failed 46 times over the past 12 months and are viewed by both FGW and Network Rail as a major cause of delay to services.
From 2200 on Christmas Eve until 0440 on Wednesday 2nd January there will be a maximum of two lines open between Southall and Hayes. There will be no services on Christmas Day and Boxing Day which is normal for FGW services. There will also be a complete closure between 0400 and 1200 on the 1st January (this will come into effect following the last of the special overnight services they run to bring people back from the New Year's Eve celebrations in London). As there are only 2 lines available there will be a reduction in service along the route both for local and longer distance services.
First Great Western meeting
I have had a meeting with the new Managing Director of First Great Western, Andrew Haines and other senior staff to hear of the changes they are making within FGW and to ensure they were aware of the issues on our line.
Andrew Haines acknowledged the significant problems with the service provided by FGW recently, but thought the December timetable would bring some relief to commuters.
Apart from discussing the remaining issues with the timetable the key issues I raised, as a result of all your emails to me, were overcrowding and reliability.
In my meeting FGW acknowledged that despite services running relatively well during the summer, there had been serious problems with the service in the last couple of months. They took the opportunity to apologise for this disappointing service.
FGW made it clear that contrary to popular belief there is no perverse incentive for trains to miss out stations to avoid a fine. As soon as a train misses a station it automatically fails to meet its PPM (Public Performance Measure).
Overcrowding and lack of reliability have been the result of both major infrastructure works taking place on the line by Network Rail and the preparations by FGW for the new timetable. Because they will be replacing part of the fleet with HST trains they have had to withdraw staff from services for training.
However FGW made it clear that short term problems had been in preparation for long term gains. Andrew Haines informed me that when the December timetable comes into force in December, train capacity across the network will be increased by 77% with the addition of 2320 seats in the morning and 512 in the evening. I really hope that that this significant increase will make a difference.
But please note that not all the Adelantes will be withdrawn immediately. There will be a phased withdrawal up to March so it will take some time before the full benefit of the increased capacity is felt.
Tom Harris MP, the Rail Minister also met Andrew Haines recently and told me that he was impressed with the renewed focus on delivering a service to customers. He also pledged to “keep a close interest in performance on the route to ensure that FGW and Network Rail live up to these promises”.
Crossrail
The current plans for Crossrail remain a huge concern for me and other Thames Valley MPs. Although I believe that Crossrail can be a real benefit locally, I am concerned that its introduction could have a detrimental impact on the train service provided by FGW. Crossrail will be a slow stopping service – essentially a metro line so services will take longer to get to Paddington than current fast and semi fast train services. I am worried that if Crossrail are running regular services FGW could reduce the number and capacity of fast and semi fast services from Maidenhead.
There could also be an impact on the capacity of the FGW services, something which we have had to fight hard to increase.
Crossrail could have an even more serious impact on the train services provided to Twyford. Under current plans, Crossrail only begins at Maidenhead. If the FGW commuter services are downgraded, commuters at Twyford not only run the risk of having a downgraded service from FGW but also do not have the option of using Crossrail. This could mean that Twyford is cut out of the commuter train service.
Crossrail could bring so much more benefit to the constituency than current plans allow. If the Crossrail line was extended to Reading instead of Maidenhead, Twyford would not be excluded from commuter services. More fast and semi fast services to Paddington could be provided by Crossrail and this would bring a much greater benefit to the constituency. I and the Reading West MP Martin Salter are writing a joint letter to the Transport Minister Tom Harris to set out our concerns about the level of service and will continue to lobby for improvements.
Thank You
Huge thanks to everyone who gets in touch to tell me about the service. It is only by hearing first hand what has happened that I can continue to put real pressure on FGW.
It’s been a long time coming but we have achieved an improvement to the timetable. Do keep the emails and letters coming so we campaign for action on the remaining issues.
Happy Christmas To You All!
Theresa
The Rt Hon Theresa May MP
