First Great Western is Britain’s most improved train operator for punctuality

First Great Western is Britain’s most improved train operating company for punctuality – 90.5 per cent of all the company’s trains arrived on time (less than five or ten minutes late depending on type of service) during the year ended 31 March 2009, an increase of 7.1 per cent on the previous year. First Great Western was the ninth most punctual operator out of nineteen companies and only 0.1 per cent below the national average. High speed service performance was up 4.3 percentage points at 86.9%, West services up 7% at 88.4% and London and Thames Valley trains were up 7.1% at 92.4%.

South West Trains was the fourth most punctual train operating company with a performance of 93.1% - Arriva Trains Wales came fifth with 93.1% and CrossCountry finished twelfth with 90.1%.

Network Rail plans to reduce number of rail replacement services

Network Rail is planning to introduce radical changes to the planning of timetables when engineering work is taking place in order to substantially reduce the use of replacement buses. Network Rail is proposing to plan revised timetables for engineering work much earlier than at present, with more trains been diverted around the engineering work, where possible or passengers been transferred to other rail operators. Network Rail and the train operating companies have been under increasing pressure to continue to run trains rather than buses, with research revealing that passengers would prefer longer rail journeys, even with a change of train, than switching to bus. Network Rail has stated that it is content to pay for the necessary route learning training for train crew. Research last year revealed that the train operating companies could be losing over one hundred million pounds in lost revenue as customers were not undertaking weekend rail trips incorporating journeys by bus.

DfT consultation on concessionary fares administration

The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a consultation on the future administration of the free concessionary bus travel scheme in England. The concessionary fares administration is currently undertaken by two hundred and ninety-six Travel Concession Authorities (TCAs), comprising the London boroughs, unitary councils, shire districts and passenger transport executives. The Department of Transport is consulting on a number of potential alternatives including a national scheme, nine regional schemes and the transfer of responsibilities from the shire districts to county councils. The consultation document highlights the linkage between any changes to administration responsibilities and the continuing ability of local authorities to introduce discretionary travel concessions.

UK Bus Awards to recognise staff achievements

Major changes have been announced to the annual UK Bus Awards – from this year, there will be increased emphasis on recognising and rewarding good practice amongst staff responsible for customer service delivery – there will be new awards for ‘Top National Bus Driver’ and for ‘Bus Engineer of the Year’.

And finally,

First Devon and Cornwall has issued a media release relating to tourist attractions in Cornwall served by First buses – the media release contained the following quotation:-

‘ Newquays beaches - the gloriously sandy beaches around this bustling town are among some of the finest in Europe and you can get to most of them using Service 87. Specifically Perranporth, Holywell Bay and Perran Sands are all worth a look. Dont forget the picnic and the sun cream though.’

First Devon and Cornwall withdrew service 87 (Newquay – Truro via Perranporth) after a last day of operation on 27 September 2008!