First Great Western performance improves

First Great Western has published the company’s Passenger Charter performance results for the first four weeks of April 2008, which show a considerable and welcome improvement in the company’s punctuality and reliability – the performance results were as follows:-

Punctuality

• High Speed Services*: 91.1% (Target 90%)
• Bristol suburban services+: 88.2% (Target 92%)
• Devon local services+: 92.4% (Target 92%)
• Plymouth and Cornwall local services+: 97.7% (Target 92%)
• South Wales – South Coast services*: 91.4% (Target 92%)

(*: less than ten minutes late, +: less than five minutes late)

Reliability

• High Speed Services: 99.5% (Target 99.2%)
• Bristol suburban services: 99.2% (Target 99.5%)
• Devon local services: 99.8% (Target 99.5%)
• Plymouth and Cornwall local services: 99.6% (Target 99.5%)
• South Wales – South Coast services: 99.2% (Target 99.5%)

South West bus operators and councils apply for Judicial Reviews

Bus operators and local authorities have lodged twenty-two applications for judicial reviews against the determinations made by the Secretary of State for Transport for reimbursement for the concessionary fares scheme for the elderly and the disabled for the 2007/8 financial year.

The Department for Transport has confirmed that applications for judicial reviews have been lodged by local subsidiaries of both Go-Ahead and Stagecoach and by three travel concession authorities, including Stroud District Council.

Some of the applications by bus companies raise fundamental issues about how operators are actually reimbursed for carrying concessionary passengers, under the ‘no better, no worse off’ rule.

Cornwall County Council launches feasibility study into concessionary fares for young people

Cornwall County Council has agreed to engage consultants to undertake a study to ascertain the feasibility of introducing concessionary fares for young people (aged 19 years or less) in Cornwall. The study will assess the revenue implications and potential sources of funding required. The study will also investigate the practical issues of transporting additional passengers in terms of current vehicle capacity and service levels. The consultants will also investigate the implications of extending any concessionary fares scheme for young people to the county’s community rail lines.

Poole station redevelopment

A fifty million pound town centre redevelopment project for Poole, which includes the provision of a new railway station, has been revived after two years with no progress. The scheme for the former railway goods yard includes six blocks of flats, new offices, a hotel and a multi-storey car park in addition to the building of a new railway station. Two stabling sidings, used by South West Trains, would require relocation.

Chard Junction reopening

Local public transport campaigners have started lobbying for the reopening of Chard Junction railway station (on the line between Exeter St Davids and Salisbury), in view of the number of new homes to be built in the vicinity over the next few years. Responses to a survey revealed considerable demand by existing local residents to travel to and from the reopened station.

And finally,

In response to the following report in the Newslog of 28 April 2008:-

‘Cornwall County Council has just published four area timetables giving details of the public transport services in the county from Sunday 27 April – the county council’s website is still publicising timetables with an expiry date of 26 April 2008 and continues to take orders for the Winter 2007/8 publications!’

The following message was subsequently posted on the Cornwall County Council’s public transport website:-

‘Cornwall County Council apologies for the summer timetables not yet being available on this website. They will be available after the Bank Holiday weekend.’

Which Bank Holiday?