More Cuts to Dorset Bus Services?

Sureline has warned Dorset County Council that it is likely to give notice shortly to withdraw the company’s commercial services between Dorchester and Yeovil due to soaring diesel costs, unless it receives greater financial support from local authorities for carrying concessionary pass holders. David Beaman of Sureline stated that ‘over half of the company’s passengers no longer pay a fare!’

Railway returns to Tavistock?

A joint venture has been agreed between Devon County Council and the Kilbride Group to reopen the railway line between Bere Alston and Tavistock. The Kilbride Group has stated that it will meet the full capital cost of ten million pounds for the project, including reopening nine kilometres of railway line and the construction of a new station in Tavistock, if the company is permitted to develop adjacent land in Tavistock to provide seven hundred and fifty new houses. It is anticipated that an hourly train service would operate between Plymouth and Tavistock via Bere Alston with a journey time of thirty-five minutes.

CrossCountry trains to lose on-board shops

CrossCountry Voyager trains are to lose their on-board shops as Arriva goes ahead with refurbishment plans to increase the number of seats. Arriva has awarded a contract to Bombardier to carry out the refurbishment work, starting in September, to add sixteen extra seats to five-carriage trains and fourteen extra seats to four-carriage trains – the project is expected to take twelve months to complete.

It has now been decided to retain all the existing toilets, which will continue to be fully accessible to customers with special needs. New and improved luggage stacks will also be introduced as the trains are refurbished. Passengers will be offered an at-seat service of food and drink throughout the train, in substitution for the withdrawn shop facility.

Community Rail status for Severn Beach line

The rail service on the Severn Beach line, between Bristol Temple Meads and Severn Beach, has been designated as a ‘Community Rail Service’ by the Department for Transport. The designated service should facilitate a more flexible approach to be adopted by First Great Western working closely with the Severnside Community Rail Partnership – it is expected that there will be a greater emphasis in future on meeting local needs, including train timings and fares structures.

New car park at Bristol Temple Meads?

A new multi-storey car park, with five hundred and twenty-two spaces, has now been proposed for part of the land to the south of Bristol Temple Meads railway station, which was originally earmarked for the abandoned ‘Bristol Arena’ development.

Dartmoor Railway for sale

Ealing Community Transport has revealed that the company is to leave the rail industry and sell its interests, including the Dartmoor Railway – no timescale has been given for the sale process.

Government to revamp Regional Funding Allocation process

The Government has indicated that it plans to make significant changes to the way the Regional Funding Allocation (RFA) works for prioritising transport projects in the South West region – more funding will be put into the regional pot, but the proposed revisions will give the Government the flexibility to order changes to priorities when the cost of prioritised schemes increases. The Government is considering placing highway maintenance, integrated transport block funding and some heavy rail expenditure into the RFA process.

Final guidance on the RFA process is expected to be published this summer, with the region been asked to submit their priorities early next year for spending until the 2014/5 financial year.

And finally,

First Devon and Cornwall has launched a new bus network in Plymouth, which the company has branded ‘ugobus’!