DfT Consults on changes to concessionary fares

The Department for Transport has launched a consultation on proposals to make it explicit that concessionary card holders cannot travel for free on coach routes and park-and-ride services – the department states that operators, local authorities and pass holders are concerned that the current arrangements create uncertainty. The exemptions proposed by the DfT are:-

1. services where the fare charged by the operator has a special amenity element e.g. park-and-ride
2. services on which the majority of seats can be reserved in advance of travel
3. services that do not run at least once per week for a period of six weeks
4. services operated primarily for historical interest or for tourism
5. rail replacement services

The consultation closes on Friday 23 January 2009 – full details on the consultation are available on the DfT website:- ‘www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/busconcession/’

Extra platform for Bristol Parkway

Network Rail have stated that a fourth platform will be provided at Bristol Parkway railway station to ease congestion – the platform will be used by westbound trains and will see the existing ‘down loop’ converted to passenger standards. No date has been given for the completion of the work.

New buses for Bristol

First Bristol is now taking delivery of forty-six new low-floor double-decker buses at a total cost of seven million, eight hundred thousand pounds – the new buses are equipped with digital closed circuit television and with satellite tracking equipment. The new buses will operate on the following four routes:-

• 1: Broomhill – Cribbs Causeway
• 54: Cribbs Causeway – Stockwood
• 76: Hartcliffe - Southmead
• 77: Hartcliffe - Henbury

First Great Western to operate more loco-hauled trains?

There have been reports that First Great Western is negotiating with the Department for Transport to hire four ‘Mark Two’ carriages, to be hauled by EWS class 67 locomotives, to provide additional capacity from next month on the route between Cardiff Central and Taunton via Bristol Temple Meads.

Traffic Commissioners seek more cash for bus monitoring

The senior traffic commissioner, Philip Brown, in his annual report, has urged the Department for Transport to provide more funding to enable the traffic commissioners to fulfil their responsibilities for bus monitoring.

Pacers to continue in service

The Department for Transport has stated that it is not looking to replace the three classes of Pacer train units, which can continue operating for several more years – it is likely that the Pacer trains will eventually be replaced by class 150 units which are cascaded following the delivery of new diesel multiple units. First Great Western currently operates twelve class 142 units (to be reduced to seven in December 2008), which are based in Exeter, and eight class 143 units, based in Bristol.

Local rail campaigners lobby against Radstock planning application

Local rail campaigners are lobbying Bath and North East Somerset Council to reject a planning application to build two hundred and ten houses on former railway land at Radstock – the campaigners claim that if the planning application is successful, that it would then be impossible to reopen the railway line between Frome and Radstock for passenger use.

And finally,

First Great Western has extended the offer until 30 November 2008 of a five pound discount on internet and telephone bookings for single and return rail tickets costing six pounds or more – the offer is limited to the first two hundred thousand customers who register via the internet (‘www.fgw5pounds.co.uk’) or by telephone (