First Great Western asked to submit proposals to replace South West Trains services

The Department for Transport have advised Adrian Sanders, the Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, that First Great Western has been requested to submit proposals for ‘filling the most serious gaps’ caused by the withdrawal of services operated by South West Trains west of Exeter St Davids from the December 2009 timetable change. The ‘most serious gaps’ are, in the view of the Department of Transport, the withdrawal of the following two services currently operated by South West Trains:-

• 1735hrs Exeter Central to Paignton
• 1749hrs Plymouth to Ivybridge

Rail ticket machine research

Passenger Focus and South West Trains have jointly undertaken research which reveals that many rail passengers are queuing at ticket offices, despite knowing that ticket machines are available. Seventy-eight per cent of rail passengers surveyed stated that they had used a ticket machine at least once – many customers preferred to use a ticket office as they wanted a more personal service, they were unable to buy their particular ticket through a machine or they lacked confidence in using the machine.

Park and Ride for Weymouth

Ruth Kelly gave approval for the Weymouth Relief Road, in one of her final acts as Secretary of State for Transport – the scheme includes the provision of a new park-and-ride facility on the former Lodmoor North landfill site with one thousand spaces.

New station for Kingskerwell?

Opponents of the proposal by Devon County Council for the A380 Kingskerwell bypass have presented an alternative package of measures devised by consultants, Steer Davies Gleave – the alternative proposals, which will cost over eighty million pounds less than the building of a bypass, include the reopening of Kingskerwell railway station on the line between Newton Abbot and Paignton.

Go-Ahead profits and revenue up

Go-Ahead group, the parent company of Wilts and Dorset, has announced results for the year ended 28 June 2008 – group revenue rose by over twenty per cent to £2.199billion, while operating profit increased by over twenty-two per cent to £144.9million.

Salisbury station listed

The frontage of Salisbury station, designed by the railway architect Sir William Tite, has been designated as a grade two listed building.

People

Helen Holland, the Labour leader of Bristol City Council, has been appointed as a member of the Commission for Integrated Transport.

And finally,

First Great Western has just started displaying posters on stations publicising the heritage railways in the South West of England – at a time when many heritage railways are suspending operations for the winter period!