Those of you who came to our AGM will know that the Group has prepared a paper setting out aspirations for the new Great Western Franchise, which is due to start in April 2013. A copy of the paper can been found here. This has now been sent to the Department for Transport.
Set out below is a press notice issued by the Group on 5 December 2011.
Press Notice
“Rail users on theExeterto Exmouth line have set out what they want Government to ask the next train operator in the West to provide.
The current franchise, held by First Great Western, ends in 2013 and the process of deciding which train operator will run services from then is getting under way. The Department for Transport is expected to reveal its thinking later this month about what services should be specified, in a draft Invitation to Tender.
High on the list of improvements which passengers want to see are trains with four coaches, preferably new, and stations to serve new development at Newcourt and Hill Barton in Exeter. These would be part of a Devon Metro rail scheme serving all Exeter commuters, which would eventually see a train every 15 minutes between the City and Exmouth.
The Avocet Line Rail Users Group, representing more than 200 passengers on the busy commuter line to Exmouth, also wants improvements to existing stations, especially Exmouth and Digby & Sowton, which is says “are no longer fit for purpose”. More station staff, ticket machines at all stations and further improvements to customer information are needed. A regular main line service should connect better with Exmouth trains.
Group Chairman Tony Day, said “The number of people using our trains is still increasing year on year. The next operator must be given a franchise which encourages them to invest in a growing railway – and Government must make it easier to work with Network Rail to get things done. The very first thing we want is services on Sunday that are as good as those during the week.”
“We are meeting local MPs Ben Bradshaw and Hugo Swire to let them know our views and will be telling potential rail operators what we would like to see. We have already heard back from new Secretary of State Justine Greening that she is interested in the arguments we have put forward.”
Once the Government has published the draft specification for new services there will be a consultation period. ALRUG will be arranging an open meeting, provisionally on February 13th, to give local people a chance to hear and comment on the plans.”
