news story

24th January 2007

Rail Services - Time to Stop the Buck Passing

  Click here to read the transcript of the debate

Click here to read my recent blog post on this issue

Northavon MP Steve Webb today spoke out in a Westminster debate about the poor standard of local rail services since the franchise was taken over by First Great Western. The MP called on both First Great Western and the Government to stop blaming other people for the failures of the train service and to take urgent action to get the current crisis sorted out.

The Lib Dem MP, who has had a meeting with First Great Western's regional manager to protest at poor services, said that the company blamed the Government for not commissioning enough rail services and blamed the previous operator (Arriva Trains Wales) for the alleged unreliability of their trains. But Arriva have pointed out that before First took over, they had full availability of rolling stock in the weeks before the 10th December handover. In addition, First have admitted that their new maintenance depot in Bristol is not yet fully up and running.

The MP has also written to the Department of Transport to complain about the lack of capacity on the cross Bristol routes, especially if passenger numbers grow over the coming years. But Transport minister Tom Harris (who responded to the Westminster debate) has written back saying this is not the Government's fault. According to the Minister, the Strategic Rail Authority "..established a minimum service pattern to meet existing and forecast demand..." but left it to the rail companies to work out how many trains were needed.

Commenting on the responses he has received, Steve Webb said:

"It is time for this ludicrous game of buck-passing to stop. First Great Western blame the Government and the train company who used to run the line. The Government blames First Great Western. And in the middle are the poor passengers facing substandard services that are a disgrace in a supposedly advanced nation.

"Unless urgent action is taken to improve services, the reputation of public transport will be damaged irreparably and our chances of giving people a quality alternative to driving into Bristol will be damaged for years to come".