Media centre

Wednesday 2 Dec 2009

BRISTOL PASSENGERS TO GET SEVEN-DAY RAILWAY

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Bristol is set to significantly benefit from Network Rail’s seven-day railway vision, as the company introduces today a new initiative and technology to minimise passenger disruption.

Network Rail has joined hands with the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), with support from Passenger Focus, to announce an initiative to further reduce the need for replacement buses at weekends and bank holidays.

Bristol is among the top places on the 20 identified routes, where Network Rail and train operators aim to offer a rail journey in almost all circumstances.  The only exception is when the demands of rail improvement work make achieving this aim impractical.

The main line between London Paddington and Cardiff Central (via Bristol Temple Meads and Parkway) and Birmingham and Plymouth (via Bristol Temple Meads), which carry 60% of all weekend passengers, have been identified for special attention. 

Network Rail has also pledged that the Bristol area will be among the first in the country to benefit from a brand new piece of ground-breaking technology – the tilting wagon - that allows new track to be installed in less than 24 hours.

The new tilting wagon leads the way in significantly reducing the disruption caused to passengers by track improvement work that would normally take more than two full days to complete. 

Iain Coucher, Network Rail chief executive, said: "Today's punctual, reliable and safe railway has seen passengers flocking back. Their expectations for a decent service at weekends and at bank holidays have grown and we must respond. Keeping passengers on trains and off buses is our aim. We're working towards that and today's commitment sets us firmly on that path."

Michael Roberts, ATOC chief executive, said: “Train operators are delivering an ever better and more reliable service to their customers. With record levels of punctuality, we need to look at further ways of improving services, to attract more passengers to rail.  One way to achieve this is to ensure that, as far as possible, rail journeys at weekends and bank holidays are not interrupted by the need for a bus journey.”

Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said: “We are pleased that Network Rail and the train operators have signed up to our pledge, making a clear commitment to keep passengers on trains wherever possible rather than use buses, and to ensure certain towns and cities are connected by train at almost all times. We have been asked by the government to monitor this."

Bristol is a key railway hub in the South West of England.  Based on recent forecast, passenger growth is anticipated to increase by 41% in the Bristol area in ten years’ time.  It is the biggest forecast growth in passenger number on the Great Western route.