Victory??

This is Plymouth 03 April 2006
First Great Western has scrapped hugely controversial plans to slash the number of three-hour rail journeys between Plymouth and London, it was announced this morning.The company said it now planned to retain four three-hour journeys - two in each direction - in its new December 2006 timetable.The announcement marks a spectacular victory for the people of Plymouth and the Evening Herald, which has campaigned to save the three-hour link after First Great Western said it planned to cut the number of daily journeys from four to one from December.
Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans said: "It is fantastic news. What a victory for the Herald and its campaign and all the people - the MPs, the public and the business community - who have worked so hard to make this happen.
First Great Western spokesman Tim Bocock confirmed that the four journeys would be saved but said it was too early to say what the exact timetable would be.He said: "There will be changes. For example, the current 6am service will be at 5.49am. At the moment, it's difficult because the details of the timetable haven't been finalised and we don't know at what time they will run but this is our aspiration, this is what we want to do."

On the 4th April we get this...
A government minister has welcomed the reinstatement of fast train journeys between Plymouth and London.Rail minister Derek Twigg's comments come after First Great Western scrapped its hugely controversial plans to slash the number of three-hour rail journeys between Plymouth and London, as reported in yesterday's Evening Herald.In a victory for the thousands who backed the Herald's three-hour rail campaign last month, the company said it now planned to retain four three-hour journeys - two in each direction - in its new December 2006 timetable.Mr Twigg said: "The franchise is a good deal for passengers - over £200million investment to deliver better trains, station improvements, and support community rail lines. Capacity will increase on key routes. We welcome the improvements to the timetable that First Great Western have made, including the reinstatement of semi-fast services to Exeter that will improve journey times between Plymouth and London."

All this patting each other on the back does seem to ignore the fact that the new timetables sees significant cuts to many local rail services. The cutting of a symbolic ten minutes or so to get a journey under 13 hours is a very minor victory indeed. The government Minister telling us how the franchise is a good deal for passengers seem very hollow for local passengers.

Protesters wielding cardboard axes gathered at Ivybridge Railway Station to show the strength of feeling against cuts to the town's train services.Axes, banners and placards were waved as part of a protest against proposed rail timetable cuts.The protests, which began in Totnes and continued in Ivybridge yesterday, revealed the strength of feeling from many people.Under the new Greater Western franchise, Ivybridge stands to lose 14 of its 20 services to and from the town.A First spokesman said it had not been possible to adjust the timetable to get the extra calls into the station. On Monday First agreed to drop plans to axe certain services after receiving more than 9,000 responses during a month-long consultation.That meant the three-hour journeys between London and Plymouth, which were to be cut from four to one, were saved following a campaign by the Evening Herald. But residents on the line into Plymouth are concerned that local commuter services do not seem to have been addressed in the latest First announcement.


Oh well. Still at least a couple of trains might make it to London in under three hours. Victory for the people of Plymouth indeed!