The overnight service between Paddington and Plymouth and Penzance, which includes sleeping coaches and seated accommodation look like being axed in the new Greater Western franchise.

There was press speculation that the sleeper service was to be cut and this now appears more likely with the news that the Strategic Rail Authority has asked for these services to be costed separately by bidders for the new franchise.

Also at risk may be the the off-peak half-hourly services between Paddington and Cardiff which the SRA has also asked to be costed separately.

Railfuture Wales is worried that these trains may have to be axed to make way for planned Crossrail services taking over tracks out of Paddington.

The following "improvements" are claimed for the new franchise:

  • Segregation in Monday – Friday peak hours of use of the two pairs of tracks between Paddington and Reading (the Main Lines and the Relief Lines), with exclusive use of the main lines by trains capable of running at 125 mph. The purpose is to improve operational performance and to minimise the consequences of delay

  • More 125 mph trains

  • Additional peak hour seats into and out of London

  • Improved frequency (three trains per hour) on the Slough – Windsor line

  • Half-hourly service frequency between Reading and Gatwick rather than the current hourly

  • Simplified service between Bristol, Plymouth and Penzance to give a more regular pattern

  • New pattern for cross-Bristol services, with through services Worcester-Gloucester to Weston-super-Mare-Taunton and Cardiff to Westbury-Weymouth-Southampton replacing radial services, which currently start-terminate in Bristol, offering more through journey opportunities and improved performance

  • Daily inter-city standard services between London Paddington and Newquay, reflecting the nature of passenger demand to this destination

  • Extension of Paddington to Bedwyn services to Westbury

The following services are being cut:

  • Slough stops from Main Line services

  • Off-peak Paddington to Exeter semi-fast services (although the hourly semi-fast Bedwyn service will be extended to serve Westbury)

  • Reduction of services on the Oxford – Bicester Town route to morning and afternoon only

  • Reduction of services on the Swindon – Westbury via Melksham route. According to the SRA this is to match demand, which is mainly for commuter travel.

  • Reduction of stopping services on the Par-Newquay branch. Railfuture Devon and Cornwall is strongly objecting to this.

The SRA has published a Stakeholder Consultation Document on its website, providing details of the bidding process and the proposed service specification. www.sra.gov/publications

Information from SRA press release SRA

A Save Our Sleeper camapign has begun. For details and to sign the online petition: saveoursleeper.com

You can also download Railfuture's Devon and Cornwall newsletter which refers to the Greater Western franchise. April 2005 News Four-page pdf file - 368kb