Devizes MP Claire Perry has written to Stephen Hammond, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, telling him that she and her constituents are “horrified” by the options being offered in his department’s consultation (which closes today – June 26) for the new Great Western rail franchise.
The two options put forward are outlined in our earlier report – they rely on shuttle rail services from Bedwyn to either Newbury or Reading where passengers would have to change platforms and trains. She tells the minister that “Neither option is in any way palatable.”
“I cannot stress enough, the importance of fast and frequent rail links to my Constituents, many of whom have chosen to live in the Devizes Constituency because of the fast and direct train services.”
She explains to the minister that the two options would almost certainly mean people either leaving the area (“with catastrophic effects on the local economy”) or driving to Newbury (“putting increased pressure on the roads and car park facilities at Newbury”.)
She also states: “I am keen to see a firm commitment to the delivery of electrification to Bedwyn, but in addition we must keep the service frequency and timing and number of through services at Pewsey and Bedwyn.”
And she makes the point that changing onto the usually full fast trains at Reading would almost certainly mean passengers from stations between Reading and Bedwyn standing all the way to Paddington.
Mrs Perry adds “…we need to also see rapid roll out of Wifi on all services to enable maximum productive working time and continued investments in car parking facilities at Bedwyn station.”
She welcomes First Great Western’s plan to provide 25 extra parking places there but warns that “…demand will outstrip this modest supply.”
Mrs Perry provides the minister with a summary of the services requirements for the new franchise – click to enlarge:
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