Rail electrification put into doubt by decision to delay Great Western franchise date

Doubts are being expressed about improvements to the Great Western train services following the government’s decision to extend for a further three years the disputed First Great Western franchise on the main route to London Paddington.

The long-term future of the line has been pushed back to 2016 causing concern over current plans for the electrification of trains beyond Newbury, from Great Bedwyn to Westbury, now part of a consultation process.

More than 1,400 local passengers had completed the Pewsey Train Watch survey on the economic effects of electrification by Sunday’s deadline, but delays in the government’s other major franchise projects have raised fears that funding is no longer available to go ahead now.

“We’re waiting to see what the study says, but it is vitally important for the southern part of Wiltshire and Somerset,” said Claire Perry, Tory MP for Devizes.

“It will provide a big boost for business in my constituency and the others along the line.”

South West Wiltshire MP Andrew Morrison added: “With high speed rail in the offing, the South West is in danger of being left behind.  A fast, frequent and reliable service to London and good connections from Westbury to Bath and Bristol will do a great deal for our economy.”

Pewsey Train Watch spokesman Karl Lloyd told Marlborough News Online that he had yet to see the latest news reports, but added: “I can’t offer a comment on what this means for electrification.

“But, in itself, a further extension to the franchise is good news in as much as it means continuity of service, to use the government’s own term, for that much longer.

“Eventually the ITT issues that Pewsey Train Watch was founded to fight will come back but we have respite for a meaningful amount of time so that takes the immediate pressure off.

“The survey eventually garnered over 1,900 responses, which is a great response considering how little time we had to reach people.  This, along with the fact that our website crashed within a short time of the survey opening and had to be moved to a bigger server to handle the number of hits we were getting, speaks volumes about the interest and concern there is over this issue in the local communities served by Kintbury, Hungerford, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury stations.”

On Monday Mr Lloyd, representing Pewsey Train Watch, along with Steve Smith of the Bedwyn passenger group joined Hungerford Town Council and representatives from Kintbury at a meeting with ARUP, the consultancy firm evaluating the economic case for extending electrification, at Hungerford Town Hall.

“It was a very constructive with many interesting points raised,” he pointed out.  “As with the previous meeting with ARUP in Westminster, their representatives were certainly listening and taking onboard the views and concerns expressed and were thought full and considered in their responses.”  

The survey report will be delivered to ARUP in the next few days and will also be published on the  Pewsey Train Watch website.