Great Western Rail
Franchise Press Release
Transport Forum
criticises Great Western Rail Franchise proposals
The Bristol Transport
Forum has expressed great concern and anger at the contents of the proposed new
Great Western Franchise for rail services serving the city. The Forum, a
consultative body organised by Bristol City Council, brings together councillors
and transport providers, interest groups and transport users to discuss all
aspects of transport.
Attendees at the
Forum’s meeting this week unanimously agreed that proposals laid out in the
Franchise to reduce the number of local rail services in order to allow
high-speed services to have more freedom would be detrimental to people living
and working in the Greater Bristol area.
Members of the Forum
felt that more and better use of local rail, not less, will be essential as the
wider Bristol ‘city region’ continues to expand – and this should include the
reopening the Portishead branch to passenger services. Other cities make far
more use of suburban rail services and the new franchise needs to ensure that
Bristol is able to do the same if it is to maintain the quality of the
environment which attratcs business and visitors to this part of the
country.
[PRAG’s emphasis]
Cllr Peter Crispin,
Chair of the Bristol Transport Forum said; “We will be writing to the Secretary
of State for Transport, Alistair Darling MP to make him aware that failure to
address our local rail needs in this franchise document could have a disastrous
effect on economic growth and the environment. We will be urging him to
intervene before it is too late.”
Details of the Great
Western franchise specification drafted by the Strategic Rail Authority for
consultation can be found on the city council’s
website
All media enquiries to
the Corporate Communications office on 0117-922 2650