Crowds were left in the cold on Trowbridge Station after packed trains could not cram in any more passengers to Bath and Bristol.

Trowbridge town councillor Graham Hedley, who abandoned his planned trip to Bath, said he was astonished to find the trains only had two coaches instead of three.

"There were 70-100 people on the platform. Some people said they would use their cars while others just said they'd try again another day," he said.

"Then the train manager announced no more tickets would be sold at Trowbridge. I've never heard of a ticket office shutting its doors for selling tickets."

Roger Newman, from the West Wiltshire Rail Users Group, said shorter trains had become more common over the last year but said it was the Government which was to blame rather than train company First Great Western.

"We are very disappointed by the Government who in their specifications told whoever won the franchise they could only have a reduced number of train sets," he said.

"The excess, we believe, have been sent to Yorkshire to ease overcrowding, but here in Trowbridge we have a situation where a coach load of passengers are left on the platform. It's a ridiculous situation."

He is calling on passengers to lobby their MPs to urge the Government to provide more coaches.

A spokesman for First Great Western said the company would monitor the number of passengers over the next few weeks.

Comment by jeff osborn: Fri 15 Dec 06

Please see below a letter that I official wrote to the Rail Company:

Tuesday, 11 December 2006

Andrew Griffiths
First Great Western
Regional Manager Central (Severn & Solent)
Bristol Temple Meads Station
Bristol BS1 6QF

Dear Andrew

First Great Western December 2006 Timetable Changes – Chaos at Trowbridge Station

It is with great concern that I write to you with news of negative impacts caused by the implementation of the December 2006 timetable and rolling stock changes on the Greater Western Franchise area. In particular, I convey the anger and frustration of local people and locally elected Members in relation to the disorder experienced at Trowbridge Railway Station on the morning of Saturday 9 December 2006.

In September 2006 you kindly wrote to me, providing the District Council with re-assurances that First Great Western understood Trowbridge’s growing importance within the sub-region. You also correctly noted that “Trowbridge is easily the busiest station between Bath and Southampton”. Consequently, it is surprising that the services travelling north through Trowbridge, to Bath, Bristol and Cardiff, were permitted to degenerate into such disarray. We understand that reductions in rolling stock provision associated with the timetable changes – namely, the reduction from three to two carriage trains played a role.

The District Council understands that northbound trains arrived full throughout the morning and that the numerous waiting passengers were not permitted to board. It is understood that public address announcements advised expectant passengers not to bother waiting for further services as these would also be full. The District Council has been informed that, perversely, the Trowbridge Station ticket office spent most of Saturday 9 December 2006 issuing ticket refunds rather than selling tickets.

Whilst we appreciate that the current demand is seasonal there is, nevertheless, a direct correlation between overflowing passenger numbers and reduced rolling stock. Based on the reports made to the District Council, members of the local community have made the connection between reduced rolling stock provision and their ability to use the rail network. It is understood that most of those waiting to use northbound services resorted to using their private motor cars to get to their final destination. This is possibly the most worrying outcome from last weekend’s farcical events.

The District Council intends to closely monitor the implementation of the new franchise timetable. Given the continued importance of Trowbridge and the large level of growth currently being planned for the area (upto 2026), it is vital that the town’s public transport network is appropriately enhanced and developed. Incidents such as this do not inspire public confidence in either the public transport provider, or those responsible for the franchise specification. Whilst infrastructure improvements to the station are welcomed these need to be supported by reliable services. The current situation is not good enough.

I have forwarded copies of this letter to South West Regional Assembly and the Government Office for the South West. A further copy has been sent to the Department of Transport as further evidence of the flawed franchise specification – particularly, in terms of the ill-advised reductions in service provision.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Osborn
Cabinet Portfolio holder for Planning & Development
West Wiltshire District Council

Cc:
Glenda Lamont (First Great Western)
Andrew Knock (Department of Transport)
Government Office for South West
South West Regional Assembly
Wiltshire County Council