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GREEN DELIGHT AT TRAIN OPERATORS MOVE TO HELP VILLAGES |
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 17th November 2007
First Great Western have responded to Green calls for fare cuts to encourage more people onto trains
Morning Peak Travel restrictions on cheap day return tickets have been lifted by First Great Western on the Stroud to Cheltenham route. The move is aimed at helping to relieve Stroud villages from traffic which has significantly increased due to the A46 closure. Savings of up to £3 can be made.
Philip Booth, District councillor for Whiteshill that has faced some of the worst increases in traffic wrote to First Great Western soon after the floods in July. He received a favourable reply in September (i) but it has taken until yesterday to get a confirmation of the offer (ii). Philip Booth said: "I am delighted First Great Western have been able to act on this and hope that many will take the opportunity to use the trains."
Philip Booth said: "I have also had contact with the County Council some months ago and am still hoping they will do more to encourage the carshare scheme and use of the buses - like for example allowing buses that have been diverted through Whiteshill to actually stop there and pick up residents. It is imperative, in the light of climate change and rising oil prices, that we develop a public transport system that works much, much better. The closure of the A46 has been a missed opportunity by authorities to encourage people out of their cars. However we are still at least three months away from the A46 being fixed so let us hope this move by FGW will lead to more people leaving their cars at home permanently."
Notes:
(i) Copy of email from First Great Western on 12th September 2007:
Ref: 3431249
Dear Mr P Booth
Thank you for your email dated 10 September 2007, refering to your suggestion about cut train fares between Gloucester and Stroud.
I agree that cutting the prices of train tickets in order to encourage people onto the trains more is an excellent idea. I can fully understand the anger and frustration that yourself and others must feel with the closure of the A46. I have logged the email you sent us and have forwarded it onto the fares and system manager for his consideration.
Thank you once again fro your email, we are always happy to receive feedback from our customers, especially when it is so contructive as yours.
Yours sincerely, Paul Hoffmann, Customer Services Advisor
(ii) BBC Radio Gloucestershire phoned Philip Booth to confirm the offer and ran a short piece on the radio yesterday.
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