Rail firm pledges to lay on more coaches

3:54pm Tuesday 4th March 2008

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FIRST Great Western has promised to provide additional coaches on stopping trains through Romsey.

It is part of a £29m package of measures announced by the company in a bid to improve it services following repeated criticism from angry commuters and government ministers.

The company's chief operating officer Andrew Haines who joined FGW from South West Trains last September, said the comprehensive package measures being introduced were designed to improve its services and meet government targets.

"The £29 plan has been put together to address poor performance, particularly in relation to cancellations and the subsequent contravention of our franchise agreement. We know our performance has fallen short of our own standards and the expectation of our passengers. We are committed to take the action needed to minimise cancellations and delays.

"In discussion with the Department for Transport we have offered additional investments to enhance our services to passengers and put measures in place to improve operational performance," said Mr Haines who replaced the company's former MD Alison Forster in a major shake-up of First's management structure.

Amongst the improvements for the Cardiff-Salisbury-Romsey-Southampton-Portsmouth route will be extra carriages on two-car trains from May. Some trains will have one extra carriage while others have two. Mr Haines said this should increase capacity by 40 per cent on most services along the route.

Some of the cash will be spent on improving customer information systems at stations in a bid to feed up-to-date train times to commuters.

"We are already investing more than any other train operator, £200m over the life of the FGW franchise. The additional £29m investment package will be spent where it is most needed, on extra resources, more rolling stock and improved customer service. Combined with the new senior management team we now have in place, this investment in comprehensive and robust passenger benefits is a fundamental change in the way we do business. It represents a fresh start for FGW and we want to be judged on our results" added Mr Haines.