THE LONG-RUNNING MODERNISATION PROGRAMME IS BEARING FRUIT, GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY MANAGING DIRECTOR MARK HOPWOOD TELLS JAMES ABBOTT
At long last, the Great Western route modernisation programme is drawing to a close. Notoriously delayed and over budget, the travails of the construction programme are now largely history and Great Western Railway can look forward to implementing an improved service.
That’s the theory, at any rate – but the chaos at GTR and Northern this summer has thrown a spanner in the works. The Rail Delivery Group has agreed a moratorium on timetable change in several franchises, of which GWR is one, while the meltdowns are reviewed. This came just as GWR was preparing for a ramp up in service in early 2019.
That’s when the big improvements were scheduled, with four London trains an hour at both Bristol Parkway (two to Temple Meads and two to Cardiff) and Bristol Temple Meads (two via Parkway and two via Bath). Make no mistake: this is a generous service, putting Manchester and Birmingham’s three trains an hour in the shade.
But now there is a question mark over when it will be introduced. Not only is there the GTR debacle to consider, there’s also still uncertainty about just when Ne…
