Welsh Government rail user feedback form

[merlodlliw]

Here is the text of a letter dated 14th July to all Welsh Assembly members,the feedback form will be found on the WG website soon.
It appears Welsh Government are at last listening to passengers,a good sign.

Edwina Hart MBE CStJ AC / AM
Gweinidog yr Economi, Gwyddoniaeth a Thrafnidiaeth
Minister for Economy, Science and Transport



Bae Caerdydd • Cardiff Bay
Caerdydd • Cardiff
CF99 1NA
English Enquiry Line 0845 010 3300
Llinell Ymholiadau Cymraeg 0845 010 4400
Correspondence.edwina.Hart@Wales.gsi.gov.uk
Wedi’i argraffu ar bapur wedi’i ailgylchu (100%) Printed on 100% recycled paper
Eich cyf/Your ref
Ein cyf/Our ref: SF-EH-1530-14

Assembly Members




Dear Assembly Members

I am writing to you regarding the introduction of an initiative to increase the
voice that rail passengers have in the provision of rail services in Wales.

Assembly Members regularly raise issues with me, both directly and on behalf
of their constituents, in relation to rail travel in Wales. I have therefore been
considering how Members might be able to help with providing feedback on
services in Wales.

I am introducing a system that will allow passengers and Members to report
directly on their experiences when using the rail network in Wales. This will
enable us to develop a more detailed understanding of passenger satisfaction.
It will also enable us to take specific issues identified to the train operators as
well as plan for a better specified service under any future franchise.

I am pleased to enclose a hard copy of the form for your reference and look
forward to receiving your feedback. I would be happy for you to share the form with your constituent members and other relevant individuals who use rail services in Wales. Additional copies of the form will be available shortly by
visiting the rail pages of wales.gov.uk. It will be available to download, print
and complete, and will also be available via a clickable online version. Hard
copy forms can be returned to the freepost address, or they can be submitted
electronically to a dedicated email address. Details can be found at the top of
the form.

I am unable to put up the feedback form,but if anyone wants to see a copy,please PM me with a valid e maIL address

Bob

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The WG form is explicitly for services in Wales.
What are users in England of Wales & Borders services controlled by the Welsh Government (eg Chester, Shrewsbury, Hereford) supposed to do?
Does it trump Passenger Focus?

Here's the form (there is a Welsh version too).

 

[merlodlliw]

The WG form is explicitly for services in Wales.
What are users in England of Wales & Borders services controlled by the Welsh Government (eg Chester, Shrewsbury, Hereford) supposed to do?
Does it trump Passenger Focus?

Here's the form (there is a Welsh version too).

Thanks for putting it up LNW-GW, I agree the form is very parochial,Welsh Gov have to remember they run the Wales & Borders services and ATW manage many stations in England on their behalf, which includes Chester ATWs busiest out of Wales managed station, and 2nd busiest on ATWs entire station managed network.

 

[TDK]

I hope this isn't a pre-cursor for when the franchise is up for renewal as rumour has it that the WG want to run the franchise themselves. Does this mean that it will be Wales and only Wales they are interested in?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I hope this isn't a pre-cursor for when the franchise is up for renewal as rumour has it that the WG want to run the franchise themselves. Does this mean that it will be Wales and only Wales they are interested in?

One thing about the form is that it is not Wales & Borders (ie ATW) specific.
So if you don't like FGW/XC/VT services in Wales you can also complain using the form.
Where it grates is that WG as an executive (not political) body has rail responsibilities over ATW services in England (as franchise manager) which aren't covered by the form.

 

[cf111]

I hope this isn't a pre-cursor for when the franchise is up for renewal as rumour has it that the WG want to run the franchise themselves. Does this mean that it will be Wales and only Wales they are interested in?

I don't know much about the Welsh rail network, but as a Scot, I can't say I have any issue with Transport Scotland having a huge say over the franchises here. Maybe they're looking at that sort of arrangement (if it doesn't already exist in Wales) instead of actually running the franchise on their own?

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Do you want to tell us about a train station?

aaargh! (No, just lack of plug sockets)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I don't know much about the Welsh rail network, but as a Scot, I can't say I have any issue with Transport Scotland having a huge say over the franchises here. Maybe they're looking at that sort of arrangement (if it doesn't already exist in Wales) instead of actually running the franchise on their own?

There are some significant differences though.
Scotrail covers the vast majority of services in Scotland, leaving just the inter-city services on the WCML/ECML outside the franchise.
In Wales, far fewer services are wholly domestic, and most of the prime services cross the border (up to four times on the Cardiff-Holyhead run).
The Welsh-managed franchise also provides services on some important English corridors (eg into Manchester and Birmingham) which Scotrail doesn't.

The franchising process also differs, with Scotland having more autonomy than Wales.
Scotland was co-signatory to the 2004 Scotrail franchise and are wholly in charge of the 2014 one.
Meanwhile Wales was barely consulted on the 2003 ATW franchise, but are today the manager of it after the contract was devolved in 2006.

I think the expectation is that it will be at least be co-signatory to the 2018 relet Wales & Borders franchise, but if the franchise boundaries shrink they might run the show.
The difficulty is the Marches route which can't be other than a joint England/Wales operation.
There no plans to change the inter-city services arrangement, with the DfT in charge with Welsh input.
Then there's the infrastructure issues with disputes over what DfT and WG are responsible for (eg Valleys electrification).
DfT also produces the HLOS/SoFA for England and Wales to fund Network Rail, whereas Scotland produces its own.

 

[kieron]

Where it grates is that WG as an executive (not political) body has rail responsibilities over ATW services in England (as franchise manager) which aren't covered by the form.

It's a tricky thing to design a form to explain exactly what you do and don't want without it being overcomplicated, though. This one is at least clear on what it wants, even if it isn't what you'd like it to be.

Maybe it's like that because Edwina Hart doesn't get that many complaints about trains or stations in England at the moment.

 

[Squaddie]

I agree the form is very parochial,Welsh Gov have to remember they run the Wales & Borders services and ATW manage many stations in England on their behalf, which includes Chester ATWs busiest out of Wales managed station, and 2nd busiest on ATWs entire station managed network.

Why do you say the form is parochial (other than not wanting to miss an opportunity to criticise the Welsh Government)?

The form makes it quite clear that the government is seeking opinions on rail services and stations in Wales (which is perfectly reasonable), and that they will where necessary raise any issues with train operators and Network Rail.

 

[Llanigraham]

Agreed, Squaddie, I don't see the form as at all parochial.
If I take a service east I have to pass into england, but the service provider is still ATW. No-where on the info with it does it state "in Wales only"!

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Why do you say the form is parochial (other than not wanting to miss an opportunity to criticise the Welsh Government)?

The form makes it quite clear that the government is seeking opinions on rail services and stations in Wales (which is perfectly reasonable), and that they will where necessary raise any issues with train operators and Network Rail.

I agree, it's one of the most pleasing to the eye forms that I have seen! Congratulations to the Welsh Government on this one. I suppose by not using Passenger Focus they have cut out the middleman. Makes sense.

 

[Gareth Marston]

I agree, it's one of the most pleasing to the eye forms that I have seen! Congratulations to the Welsh Government on this one. I suppose by not using Passenger Focus they have cut out the middleman. Makes sense.

Remember that DfT provides specification and subsidy on the English bit of tbe franchise though they seem to keep this under wraps and the things branded as Trains Wales not Wales Nd Borders Trains. And any improvements even on English side seem to come off back of Welsh Government money its no wonder theres a degree of confusion out there.