Local AM slams "Worst Great Western."

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 20th Feb 2008

Release/Rhyddhau:

Contact/Cyswllt: Dominic Hannigan on 02920 898324 or 07791 778178

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Cardiff Central AM Jenny Randerson has slammed First Great Western after uncovering appalling levels of delays, cancellations and other problems. Jenny Randerson today challenged the Transport Minister to publically condemn the standard of service from First Great Western.

First Great Western provide their own alerts to passengers when serious problems occur with services , their own figures for the last four weeks showed that out of 20 weekdays, services in and out of Cardiff experienced serious problems on 15 days.

Jenny Randerson said: "First Great Western are rapidly gaining the title of the worst train company in Britain. The figures for the last four weeks showed serious problems nearly every day with cancellations, re-routing and removal of carriages the biggest problems.

"This is having a serious affect on the economy of South Wales and I wanted to challenge the Minister to join me in condemning First Great Western.

"This morning's bulletin alone showed two trains rerouted to start at Bristol and Newport, removal of carriages and the cancellation of a London service. With the huge fare rises announced recently, this is just unacceptable. I believe it is time that First Great Western were told to shape up or risk losing all of their rail franchises."

Notes:

This Mornings bulletins showed the following problems today:

06.30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour service will now start from Bristol Temple Meads. This is due to signalling problems.

[06.59 Swansea to London Paddington service has been cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.]

07.30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour service will now be started from Newport. This is due to signalling problems. This service will also run formed with 2 carriages instead of 3. This is due to an earlier train fault.

The weekday bulletins for the last four weeks showed the following problems:

Date: Monday 21 January 2008

15:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour will be formed of 2 carriages instead of 3; this is due to an earlier train fault.

16:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour will be formed of 2 carriages instead of 4; this is due to an earlier train fault.

Date: Wednesday 23 January 2008

1630 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour is today formed of two carriages instead of four.

Date: Monday 28 January 2008

16:00 Cardiff Central to Taunton will be formed with 2 carriages instead of 4.

16:22 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central will be formed with 2 carriages instead of 4.

16:47 Bristol Parkway to Westbury will be formed with 2 carriages instead of 3.

Date: Wednesday 30 January 2008

1530 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour is formed of 2 carriages instead of 3.

Date: Thursday 31 January 2008

06:30 Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour will start at Bristol Temple Meads; this is due to a train fault.

Date: Monday 4 February 2008

07.30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour service will formed with 2 carriages instead of 3.

1600 Cardiff to Taunton will be formed of 2 carriages instead of 3.

Date: Tuesday 5 February 2008

07.30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour will be formed of 2 carriages instead of 3 due to an earlier train failure.

Date: Wednesday 6 February 2008

07:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour will be formed of 2 carriages instead of 3; this is due to an earlier train fault.

Date: Thursday 7 February 2008

07:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour will run short formed with 2 carriages only today.

Date: Friday 8 February 2008

07:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour will run short formed with 2 carriages only today.

15.30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour will run formed with 2 carriages instead of 3. This is due to an earlier train fault.

16.00 Cardiff Central to Taunton will run formed with 2 carriages instead of 4. This is due to an earlier train fault.

Date: Monday 11 February 2008

17.00 Cardiff Central to Taunton; this service will run short formed with 1 Carriage.

Date: Tuesday 12 February 2008

16:05 Taunton to Cardiff Central; this service will be formed of 1 carriage instead of 2 this is due to a train fault.

Date: Wednesday 13 February 2008

16:00 Cardiff Central to Taunton will start from Bristol Temple Meads; this is due to a train fault.

16:22 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central will start from Fareham and is formed of 2 carriages instead of 4 between Fareham and Bristol Temple Meads; this is due to an earlier train fault.

Date: Thursday 14 February 2008

06:43 Frome to Cardiff Central is formed of 2 carriages instead if 4; this is due to a train fault.

Date: Friday 15 February 2008

07.33 Weston-Super-Mare to Cardiff Central is formed of 1 carriage instead of 2; this is due to a train fault.

Date: Friday 15 February 2008

17.05 Taunton to Cardiff Central will be short formed with 1 carriage; this is due to an earlier train fault.

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