Have a say on future of rail service (From The Oxford Times)

Have a say on future of rail service

7:30am Monday 9th January 2012 in Didcot

Rail passengers in Oxfordshire are being asked for their views on ways to improve services ahead of a decision on who will run the Great Western rail franchise from next year.

Commuters, councils and other interested groups are being invited by the Department for Transport to say what changes they want to see delivered on train and at stations.

Rail Minister Theresa Villiers said: “This consultation represents an excellent opportunity for passengers to make their mark and tell us what changes they think should be made. This is their chance to tell us how train services can better serve passengers.

“The franchise will be one of the first to be let on a 15-year term. We will expect the train operator chosen to run the franchise to provide high-quality services, deliver improved levels of passenger satisfaction, roll out smart ticketing for thousands more journeys and invest in improvements that will benefit passengers.”

Current operator First Great Western decided last year not to take up an option to run the routes for another three years, until 2016, and will instead bid for a new agreement against rival operators. Spanish state rail firm Renfe has already said it intends to enter the contest.

The consultation period runs until March 31, with the invitation to tender being issued in May. The winning bidder will be announced in December, with the new franchise set to start in April next year.

The consultation documents are at dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2011-36