Free rail travel in wales continues

[merlodlliw]

Free rural rail travel scheme in North Wales set to continue
Oct 4 2010 by Steve Bagnall, Daily Post


A POPULAR free rail travel scheme is set continue over autumn and winter, the Welsh Assembly Government transport Minister said yesterday.

Ieuan Wyn Jones announced the concessionary fares scheme on the Borderlands and Conwy Valley lines will continue and will restart on the Heart of Wales and Cambrian Coast lines for the autumn and winter.

Mr Jones said it showed WAG’s commitment to encouraging people to use public transport and help connect people in isolated areas with the wider community. It was also boosting local economies with visitors spending at their destinations.

Cerdyn Cymru pass holders – mostly over 60s – will continue to benefit from free rail travel on the Conwy Valley Line between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llandudno, and on the Welsh section of the Wrexham – Bidston Line. The first scheme is open to cardholders from the counties of Conwy and Gwynedd, the second to those from Flintshire and Wrexham.

The Cambrian Coast scheme restarted yesterday for eligible Gwynedd pass holders, and also on the Heart of Wales Line for eligible Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Powys pass holders.

The scheme will continue until the end of September 2011 on the Borderlands and Conwy Valley Lines and until March 27 on the Heart of Wales and Cambrian Coast Lines.

Mr Jones, Deputy First Minister, said: “The concessionary rural rail scheme continues to be very popular – particularly with pensioners without a car, those that feel isolated due to a lack of available bus service and those with a low income from their pension.

“This One Wales Commitment has demonstrated free rail travel can address key policy objectives including increasing the use of public transport, decreasing private car use, reducing rural isolation and strengthening rural communities.”

An independent evaluation report of the scheme completed by the Wales Transport Research Centre revealed free rail travel is changing travel behaviour and reducing car use: in the report 74% of respondents say they now use the train more often as a result of the scheme.

In addition to the positive impact free rail travel can make to people’s lives the report also revealed increased use of rail travel has generated greater spending, with many passengers spending around £50 during their trips in shops, on food and drink and visiting local leisure venues. ENDS

Strange abnormality in all of this,
1.The line to Bidston is operated by WAG(ATW) who manage all the stations except Bidston, yet the cut off point is Shotton for full service.
Whereas on the Arriva Wales bus service the free travel is available to Chester and return cross border,also paid for by WAG.
M

 

[mumrar]

Strange animality in all of this,

What has being an animal, or animal instincts got to do with anything here?

 

[merlodlliw]

What has being an animal, or animal instincts got to do with anything here?

OK, should have been ab·nor·mal·i·ty 


I am most grateful to you for pointing the error out to me, I will correct it

 

[mumrar]

OK, should have been ab·nor·mal·i·ty 


I am most grateful to you for pointing the error out to me, I will correct it

No probs, I think you've got abnormality and anomoly mixed up is all, but quite funny that you ended up with a proper word still.

Back on topic, it's hardly surprising people are going to use the train instead of the car when you make it free. The danger is you set a precedent where these people then get a false opinion that it is 'their right' and will go all Daily Mail (or Welsh equivalent) if it is threatened with cessation. The joy of local businesses at the average £50 must surely be tempered by some of them coming up with some funding towards it, which still leaves them at a net gain.

 

[merlodlliw]

No probs, I think you've got abnormality and anomoly mixed up is all, but quite funny that you ended up with a proper word still.

Back on topic, it's hardly surprising people are going to use the train instead of the car when you make it free. The danger is you set a precedent where these people then get a false opinion that it is 'their right' and will go all Daily Mail (or Welsh equivalent) if it is threatened with cessation. The joy of local businesses at the average £50 must surely be tempered by some of them coming up with some funding towards it, which still leaves them at a net gain.

Thanks.

 

[mickey]

Strange abnormality in all of this,
1.The line to Bidston is operated by WAG(ATW) who manage all the stations except Bidston, yet the cut off point is Shotton for full service.
Whereas on the Arriva Wales bus service the free travel is available to Chester and return cross border,also paid for by WAG.
M

Cross-border bus travel is a policy Arriva is happy to allow (they do the same for their own season ticket holders travelling out-of-area) and IIRC they were actually quite reasonable with the costs for it. Willing to be corrected though - I can't remember my exact source for that as it was a while ago now.

More importantly it contrasts with the rail anomaly on Merseyrail whereby old people from Formby can park at Hooton and use the train to Chester free but old people who live next door to the station cannot. Unfairness is unfortunately what you get when someone wants to add extra benefits on top of a generic scheme - in this case designed for bus travel only.

 

[mrcheek]

So theres some lines I need to steer clear of when I do my next ALR.

In fact, I think Ill just avoid Wales.

 

[merlodlliw]

Cross-border bus travel is a policy Arriva is happy to allow.
...........................................................................................

In this instance Wrexham to Chester Station, the 5 an hour service, WAG who pay for the over 60s etc,and have also paid for the brand new buses Arriva use on this route, it is WAG have given the dispensation to Chester & return, for example Rossett is nearer Chester, common sense as been applied,whereas the Border Lines Arriva service
give one option Wrexham to shop, or pay to go to into the Wirral.

 

[tbtc]

The joy of local businesses at the average £50 must surely be tempered by some of them coming up with some funding towards it, which still leaves them at a net gain.

The £50 is a red herring, the kind of figure that press releases contain to sound like a lot more money is being spent than it is. After all, if each pension *was* spending £50 on each trip then they can afford to pay half-fare on the train!

Lies, damned lies and press releases

 

[merlodlliw]

The £50 is a red herring, the kind of figure that press releases contain to sound like a lot more money is being spent than it is. After all, if each pension *was* spending £50 on each trip then they can afford to pay half-fare on the train!

Lies, damned lies and press releases

I have to agree with part of your argument,if you use a consultancy,they will come up with any kind of figure to justify their fee, as for the half fare,which used to be a child's fare,well politics could make little gain out of that.

 

[Greenback]

I can easily accept that some people may spend £50 or more ona day out. If you include a meal, a visit to a tourist attraction, a cup of tea and an ice cream.

But I also know of people who take free trips on the HoW to visit Llandrindod and Shrewsbury who don't spend anywhere near that amount! They take sandwiches and a flask, do a few hour sof window shopping and the total spending is less than £10, mostly on a few glasses of wine. If they do go to the shops they only buy what they were going to buy elsewhere anyway!

Of course, the latter bit is probably helpful for smaller town centres to survive, rather than retail parks or large city centres, and we must not discount the social benefits of allowing older people the ability to get out and about more.

 

[merlodlliw]

my view is that the howl is a social line,they will take sarnies & a flask,the howl is refreshment free or was, if it fills the railbus OK why not,better than conveying fresh air. In this day of greed,those on the HOWL & me must .wonder why those on over £50K are now kicking off about losing benefit.

 

[paul1609]

my view is that the howl is a social line,they will take sarnies & a flask,the howl is refreshment free or was, if it fills the
OK why not,better than conveying fresh air. In this day of greed,those on the HOWL & me must .wonder why those on over £50K are now kicking off about losing benefit.

Dunno if it reassures you but I'm a higher rate taxpayer and I was kindof thinking the same thing

 

[merlodlliw]

Dunno if it reassures you but I'm a higher rate taxpayer and I was kindof thinking the same thing

Thanks Paul,it does make me feel reassured, better leave it at that or ill say the wrong thing about those on a fortune a week moaning about losing benefit yet have the front
to moan about Pensioners on £7k a year getting free travel on the train

 

[Squaddie]

my view is that the howl is a social line,they will take sarnies & a flask,the howl is refreshment free or was, if it fills the railbus OK why not,better than conveying fresh air. In this day of greed,those on the HOWL & me must .wonder why those on over £50K are now kicking off about losing benefit.

The couple of occasions I've used the Heart of Wales line this year it's been very well patronised indeed, and there's also been a trolley serving food and hot drinks. It's a shame that the stations it goes through are generally in such poor states of repair - it gives the entire line a rather down-at-heel feel. If they were to smarten up the stations and lineside and introduce a panorama car (or, at the very least, a first-class carriage with decent seats and windows) I'm sure it would attract even more customers.

 

[tbtc]

I have to agree with part of your argument,if you use a consultancy,they will come up with any kind of figure to justify their fee, as for the half fare,which used to be a child's fare,well politics could make little gain out of that.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind them using the money to subsidise pensioner fares, but let's not pretend that all pensioners are spending £50 a time - let the scheme be promoted on it's own merits.

Pretending that this measure is to get pensioners to splash their £50 is disingenuous (to be polite)

 

[merlodlliw]

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind them using the money to subsidise pensioner fares, but let's not pretend that all pensioners are spending £50 a time - let the scheme be promoted on it's own merits.

Pretending that this measure is to get pensioners to splash their £50 is disingenuous (to be polite)

Of course all pensioners don't spend £50 a time, its just a culture of Govt to bring in consultants at the drop of a hat to justify a decision, anyhow pleased to hear a trolley service is avail, it was sadly lacking when I travelled Llanelli to Shrewsbury a couple of years ago.

 

[Greenback]

IIRC, it's run by HoWLTA, and is not available on every train.

 

[merlodlliw]

IIRC, it's run by HoWLTA, and is not available on every train.

No doubt one of the better trolley services, are they volunteers?

 

[Greenback]

I believe so, unless things have changed in the last couple of years. I'll check it out with my contacts in HoWLTA!