Does anyone agree that service performance on South Western has worsened since the SWR takeover?
SWR recently received a slap on the wrist from Transport Focus and ORR.
I understand some of the problems would be down to Network Rail incompetence, ageing or neglected infrastructure and the strike actions instead of the TOC itself.
I am a regular user of the SW mainline between Poole & Weymouth, so wouldn't have experienced the inner & outer London networks where most of the problems and commuter complaints seem to be. SWT may have been a pretty good TOC but they weren't "whiter than white" they did have their fair share of criticism.
My experiences with SWT were really positive as they were rarely late, almost always on time and I couldn't find anything to fault them for. They may have been a primarily a London commuter railway but they did provide a really good local service here in rural Dorset. I didn't find my trips to Waterloo problematic with only slight delays at Clapham or Woking. There was only one time the delay at Brockenhurst was really bad because of a sucidical person on the line so SWT can't be blamed. I also used SWT for Honiton-Exeter, Romsey-Southampton also good service better than FGW.
I do remember travelling from Southampton to Bristol with FGW on a really old, I think, 150 which was unsuitable for intercity while the more comfortable SWT 158/9s sailed past! I understand GWR are now using 158s on this route.
Since the SWR takeover, it is becoming harder not to ignore the poor performance that I find myself checking the live times every day to see frequent delays coming from Waterloo (trains coming from Weymouth seem to be running OK most of the time) also seeing warning notices flashing up at the top of the SWR homepage then to sigh heavily. I honestly do not remember SWT being this unreliable.
SWR's timetable consultation unsurprisingly caused upset that some stations including mine may lose regular services.
It would be OK if my station continues to get 2 trains per hour, if the current 2 fast services are replaced by 1 stopping service (probably to Portsmouth) also keeping the 1 fast Waterloo train but it is being proposed to be cut to only 1 train per hour, a very slow stopping service to Waterloo...
I was surprised about 10 years ago when SWT removed 450s for local Wareham to Brockenhurst services, replacing this with the fast Waterloo services using 444s also carrying out this local service at the same time, this may have annoyed some Dorset commuters trying get to Waterloo quicker. Picture a 444 intercity train going down a single track!
I do ride my bike to work also taking this on the train which the cycle storage is useful but availability can be difficult in the summer as I work in a touristy part of Dorset that so many people all bringing their bikes at the station then jostle for spaces when the train arrives. There is no booking system at present, just turn up with your bike. But SWR are proposing to remove one cycle storage area on 444s during refurbishment in favour for more seating...
I will be going up to Edinburgh in May, already booked a seat with East Coast (may not be Virgin by then) and I thought of booking with SWR to Waterloo but because of the unreliability and more possible strike actions so I probably will book the coach to Victoria also it is cheaper. I would prefer to take the train but convenience has to come first this time. If SWT were still around now, I wouldn't consider about taking the coach.