West Berkshire commuters fear for future of rail services

The Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group (BTPG) has long warned that by 2016 the railway line from Paddington to Newbury will be electrified and that diesel trains that currently run between Paddington and Reading will be phased out.
Now, in their response to the Great Western Franchise Invitation To Tender (ITT), campaigners warn that the department for Transport (Dft) appears to have ignored the Berks and Hants line, “and in particular stations west of Newbury, in all of these improvements.”
In its reponse to the ITT, the BTPG states: “We had been fairly optimistic that the views of the many stakeholders (including BTPG) would be taken into account regarding the Paddington/Bedwyn service in particular.
“It should be noted that two per cent of respondents to the consultation cited the increase/retention of Bedwyn services as specific aspirations. Given the size of the Great Western region, two per cent is a significant proportion...”
The new franchise starts from July 2013 and the ITT indicates that electric services to Newbury will commence from December 2016.
BTPG fears that the Train Service Requirement (TSR) does not appear to make any differentiation between service patterns before and after electrification on the Berks and Hants line.
The electrification of the rail line between London and South Wales will mean faster travel times for rail passengers using that route.
However electrification of the line will stop at Newbury, and rail users on the Berks and Hants Line, on which the Bedwyn-to-Paddington trains run, fear a reduction of services at Hungerford, Kintbury and Bedwyn.
Campaigners also fear the lack of ticket purchasing facilities at Bedwyn and Kintbury, coupled with the lack of onboard ticket sellers, would leave passengers obliged to queue at Newbury’s ticket office for their ticket, potentially resulting in missed connections.
Newbury Labour Party spokesman Richard Garvie said the downgrading of Hungerford, Kintbury and Bedwyn stations would be “potentially another nail in the coffin for West Berkshire rail services.”
BTPG spokeswoman Karine Nicholson said: “As diesel trains will not be allowed to run between Paddington and Reading, Bedwyn, Hungerford and Kintbury will be put on a diesel shuttle service to and from either Reading or Newbury.
“This will mean longer journey times, especially with the possible addition of smaller stations such as Newbury Racecourse, Midgham and Aldermaston onto this ‘shuttle' service.”
BTGP wants the inclusion of semi-fast trains between Paddington and Bedwyn to be written into the ITT terms and for through trains to continue to operate to and
from Bedwyn, Hungerford and Kintbury at roughly the same level as at present.