Christmas gift to commuters
Wednesday 17th December 2008, 12:00PM GMT.
After all the miserable news of the past few weeks, a bit of Christmas cheer from our good friends at Arriva Trains Wales, writes blogger Andrew Owen.
The company has promised to double the length of its trains – from two carriages to four – after claims that up to 300 people were crowded aboard some services between Shropshire and Birmingham.
Not wishing to point out the obvious, but that’s that’s a staggering 150 people per carriage, making the morning commute a potentially dangerous ordeal rather than a relaxing pleasure.
It’s been a long time coming, and for some Shropshirestar.com readers it’s simply not enough to persuade them out of their cars.
Reader John Smith displays a touch of cynicism when he comments: “Let’s see how long that lasts before they take those extra carriages back off again. It won’t persuade me to go back to using rail transport – once bitten twice shy I’m afraid.”
And another reader says it would be against the law to transport livestock in the conditions offered on some commuter services.
However, at least the rail company has listened to its passengers. And it’s taken action. Surely this is something to be applauded?
Now, if they can make sure their services stick to the published timetables and are pleasant and clean, perhaps even our cynical bloggers will be persuaded back aboard.
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