Chairman John Cresswell made submissions to a TfW workshop on forthcoming timetable changes. This was to have been around the table, but the Covid 19 lockdown prevented this.
These are his requests and comments to TfW.
May 2020 changes
The current 08.00 ex Shrewsbury to Crewe (06.18 ex Llnadridod). Will this service still run in view of the extra stops placed on the 06.35 ex Cardiff (o8.35 ex Shrewsbury) – Manchester?
If the extra stops are to replace the current stops on the 08.00 ex Shrewsbury, then the arrival time in Crewe of 09.14 is too late.
If, as I have been given to understand the 08.35 ex Shrewsbury is an extra service then this is most welcome.
Loosing the 08.00 current service is not acceptable.
Dec 2020 changes
The 04.35 ex Cardiff (Mon to Fri) (06.45 ex Shrewsbury). Ts service needs to stop at Wrenbury to meet the growing commuter demand. A suggestion would be for this service to start from Cardiff 5-10 minutes earlier from Cardiff.
This has been done with the current 07.02 ex Cardiff – Holyhead which has been retimes to start from Cardiff at 06.45 to reinstate stops at Gobowen, Chirk and Ruabon and also an extra stop at Pontypool and New Inn.
Moving the departure of the 04.35 ex Cardiff – Manchester forward by 5-10 minutes is achievable.
Services at Wem could do with a little extra “padding”.
The 14.49 ex Cardiff (Mon to Fri) (16.50 ex Shrewsbury) – Manchester stops at Wem, Whitchurch and Nantwich. This is not the case on Saturdays. Would it be possible for these stops to be made on a Saturday? If this is not possible, could the 15.55 ex Cardiff (17.52 ex Shrewsbury) make an extra stop at Wem on Saturdays?
The 16.08 ex Crewe stops at Nantwich, Whitchurch and Wem om Mon -Fri. On Saturday the Wem stop is omitted. Could this stop at Wem be added to the Saturday service?
Nantwich and Whitchurch were given some extra stops on the Cardiff-Manchester (and v/v) services. These have proved very popular with substantial increases in passenger numbers at these stations. If some extra stops at Wem could be included in these services, it is certain that Wem will see a similar increase in passenger numbers.
Sunday services
The improved Sunday local service introduced in December 2019 are proving very popular, comments have been very favourable, and this was the case until the Covid 19 lockdown.
These suggestions can only increase the popularity of services at local stations.
Provision of road replacement services.
Drivers of these service MUST be fully aware of station locations and access routes.
The need to call at request stops to check for waiting passengers MUST be emphasised.
Disabled access at Whitchurch,
Access for all to platform 1 is now urgently needed.
