'People power' really does work, as the Totnes Rail Transport Group (TRTG), a member of Railfuture, has shown. Last week TRTG persuaded First Great Western to back-track on their plan to cut station staff on Sundays, after taking the case to the Strategic Rail Authority.

TRTG co-ordinator Ronnie Plagerson said in the April 2nd Western Morning News that the proposed new staff rota would have been unworkable. The only member of staff would be torn between duties relating to trains stopping at the station and people buying tickets. Consequently queues would from at the booking office and eventually people may be put off using the service altogether.

Ronnie added "We have a good relationship with the staff who man the station and value the help they provide to passengers. We certainly would not want to lose them."

Previously, TRTG managed to get FGW to reduce its car parking fees after FGW changed the way it charged it customers, from a per-trip charge to a per-day charge.

Railfuture hopes that successes like these can be repeated around the country. FGW themselves stated that TRTG was a good example of an effective local campaign that sets an example to other local groups. This week TRTG is meeting FGW’s local service manager to further discuss how local services could be improved.

Posted by Alix Stredwick