New bus service to run from every hour (From Gazette Series)

New bus service to run from every hour

CAM and Dursley railway station is to be served by a new hourly service, following the take over of two major rail franchises by First Group.

The transport operator has won the tenders for the newly created Greater Western and Thameslink-Great Northern routes, worth £1 billion a year.

First beat rivals Stagecoach to secure the new Great Western franchise, which combines First Great Western, First Great Western Link and Wessex Trains, who currently operate services at Cam and Dursley.

From December 2006 there will be an hourly all-day service at Cam and Dursley station instead of the current two-hourly service. The current timetable will remain in operation until 2006 as timetables in the UK are reviewed on an annual basis.

Facilities at Gloucester are also being refurbished and there are plans to increase car and cycle parking, add more ticket machines, information points and CCTV points and improve signage.

The deal will start on April 1 2006 and run for seven years with the potential for a three-year extension. First will pay the government £1.9 billion for the two franchises and will receive £1 billion per year in return.

Moir Lockhead, First Group chief executive, said: "We are delighted to be awarded both of these franchises and look forward to delivering the improved performance, capacity, facilities and customer benefits proposed in our winning bids."

Clive Mowforth, a member of Coaley Junction Action Committee (CoJAC), the rail user group for Cam and Dursley station, welcomed the news.

He said: "The hourly service is what we have been pushing for since the station was re-opened in 1994.

"It can be quite frustrating if you are waiting for a train for two hours. It is a real problem and it can put people off using the service.

"There should be some benefits from this but we will have to wait and see."