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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Troubled train firm to spend £29m | Troubled train firm to spend £29m |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| First Great Western is to pay for more trains and better passenger compensation after poor service on lines to Wales and the West Country. | First Great Western is to pay for more trains and better passenger compensation after poor service on lines to Wales and the West Country. |
| The Swindon-based train operator agreed the £29m investment package after discussions with the government. | The Swindon-based train operator agreed the £29m investment package after discussions with the government. |
| Extra drivers and guards will be recruited to resolve a staff shortage. | Extra drivers and guards will be recruited to resolve a staff shortage. |
| Bristol rail user group More Train Less Strain, which recently held a fare strike protest, said it was a "step in the right direction". | |
| FGW announced on Tuesday that five extra three-carriage trains will be leased for the troubled Cardiff to Portsmouth service. | FGW announced on Tuesday that five extra three-carriage trains will be leased for the troubled Cardiff to Portsmouth service. |
| Doubling compensation | Doubling compensation |
| Compensation for delayed passengers next year will increase by half, on top of the doubling of compensation already announced for this year. | Compensation for delayed passengers next year will increase by half, on top of the doubling of compensation already announced for this year. |
| There will be extra discounted tickets available, better information systems and £4m will be spent on staff training. | There will be extra discounted tickets available, better information systems and £4m will be spent on staff training. |
| A statement from the operator said: "FGW acknowledges that its performance has fallen short of its own standards and the expectations of passengers. | A statement from the operator said: "FGW acknowledges that its performance has fallen short of its own standards and the expectations of passengers. |
| "FGW is committed to improving performance and taking the necessary action to ensure that cancellations and delays are minimised. | "FGW is committed to improving performance and taking the necessary action to ensure that cancellations and delays are minimised. |
| "Following discussions with the DfT, FGW has agreed to make additional investments to provide an enhanced service for passengers and agreed a plan to improve operational performance." | "Following discussions with the DfT, FGW has agreed to make additional investments to provide an enhanced service for passengers and agreed a plan to improve operational performance." |
| Chief operating officer Andrew Haines added: "There is a considerable momentum to transform the business and taken together with the management changes we have made, we are confident of our ability to improve performance." | Chief operating officer Andrew Haines added: "There is a considerable momentum to transform the business and taken together with the management changes we have made, we are confident of our ability to improve performance." |
| 'Gimmicks' | 'Gimmicks' |
| Peter Andrews from More Train Less Strain said: "It is half a cheer, it's less than 1% of FGW's turnover, its less than half a mile of motorway being built. | Peter Andrews from More Train Less Strain said: "It is half a cheer, it's less than 1% of FGW's turnover, its less than half a mile of motorway being built. |
| "We're very pleased to see more trains on a particularly troublesome route, but things like more cut price tickets are, to our mind, gimmicks." | "We're very pleased to see more trains on a particularly troublesome route, but things like more cut price tickets are, to our mind, gimmicks." |
| "But this is the result of passenger power, that independent groups like us and our fare strike have been responsible in a great part for these things happening, by bringing them to the attention of the government and making First lose face. | "But this is the result of passenger power, that independent groups like us and our fare strike have been responsible in a great part for these things happening, by bringing them to the attention of the government and making First lose face. |
| "We wonder if they would have happened if we hadn't done these things." | "We wonder if they would have happened if we hadn't done these things." |