New Super Off-Peak ticket will only add confusion

With First Great Western (FGW) set to introduce a new ‘Super Off-Peak’ ticket early in September, Bath MP has criticised the move saying it will only add to confusion for passengers.

Currently FGW have an Off-Peak and Peak ticket. The new Super Off-Peak ticket will be at the same price as the current Off-Peak ticket, with Off-Peak prices rising by 20%. Super Off-Peak travel will force people to leave Bath later in the morning, and also deny a return from London between 3pm and 7pm.

Don said, “Travelling from Bath to London on the train already involves one of the most expensive journeys per mile in the world. Adding extra restrictions on cheaper leisure travel is hardly going to encourage more families to use the railways.

“Moving to three types of fare only add confusion, and many people won’t even know what ticket to buy.

All not lost in quest to stop proposed-BRT

Bath MP Don Foster has vowed to continue to fight the controversial proposed-BRT route, after it passed through B&NES Council’s Development Control Committee at the third attempt.

The BRT is now subject to an Article 14 declaration, which means that Secretary of State John Denham will decide whether or not to call for a public inquiry into the scheme.

Don said, “In many ways last week saw a sad day for local democracy, the Conservative Cabinet have just forced this scheme back to the planning committee until they got the result they wanted.

SATNAV misery

B&NES councillors Neil Butters and Ian Gilchrist, together with MP Don Foster, are working on a number of ideas to reduce the common problem of lorries guided by SatNav taking bad routes through the area and frequently getting stuck.

The problem has been highlighted recently by such cases occurring in Freshford and also in Greenway Lane, Bath. When a lorry does get stuck it is not only inconvenient to the driver but also massively inconvenient to locals who may be unable to use that route for several hours.

If you have any issues please contact us at weston@bathlibdems.org.uk