Opinions articulated here are solely those of who have placed them. TWEM does NOT necessarily sustain or oppose the views expressed.

Click here to add a comment. 41 November 28, 2008 - 08:54 AM Mark Peters   On 1/5/08 this sit TWEM said it was "Call to address passenger dissatisfaction with the East Midlands Trains Liverpool-Nottingham-Norwich rail route." What is going on, 6 months ago!!!!! I think these focus groups are a waste of time, they dont seem to help at all, i think there just hand in glove with the train operators and DfT, waste of time... 42 November 27, 2008 - 01:39 PM Frank Turner   http://trainsardine.org/ Check this site out, its come to this to see something done about East Midlands Trains shocking services. We are sick of being treated like animals, although i bet they are treated better, sack Stagecoach - They took our rail service back 25 years over night. 43 November 11, 2008 - 01:58 PM Stephen Abbott   Colin Hewitt may have mis-read my earlier comment - while supporting targeted railcards, like him I see problems with a card for all-comers 44 November 06, 2008 - 02:10 PM Colin Hewitt   In response to Stephen Abbott, I agree that targeted railcards (e.g. Senior Citizens) are fine, but all a national card will do is deter those occasional users who will see the railways as expensive if they don’t belong to “the club”. (You can be sure that rail fares would go up to compensate for the revenue lost on the railcards – there is only so many a train can hold so revenue for a well loaded train would otherwise fall). The person with the company car will see no incentive to use the train – and is more likely to go for a budget/discounted airline internally than use the train. It would not be worthwhile for people who only make relatively short journeys. They will not see it as cost effect to buy a card and will seek alternatives as the train for local journeys will be seen as expensive to the non railcard holder. Again the issues are more rolling stock and to make train travel attractive and the BEST option. This may be e.g. high speed rail? 45 October 20, 2008 - 11:05 AM caveat emptor   Don't be misled by the new TV advert' for the Trainline. It refers to advance bookings and Trainline, giving the impression that Trainline is cheaper than the station, when Trainline charge £1 more. FOR THE CHEAPEST DEALS,avoid the Trainline but buy in advance, either at the station OR via East Midlands Trains website. 46 October 17, 2008 - 02:02 PM Stephen Abbott   Railcards for specific groups were introduced to increase railway income, and this they have done. Although some types were protected on privatisation they continue to be a commercial incentive not a social obligation. By the same argument a national railcard for all-comers is unlikely. 47 October 17, 2008 - 01:20 PM Colin Hewitt   See that the DfT has redefined trains as being overloaded when they reach 130 passengers per 100 seats rather than of 110. Apart from being un-acceptable in it’s self, there are people out there who want to introduce a national railcard which will only cause more overcrowding whilst at the same time reducing the train companies’ income. So less money to invest in extra rolling stock! (Or less to go the shareholders/banks - whichever less for new rolling stock). The major issue is to get more carriages rather than serving those with a train spotter mentality who would probably travel by train anyway and whose only objective is to get around more cheaply and are not bothered about overcrowding! 48 October 16, 2008 - 08:52 AM Jeff Lawrence   Whilst a Leicester to Liverpool service would be useful, going via Nottingham would make it un-attractively slow - even if running via Beighton. Also don't tamper with the Nottingham to London Semi-Fasts. Remember the outcry from Nottingham when these were diveted to Manchester a few years ago? 49 October 14, 2008 - 08:44 PM Alan Michael   Priorities for the east midlands remain largely the same since the new companies have come in. Major changes are planned from December but defficiences highlighted by TWEM remain. EMT should be fighting tooth and nail (for the benefit of the region) to get a foothold beyond Sheffield (Manchester, Bradford, Leeds). Problems exist at Nottingham because of the number of terminating trains, why are mainline services not being extended to Lincoln regularly? The new Corby train to be a success must be extended north hourly and go to either Derby or Nottingham (if it were Derby it would enable Sheffield fast trains to travel via totan and miss Derby achieving faster journeys). Earlier northbound services from the south are needed, from December you cannot get to Leeds from Leicester for a 09:00 meeting (an easy journey by road)! XC seem very focused on the old Virgin side of there business. Leicester again a big looser over the last few years achieves no change. Rumours have surfaced of ... 50 October 06, 2008 - 03:32 PM Michael Baker   Further to David below. This does illustrate the need to split the service at Nottingham. A Leicester to Liverpool service via Nottingham with longer trains and better rolling stock would be very useful. As has been said elsewhere, routing via Beighton would eliminate the reversal at Sheffield and save a path between Dore and Sheffield. 51 September 17, 2008 - 07:02 PM David