🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 10:53:56 GMT, Goalie of the Century
<goalie@ntlworld.com> wrote:

>East West Rail have released their latest report which they claim shows 
>the scheme at the western end, for an Oxford - Milton Keynes link, to be 
>'credible, deliverable and affordable'.

There is certainly demand for a half-hourly coach service.  The
question would be will the railway attract people off that coach
service, or will they stick with it on the grounds that Stagecoach
will probably be predatory and cut the prices to compete.  (It is
already a very cheap service anyway!)

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

"Neil Williams" <wensleydale@pacersplace.org.uk> wrote in message 
news:45f3e0f4.163812375@news.individual.net...

> There is certainly demand for a half-hourly coach service.  The
> question would be will the railway attract people off that coach
> service, or will they stick with it on the grounds that Stagecoach
> will probably be predatory and cut the prices to compete.  (It is
> already a very cheap service anyway!)
>
> Neil
>
> -- 
> Neil Williams

I've used the coach a few times.  It has the advantage that in Oxford and 
Cambridge, and also in Milton Keynes, that it serves the city centres - 
something that can't be claimed for the train service.

-- 
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK 



-- 
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

>>East West Rail have released their latest report which they claim shows 
>>the scheme at the western end, for an Oxford - Milton Keynes link, to be 
>>'credible, deliverable and affordable'.

> There is certainly demand for a half-hourly coach service.  The
> question would be will the railway attract people off that coach
> service, or will they stick with it on the grounds that Stagecoach
> will probably be predatory and cut the prices to compete.  (It is
> already a very cheap service anyway!)

Best of luck to them. Although I no longer live in the area, I feel it 
would be a valuable asset to the whole region, as freight services which 
go via London could use it, meaning quicker delivery of freight and 
improved capacity on the NLL for passengers.

I feel it could have the potential, we already know across the country 
that road-based public transport isn't as successful as rail-based PT. 
I'd certaintly pay a 'premium' to use the train. Not to mention those 
who drive would be persuaded more to take the train than a coach/bus 
service.
-- 
The presence of this signature shows that this message has been scanned 
for misplaced apostrophes by the common sense scanner. However, some 
apostrophes may not be included where required due to boredom, gross 
negligence, budget cuts, incompetence, stupidity or just plain laziness.
http://www.railwaysonline.co.uk

"Joe Patrick" <ng@*Spam*railwaysonline*SpamTrap*.co*removeme*.uk> wrote in 
message news:NSSIh.65732$nW6.12836@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>>>East West Rail have released their latest report which they claim shows 
>>>the scheme at the western end, for an Oxford - Milton Keynes link, to be 
>>>'credible, deliverable and affordable'.
>
>> There is certainly demand for a half-hourly coach service.  The
>> question would be will the railway attract people off that coach
>> service, or will they stick with it on the grounds that Stagecoach
>> will probably be predatory and cut the prices to compete.  (It is
>> already a very cheap service anyway!)
>
> Best of luck to them. Although I no longer live in the area, I feel it 
> would be a valuable asset to the whole region, as freight services which 
> go via London could use it, meaning quicker delivery of freight and 
> improved capacity on the NLL for passengers.
>

I can't see any benefits to the NLL arising from improvements centred on the 
western part of the east west link, which is all they are reporting on. The 
freight routings on the NLL are from the east of London to the WCML, if this 
plan has any relevance to freight, it is in the Southampton - WCML flows 
surely?

Paul 

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 11:40:37 -0000, "Malcolm Stewart"
<malcolm_stewart@megalith.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

>"Neil Williams" <wensleydale@pacersplace.org.uk> wrote in message 
>news:45f3e0f4.163812375@news.individual.net...
>
>> There is certainly demand for a half-hourly coach service.  The
>> question would be will the railway attract people off that coach
>> service, or will they stick with it on the grounds that Stagecoach
>> will probably be predatory and cut the prices to compete.  (It is
>> already a very cheap service anyway!)
>>
>> Neil
>>
>> -- 
>> Neil Williams
>
>I've used the coach a few times.  It has the advantage that in Oxford and 
>Cambridge, and also in Milton Keynes, that it serves the city centres - 
>something that can't be claimed for the train service.
>
MK doesn't have a city centre.

"Charles Ellson" <charles@ellson.demon.co.uk> wrote in message 
news:alo8v2do98urbjeijiatkcpphfmju34ka0@4ax.com...
> MK doesn't have a city centre.

So where do I spend my cash?  Feels like a city centre to me...

-- 
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK 



-- 
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 22:16:23 -0000, "Malcolm Stewart"
<malcolm_stewart@megalith.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

>"Charles Ellson" <charles@ellson.demon.co.uk> wrote in message 
>news:alo8v2do98urbjeijiatkcpphfmju34ka0@4ax.com...
>> MK doesn't have a city centre.
>
>So where do I spend my cash?  Feels like a city centre to me...
>
Try the town centre.

> I've used the coach a few times.  It has the advantage that in Oxford and
> Cambridge, and also in Milton Keynes, that it serves the city centres -
> something that can't be claimed for the train service.
>
> --
> M Stewart
> Milton Keynes, UK
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

It also takes between 1h15m and 1h30m to do the 30 mile trip.  But
takes less than 5 minutes to walk from Oxford Rail Station to the City
Centre.

There are a huge number of benefits possible with the East-West Route,
assuming 90mph capable track & trains.  Perhaps just 30 minutes from
Oxford to MK?

Opens up MK with it's wide range of affordable housing (in comparison
to Oxford) as a Commute option.
Offers Diversionary Routes
Relieves pressure on the A34 - Bicester would be less than 10 mins
away.
Relieves pressure on Birmingham New Street - after all, who'd want to
bother with it when you can get a fast local service from Oxford to MK
and grab a Pendolino to Scotland or NW England.
Offers alternative route into London by train from Oxford.  A 10 min
trip from Oxford to a (new joint station) at Bicester with a change
there would be quicker than taking the tube as far as Marylebone -
probably cheaper too.

On 11 Mar, 10:59, wensleyd...@pacersplace.org.uk (Neil Williams)
wrote:
> There is certainly demand for a half-hourly coach service.  The
> question would be will the railway attract people off that coach
> service, or will they stick with it on the grounds that Stagecoach
> will probably be predatory and cut the prices to compete.  (It is
> already a very cheap service anyway!)

Surely in this example the predator would be the rail company and it
would hardly be reasonable to expect the incumbent coach operator just
to roll over and beg to beaten harder?

--
gordon

<tshanazt@aol.com> wrote in message 
news:1173739578.229336.114620@q40g2000cwq.googlegroups.com...
On 11 Mar, 10:59, wensleyd...@pacersplace.org.uk (Neil Williams)
wrote:
> There is certainly demand for a half-hourly coach service. The
> question would be will the railway attract people off that coach
> service, or will they stick with it on the grounds that Stagecoach
> will probably be predatory and cut the prices to compete. (It is
> already a very cheap service anyway!)

>Surely in this example the predator would be the rail company and it
>would hardly be reasonable to expect the incumbent coach operator just
>to roll over and beg to beaten harder?

In most cases, if there's enough business for a train there's
enough for a competing bus.

The bus will hold 60 people, the train 160 (or more).  For the
new train service to be viable there has to be a three fold
increase in the number of people making the journey, some
of them will still 'suffer' the bus for the reduced cost.

tim

On 12 Mar 2007 15:17:42 -0700, "rhdoxon" <rhdoxon@hotmail.com> wrote:

>It also takes between 1h15m and 1h30m to do the 30 mile trip.  But
>takes less than 5 minutes to walk from Oxford Rail Station to the City
>Centre.

In your dreams. If you take the City Centre to be Carfax it's a good
15-20 minute walk. A number 5 bus is a better option.
-- 
Terry Harper
Website Coordinator, The Omnibus Society
http://www.omnibussoc.org

Terry Harper <terry.har...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> [Oxford station to city centre]
> In your dreams. If you take the City Centre to be Carfax it's a good
> 15-20 minute walk.

Do you have concrete-soled shoes?

I regularly do it in less than 10 and 5 isn't impossible when in a
hurry.

Richard

"Richard Fairhurst" <richardf@systemeD.net> wrote in message 
news:1173780251.464594.16410@8g2000cwh.googlegroups.com...
> Terry Harper <terry.har...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>> [Oxford station to city centre]
>> In your dreams. If you take the City Centre to be Carfax it's a good
>> 15-20 minute walk.
>
> Do you have concrete-soled shoes?
>
> I regularly do it in less than 10 and 5 isn't impossible when in a
> hurry.

Indeed. Several times I've walked all the way from Binsey Lane to the 
library by the Westgate Centre and back again in about 30 minutes. 

On 12 Mar, 23:45, Terry Harper <terry.har...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> >It also takes between 1h15m and 1h30m to do the 30 mile trip.  But
> >takes less than 5 minutes to walk from Oxford Rail Station to the City
> >Centre.
>
> In your dreams. If you take the City Centre to be Carfax it's a good
> 15-20 minute walk. A number 5 bus is a better option.

Err, have you ever been to Oxford? *Magdelen Bridge* is only 20
minutes from the station, so 15 minutes to Carfax is a gross
exaggeration. More to the point, the walk from the station to
Gloucester Green (where the X5 arrives) is well under 10 minutes.

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org

In message <1173782003.743126.184440@c51g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>, at 
03:33:23 on Tue, 13 Mar 2007, John B <spam@johnband.org> remarked:
>Err, have you ever been to Oxford? *Magdelen Bridge* is only 20
>minutes from the station, so 15 minutes to Carfax is a gross
>exaggeration.

It's 0.6 mile to Carfax from the station, so 9 minutes at a brisk male 
4mph. Add another couple of minutes for crossing the road, perhaps; and 
another 3 minutes for an average woman, more for an older person or if 
you have child/luggage etc.
-- 
Roland Perry

In article <J+6VfzS$Go9FFA1x@perry.co.uk>,
Roland Perry  <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>It's 0.6 mile to Carfax from the station, so 9 minutes at a brisk male 
>4mph. Add another couple of minutes for crossing the road, perhaps; and 

 Your brisk male is very slow, sir.

-- 
Jonathan Amery.  You're right, it needs bubble help to warn them. "Warning, 
   #####         the time 2:30am occurs during the witching hour, and will 
  #######__o     be unavailable once a year. Blame the cows."
  #######'/               - Brandon Long, discussing the limitations of cron.

In message <m2v*YhBFr@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>, at 15:48:24 on Tue, 
13 Mar 2007, Jonathan Amery <jdamery@chiark.greenend.org.uk> remarked:
>>It's 0.6 mile to Carfax from the station, so 9 minutes at a brisk male
>>4mph. Add another couple of minutes for crossing the road, perhaps; and
>
> Your brisk male is very slow, sir.

Not according to: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art20257.asp
-- 
Roland Perry

Jonathan Amery <jdamery@chiark.greenend.org.uk> writes:

> In article <J+6VfzS$Go9FFA1x@perry.co.uk>,
> Roland Perry  <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>It's 0.6 mile to Carfax from the station, so 9 minutes at a brisk male 
>>4mph. Add another couple of minutes for crossing the road, perhaps; and 
>
>  Your brisk male is very slow, sir.

4mph is quite a reasonable walking pace. 

I often jog when I have trips to do on foot, but that's not always
practical if you have lots to carry or your posh kit on. 

On 12 Mar 2007 15:46:18 -0700, "tshanazt@aol.com" <tshanazt@aol.com>
wrote:

>Surely in this example the predator would be the rail company and it
>would hardly be reasonable to expect the incumbent coach operator just
>to roll over and beg to beaten harder?

Indeed so, especially as it is Stagecoach.  They could also unearth
the spectre of the train service being a subsidised competitor, when
the X5 currently runs a good service until pretty late on without
subsidy (bar being paid to divert via a village or two on Sundays).

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

On 13 Mar, 21:04, wensleyd...@pacersplace.org.uk (Neil Williams)
wrote:
> On 12 Mar 2007 15:46:18 -0700, "tshan...@aol.com" <tshan...@aol.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Surely in this example the predator would be the rail company and it
> >would hardly be reasonable to expect the incumbent coach operator just
> >to roll over and beg to beaten harder?
>
> Indeed so, especially as it is Stagecoach.  They could also unearth
> the spectre of the train service being a subsidised competitor, when
> the X5 currently runs a good service until pretty late on without
> subsidy (bar being paid to divert via a village or two on Sundays).

Cambridgeshire is, according to some bumph they have sent me, looking
at withdrawing this funding...

Goalie of the Century <goalie@ntlworld.com> wrote:

>East West Rail have released their latest report which they claim shows 
>the scheme at the western end, for an Oxford - Milton Keynes link, to be 
>'credible, deliverable and affordable'.



Unfortunately no mention of "viable".   No surprise there!

Charles Ellson <charles@ellson.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 11:40:37 -0000, "Malcolm Stewart"
><malcolm_stewart@megalith.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>"Neil Williams" <wensleydale@pacersplace.org.uk> wrote in message 
>>news:45f3e0f4.163812375@news.individual.net...
>>
>>> There is certainly demand for a half-hourly coach service.  The
>>> question would be will the railway attract people off that coach
>>> service, or will they stick with it on the grounds that Stagecoach
>>> will probably be predatory and cut the prices to compete.  (It is
>>> already a very cheap service anyway!)
>>>
>>> Neil
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Neil Williams
>>
>>I've used the coach a few times.  It has the advantage that in Oxford and 
>>Cambridge, and also in Milton Keynes, that it serves the city centres - 
>>something that can't be claimed for the train service.
>>
>MK doesn't have a city centre.


Has CentreMK been demolished?

Since I was there on Saturday?  Wow, that's so quick.

"Tony Polson" <tp@nospam.net> wrote in message 
news:aapfv2da2tu4qp1bqpsv4qppq6njpkrlo9@4ax.com...

>>MK doesn't have a city centre.
>
>
> Has CentreMK been demolished?
>
> Since I was there on Saturday?  Wow, that's so quick.

It doesn't have a town/city centre in the sense of "all roads radiate out 
from the centre". I suppose the shopping arcade is the nearest that it's got 
to a centre, although this doesn't really have a town centre feel to it.

Whenever I go to or near MK, I always feel as if I need to take a ball of 
string or a bag of breadcrumbs to leave a trail so I can find my way back 
out again - somehow I find MK a very difficult place to navigate into and 
around! 

On Wed, 14 Mar 2007 12:39:27 -0000, "Martin Underwood"
<me@privacy.net> wrote:

>It doesn't have a town/city centre in the sense of "all roads radiate out 
>from the centre". I suppose the shopping arcade is the nearest that it's got 
>to a centre, although this doesn't really have a town centre feel to it.

It, and the Theatre District, are becoming more like one all the time.
I think the OP's point was a snipe at the town/"new city" debate
(Milton Keynes is/was designated a "New City" but it does not actually
have city status).

>Whenever I go to or near MK, I always feel as if I need to take a ball of 
>string or a bag of breadcrumbs to leave a trail so I can find my way back 
>out again - somehow I find MK a very difficult place to navigate into and 
>around! 

Nah, dead easy once you get used to it, and the signage on the grid
system is superb.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

"Tony Polson" <tp@nospam.net> wrote in message 
news:q7pfv2l8c0s9h3unkbd9mdvk4oo6i903tn@4ax.com...
> Goalie of the Century <goalie@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
>>East West Rail have released their latest report which they claim shows
>>the scheme at the western end, for an Oxford - Milton Keynes link, to be
>>'credible, deliverable and affordable'.
>
>
>
> Unfortunately no mention of "viable".   No surprise there!

I think that you extrapolate wrongly.

The report says that the scheme is 'fundable', and it is obviously
technically feasible, what interpretation of viable were you
expecting not to be met.

tim