RAIL watchdogs will hold a public meeting in Swindon as part of an investigation into First Great Western.
The meeting, organised by the Rail Passengers' Committees Western England and Wales and the London Transport Users' Committee, will be the first in a series of arranged meetings as part of an investigation into the services provided under the Great Western rail franchise.
RPC Western chairman Chris Irwin said: "The aim of the meeting in Swindon is for us to hear from as many people as possible in the area what they think of Great Western services.
"We want a constructive discussion about past, current and future problems. First Great Western are fully participating in the investigation and we want to work with them, Railtrack and others to secure improvements for rail passengers."
The First Great Western franchise lasts 10 years and the investigation will examine the first five years of the franchise, taking account of the difficulties created by the Ladbroke Grove and Hatfield accidents and other events.
The detailed aims of the investigation are to look at:
n the strengths and weaknesses of services
n how First Great Western's performance is affected by Railtrack, other train companies and other third parties
n action that might be taken by the company and others to improve services
n conditions of the franchise agreement.
The investigation will not dwell on the past but look forward to the remaining five years of the franchise and the possibility of it being extended by a further two years.
The meeting will be held on Monday, December 3 at Swindon's Thistle Hotel. Further public meetings will be held in the new year and background research is also being undertaken.
The investigation comes at a time when FGW is seeking a two-year extension to its current 10-year franchise.
It follows the latest performance figures, which showed that barely half of FGW trains were arriving within 10 minutes of the scheduled time.
The results of the investigation will be set out in a report that will be delivered to the Strategic Rail Authority, the Rail Regulator and the Rail Passengers' Council, which is funding the investigation, in early 2002.
Tim Bowcock, spokesman for First Great Western, said: "We have an ongoing dialogue with the Rail Passenger Committee and we are pleased to be involved. We would ask people to go along with comments both good and bad."
The Rail Passengers' Committees of Wales and Western England and the London Transport User Committee are the official representative bodies for rail passengers.
They are funded by the Government and are independent of the rail industry.
The investigation is being carried out in accordance with the Railways Act 1993. Under the Act the committees have a duty to investigate passenger and station services issues that affect the interests of the public.
The public meeting starts 7.30pm in the Stratton Room at the Thistle Hotel, Fleming Way. Anyone who would like to attend is asked to contact the Rail Passengers' Committee in Bristol on 0117 926 5703 or by emailing western@rail passengerss.org.uk.
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