Bath line closure

18 September 2015

So, two weeks on from the end of the six-week line closure to the east of Bath in preparation for electrification. Relief all round as the biggest project on the Great Western route in forty years was successfully completed largely without incident and on time, not least amongst passengers who had experienced a summer of rail diversions and rail replacement services.

The level of support on the ground for passengers was creditable and encouragingly we found the First Great Western project team keen to engage with us on passenger needs during disruption throughout. We were able to flag issues on the ground and make suggestions for improvement for instance consistency and availability of information across media, as well as pressing for more detailed information earlier – a key need identified in our research.

Our latest wave of passenger research will tell us unequivocally what passengers thought about their experiences during the disruption, (they’ve already told us their views about the build up and there were some lessons for both Network Rail and FGW), so we will continue to provide useful insight for planners to consider when tackling future projects. Watch this space for a publication date.