Train operator First Great Western is to make further changes to its
new timetable following a review of the performance of train services
and seating capacity in some parts of the region.

The review was carried out in response to customer and stakeholder
feedback received following the introduction of the new timetable on 10
December 2006.

Alison Forster, Managing Director of First Great Western, explains: "We
recognise that some elements of the timetable have not met all our
customers' needs and we apologise to those customers who have
experienced crowding and train cancellations on some key services.

"As a result of the review, I'm today announcing a number of changes,
including additional morning peak time services and extra seats, to
alleviate the problems experienced by some of our customers."

The following changes to services will be introduced on Monday 15
January:

Oxford, Didcot and Thames Valley

·        The current 05.52 Oxford to London Paddington service will be
faster with fewer stops, departing later at 05.55, calling Radley at
06.02, Didcot Parkway at 06.11, Reading at 06.25 and London Paddington
at 07.00.  This service will no longer call at Cholsey, Goring &
Streatley, Pangbourne and Tilehurst.  The 06.02 from Oxford will
continue to serve these stations.

·        An additional early morning high speed service will be
introduced from Oxford and Didcot Parkway to London Paddington every
weekday.  The service leaves Oxford at 07.33, calls Didcot Parkway at
07.48, Reading at 08.04 and arrives London Paddington at 08.30.

·        An additional Oxford to London Paddington fast train service
will be introduced at 06.45.  This service runs non-stop to Twyford,
calling there at 07.26; Maidenhead at 07.35; and arriving London
Paddington at 07.58. The current 06.45 Oxford to London Paddington
stopping service will therefore depart earlier at 06.33 and run as
advertised from Didcot Parkway.

·        Didcot receives a new morning peak high speed train service
with more seats - the 06.30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
service will call at Didcot Parkway at 07.30, calling Reading at 07.46
and arriving London Paddington at 08.15.  This replaces the 05.34 Great
Malvern to London Paddington service which will no longer call at
Didcot Parkway (07.17).

·        More capacity will be provided for Twyford and Maidenhead
customers on two morning high speed services due to changes in stopping
patterns.  Both the 05.55 Oxford to London Paddington (now calling
Twyford at 06.32 and Maidenhead at 06.39) and the 06.51 Oxford to
London Paddington will call at fewer stations prior to calling at
Twyford and Maidenhead.

Timings on some branch lines will change to ensure connections with
main line services:

·        The 06.19 Marlow to Bourne End service departs earlier at
06.17, arriving Bourne End at 06.24.

·        The 06.20 Henley-on-Thames to Twyford service departs earlier
at 06.19, calling Shiplake at 06.23, Wargrave at 06.26 and Twyford at
06.31.

·        The 06.29 Bourne End to Maidenhead service departs earlier at
06.27, calls Cookham at 06.32, Furze Platt at 06.35, arriving
Maidenhead at 06.38

Westcountry

·        Capacity on the 06.47 Frome to Cardiff Central service will
be doubled with two additional coaches providing more than 100 extra
seats for customers travelling between Frome, West Wiltshire, Bath and
Bristol.

·        An additional train service will run between Exeter St Davids
and Highbridge, departing 06.52 and calling Tiverton Parkway at 07.06
and Taunton at 07.22.  This service continues to London Paddington,
leaving Highbridge at 07.40.

Alison Forster continues: "We will have the opportunity to make changes
to the timetable in December 2007.  Also, our current review is
continuing and we will consider making further changes, in particular
for customers using Bedwyn/Newbury to Reading services, over the next
few months.  We will announce these changes as soon as possible.

"Recent capacity problems in the Bristol and Bath commuter areas have
been caused by a backlog of maintenance work required on our fleet of
local trains.  We are pulling out all the stops and have recruited
additional staff at our Bristol maintenance depot to get this work
completed as soon as possible. I'm confident that this will improve
the reliability of our services and therefore seating capacity over the
next couple of weeks."

ENDS