Dave Wood Our rail service needs to get back on track

During my many visits to Keynsham station, just outside of Bristol, over the years to work on the nearby track, I noticed the east-bound platform shelter, which is where passengers catch trains to London, was falling in to disrepair.

Back in the summer I telephoned First Great Western explaining the shelter roof was peeling off, glass panels were scratched, broken and unsightly, the wooden seat was burnt, and rubbish bags were overflowing with beer cans and beer bottles. There is also rubbish all over the shelter floor.

First Great Western assured me conditions would improve, but I have not seen any improvements. With a six per cent increase in fares from First Great Western this is not acceptable.

The train service for Keynsham station is very poor with trains only stopping every hour, and a lot of these trains are overcrowded cattle trucks. It is obvious more carriages need to be laid on. With the announcement of plans to redevelop the former Cadbury site with 700 new houses there is a need for a new park and ride car park for Keynsham station. This must be included in the redevelopment of the site.

Bedminster and Parson Street stations in Bristol also need attention.

At the ends of these stations weeds and long grass are growing up through the platforms. At Parson Street station weeds are coming out of a retaining wall which the freight trains pass by from Royal Portbury dock. This is not a good advertisement for people travelling into the West's biggest city.

These two stations need trains every 30 minutes.

First Great Western is applying for the next rail franchise and should start updating and modernising its stations. More people than ever are using them, the conditions of the service they get is very poor; they have to put up with inadequate numbers of carriages and poor station facilities.

When you travel around the Greater Bristol area, apart from the major stations – Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Parkway, Bath Spa – the local stations are pretty basic. Stapleton Road station, in Bristol, is run down with weeds growing in the approach road gutters. This station is a disgrace and First Great Western needs to spend money here improving it.

It is about time proper funding was allocated to these stations because they need to be dragged from Third World conditions into the 21st century.

These stations have been starved of investment. This needs to end. Now is the time for First Great Western, whose franchise covers these stations, to make sure they are fit for passengers' needs.

Dave Wood is a member of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union, Bristol and writes here in a personal capacity