View source for Go-op

{{short description|Train operating company in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{{other uses|Goop (disambiguation){{!}}Goop}}
[[File:Go-Op Logo.png|thumb|Go-op logo]]
'''Go-op Cooperative Ltd.''',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mutuals.fsa.gov.uk/SocietyDetails.aspx?Number=30678&Suffix=R|title=Mutuals Public register - Go-op Co-operative Limited|access-date=1 March 2018|archive-date=1 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301225721/https://mutuals.fsa.gov.uk/SocietyDetails.aspx?Number=30678&Suffix=R|url-status=dead}}</ref> branded as '''Go-op''', is an [[Open-access operator|open access]] [[train operating company]], proposing to operate a service in south-west England between [[Taunton railway station|Taunton]] and [[Swindon railway station|Swindon]], via [[Westbury railway station|Westbury]]. It aims to become the first [[cooperative]]ly owned train operating company in the United Kingdom,<ref>{{Cite web| title=Go! Co-operative on track to create rail travel of the future| work=Social Enterprise| url=http://www.socialenterpriselive.com/your-news/go-co-operative-track-create-rail-travel-the-future| access-date=8 June 2010| archive-date=16 July 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716101657/http://www.socialenterpriselive.com/your-news/go-co-operative-track-create-rail-travel-the-future| url-status=dead}}</ref> to improve access to the public transport infrastructure through open access rail services linking main lines to smaller market towns, and by co-ordinating services with [[light rail]], bus links and car pools.
== Structure ==
As a co-operative, Go-op is to be owned and run by its employees and customers. Shares are available to the general public, with holdings restricted to between £500 and £20,000 per shareholder.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=http://www.go-op.coop/workspace/uploads/files/offer_document_2010_web.pdf |title=Go! Offer document ''(retrieved 3 September 2010)'' |access-date=3 September 2012 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303051041/http://www.go-op.coop/workspace/uploads/files/offer_document_2010_web.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Passengers hold 50 per cent of the vote in general meetings, with employees holding a further 25 per cent, and other investors holding the remainder.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Co-operative train operator planning route from Birmingham to south and west| work=Birmingham Post| url=http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-transport-news/2010/05/02/co-operative-train-operator-planning-route-from-birmingham-to-south-and-west-65233-26363209/| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729190715/http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-transport-news/2010/05/02/co-operative-train-operator-planning-route-from-birmingham-to-south-and-west-65233-26363209/| url-status=dead| archive-date=29 July 2012| access-date=8 June 2010}}</ref>
==First proposal==
Around 2010, the company created a draft timetable which offered four return trips between [[Yeovil Junction railway station|Yeovil Junction]] and the Midlands, via [[Yeovil Pen Mill railway station|Yeovil Pen Mill]], [[Castle Cary railway station|Castle Cary]], [[Frome railway station|Frome]], [[Westbury railway station|Westbury]], [[Trowbridge railway station|Trowbridge]], [[Melksham railway station|Melksham]], [[Chippenham railway station|Chippenham]], [[Swindon railway station|Swindon]] and [[Oxford railway station|Oxford]],<ref name=":0" /> with three of those services being extended to [[Birmingham Moor Street railway station|Birmingham Moor Street]].<ref name=Railpro>{{Citation|last=Plisner |first=Peter |title=Co-operative Open Access |pages=22–24 |newspaper=Rail Professional |location=Cambridge |date=June 2010 |url=http://www.railpro.co.uk/magazine/?idArticles=244 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721092347/http://www.railpro.co.uk/magazine/?idArticles=244 |archive-date=2011-07-21 }}</ref>
The timetable proposed an early morning service from Yeovil to Birmingham, catering for business travellers, followed by a commuter service from Westbury and Trowbridge to Swindon and Oxford. Later services to Birmingham would cater for the leisure market.<ref name="Railpro" /> There were plans to extend the route further south to Weymouth, however it was acknowledged that for this to happen extra trains would be required.<ref name="Railpro" /> Go-op estimated that around 750,000 people live within {{Convert|2|km|abbr=on}} of stations on the proposed route, excluding Birmingham.<ref name="IRJ">{{Cite web
|title       = Can social operators plug the gaps in the British network?
|work        = International Railway Journal
|url         = http://www.railjournal.com/news-extra/can-social-operators-plug-the-gaps-in-the-british-network.html
|access-date  = 8 June 2010
|url-status     = dead
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100616060133/http://www.railjournal.com/news-extra/can-social-operators-plug-the-gaps-in-the-british-network.html
|archive-date = 16 June 2010
}}</ref>
Go-op intended to begin operating rail services in the spring of 2014,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Plans|url=http://www.go-op.coop/plans/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131223045856/http://www.go-op.coop/plans/|archive-date=23 December 2013|access-date=3 September 2012|website=Go-Op}}</ref> but difficulties in obtaining rolling stock and severe financial difficulties incurred by their main partner [[The Co-operative Bank]] delayed these plans.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Going Forward! News from Go-Op|url=http://www.go-op.coop/workspace/uploads/files/going_forward8.pdf|access-date=26 October 2014|archive-date=26 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026224324/http://www.go-op.coop/workspace/uploads/files/going_forward8.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Light rail==
One of the company's original aims was to look at developing links into existing mainline rail routes, by developing [[light rail]] services on existing branch lines. Routes in and around Yeovil, Oxford and [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]] were considered, but rejected due to the technical difficulty of turning the routes into viable public transport links.<ref name=Railpro/>
The co-operative had planned to operate a 'trial' service at some time during early 2011, from [[Medstead and Four Marks railway station|Medstead & Four Marks]] to Alton, over part of the [[Mid-Hants Railway]]. The shuttle services, branded as Go-op Mid-Hants Link, and utilising rolling stock from [[Parry People Movers]], would connect with [[South West Trains]] main line services to Farnham, Woking and Alton. Five trains were scheduled in each direction, with morning trains from Medstead & Four Marks to Alton and evening trains from Alton back to Medstead & Four Marks. The trial was to be run in conjunction with Hampshire County Council and East Hants District Council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Medstead Parish Council meetings and minutes |url=http://www.medstead.hampshire.org.uk/mpcm.htm |access-date=7 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110034240/http://www.medstead.hampshire.org.uk/mpcm.htm |archive-date=10 January 2011 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.railwayherald.com/magazine/pdf/RHUK/Issue252.pdf The Railway Herald ''(retrieved 18 January 2011)'']</ref> Technical issues with the Parry People Mover caused the trial to be postponed and it has yet to take place.<ref>[http://www.go-op.coop/ Go-op train] ''go-op.coop''</ref>
{{Ludgershall branch}}
Another line considered was the [[Ludgershall, Wiltshire|Ludgershall]] branch, near [[Andover, Hampshire|Andover]] on the border between [[Wiltshire]] and [[Hampshire]].<ref name=Railpro/> The line south of the former station in the town remains open for freight traffic, namely the delivery of [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MOD]] equipment to [[Salisbury Plain]].
Over time, the company hopes to establish shuttle bus services, car clubs and bike hire to improve links with the rail network.<ref>{{Cite web  | title = All 'Go' for railway co-op: Co-operative News  | work = Paul Gosling  | url = http://www.paulgosling.net/2009/08/all-go-for-railway-co-op-co-operative-news/  | access-date = 8 June 2010  | archive-date = 16 August 2009  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090816152300/http://www.paulgosling.net/2009/08/all-go-for-railway-co-op-co-operative-news/  | url-status = dead  }}</ref>
==Second proposal==
In 2016, Go-op lodged an application with the [[Office of Rail and Road]] to operate a service between [[Taunton railway station|Taunton]] and [[Swindon railway station|Swindon]], via [[Castle Cary railway station|Castle Cary]], [[Bruton railway station|Bruton]], [[Frome railway station|Frome]], [[Westbury railway station|Westbury]], [[Trowbridge railway station|Trowbridge]], [[Melksham railway station|Melksham]] and [[Chippenham railway station|Chippenham]]. The company initially proposed to operate [[British Rail Class 185|Class 185s]] before purchasing a fleet of [[British Rail Class 195|Class 195s]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title= Open access operator Go-Op unveils plan to launch new West Country service |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |issue=1385 |date=August 2016 |page=9}}</ref> A revised plan in June 2016 proposed services from 2019 between Taunton and [[Nuneaton railway station|Nuneaton]], via Swindon and [[Oxford railway station|Oxford]].<ref>{{Cite web|title= Go-Op! Website|url= http://www.go-op.coop/train/|access-date= 23 October 2016|archive-date= 23 October 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161023202230/http://www.go-op.coop/train/|url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Go-Op! Presents Somerset Rail Improvement Plan|date=29 June 2016 |url=http://www.thenews.coop/106682/news/co-operatives/go-op-co-op-presents-somerset-rail-improvement-plans/}}</ref>
==Third proposal==
In March 2019, the company announced new proposals for services from Taunton and Yeovil to Swindon, Oxford and Nuneaton. The Taunton and Yeovil to Swindon service would run from Summer 2020 and provide a significant increase in the number of trains serving towns such as Frome and Melksham.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.frometimes.co.uk/2019/03/26/rail-travel-boost-for-frome/|title=Rail travel boost for Frome|date=26 March 2019|website=Frome Times|access-date=2019-05-18}}</ref>
The proposal consists of four trains per day between Taunton and Oxford, calling at Castle Cary, Bruton, Frome, Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon. There would also be two trains per day between Nuneaton and [[Yeovil Pen Mill railway station|Yeovil Pen Mill]], calling at Coventry, Kenilworth, Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford, Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome, Bruton and Castle Cary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://go-op.coop/info/go-op-announces-new-route-proposal/|title=GO-OP announces new route proposal|date=7 March 2019|website=Go-Op|access-date=2019-05-18|archive-date=24 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324091418/http://go-op.coop/info/go-op-announces-new-route-proposal/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The ORR website records withdrawal of the proposal for an Economic Equilibrium Test for this service in September 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://orr.gov.uk/rail/access-to-the-network/track-access/current-track-access-applications|title=Current track access applications|website=Office of Rail and Road|access-date=2019-11-26}}</ref>
== Fourth proposal ==
In 2021, Go-op began discussions with Network Rail for services between Swindon and [[Bishops Lydeard]] (just beyond Taunton), which it hoped to begin in mid-2022. At first there could only be three services per day, due to congestion between Swindon and Westbury; a further three could be provided to [[Frome railway station|Frome]] or Westbury, connecting with existing services to Swindon. These plans would also improve local services on the [[TransWilts Line]], calling at Trowbridge and Melksham.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Thomas|first=Aled|date=4 May 2021|title=New train firm aims to open up Melksham, Trowbridge, and Westbury with services to coast|url=https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/19276593.new-train-firm-aims-open-south-west-services-coast/|access-date=2021-05-12|website=Wiltshire Times}}</ref>
The plans for Bishops Lydeard would restore the link broken in 1971 between the national network and the preserved [[West Somerset Railway]], which runs leisure services to Minehead.<ref>{{Cite web|title=GO-OP Train|url=http://go-op.coop/train/|access-date=2021-05-20|website=go-op.coop|archive-date=20 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520123711/http://go-op.coop/train/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Fifth proposal ==
In 2022, Go-op abandoned plans to run services from Bishops Lydeard and made a new application to the Office of Rail and Road. In {{As of|2023|bare=yes}}, Go-op expected to begin services in December 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Our planned services |url=https://go-op.coop/our-planned-services/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |language=en-GB}}</ref> In November 2024, the ORR gave conditional approval for services between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, subject to financial and rolling stock requirements, to begin no later than December 2026.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Simpson |first=Jack |date=2024-11-15 |title=Green signal given for first UK co-operatively owned railway service |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/nov/15/first-uk-co-operatively-owned-rail-service-trains-south-west-england |access-date=2024-11-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 November 2024 |title=Regulator approves new Go-op train service between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare |url=https://www.orr.gov.uk/search-news/regulator-approves-new-go-op-train-service-between-swindon-taunton-and-weston-super |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=Office of Rail and Road |language=en}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Official website}}
{{UK TOCs|future}}
[[Category:British companies established in 2009]]
[[Category:Co-operatives in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Open-access train operating companies]]
[[Category:Proposed public transport in the United Kingdom]]