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Fresh Rail Strike ballot
- Thread starter Chicken Run
- Start date
Deadly Danson
Well-known member
I have nothing personally against privatization in theory but when it's organised this badly, with profits taking precedence over safety and customer service (for which the Dft has to take a large chunk of the blame) then re-nationalisation may not be such a bad idea.
- Thread starter
- #23
I personally would love the railways to be re nationalised
I think you would be disappointed because of the outcome. Railways are an enigma - the best and worst transport system ever invented. It's just not possible to manage them to any consistent level of satisfaction.
They're not run on rails - they're run on shoe strings! Managing the private road i.e. 'the permanent way' alone, is such a prohibitive cost that it completely destroys the opportunity and scope for successful economic models.
You'd be shocked to learn how low the revenue is - even though most people think fares are too high. More and more of us want to travel at exactly the same time and still be seated. To be honest, our expectations seem reasonable yet are naively unattainable.
We always blame the personnel! I've known the railways since the late forties - dozens of operators during that time have had ago including the notorious Dr. Beeching and other government appointees as well as privateers. Everyone fails!
The truth is that the railways are the most impossible, unrelenting 'real time' industrial undertaking there is. Anyone, either Government or private should be certified insane for volunteering the operation.
In the meantime it is and will surely always remain, misery for both the users and the providers.
thedonkeycentrehalf
Retired
- Jul 7, 2003
- 8,648
You're all missing the dastardly masterplan here.
When, not if, the ticket machine is either out of order or just decides to void your order after taking the money (happened twice to me recently), you won't be able to go to the ticket office to get it resolved and you won't be able to buy a ticket from the guard as they won't exist. The trains will then be empty as nobody will have a valid ticket and therefore no need for guards to worry about passenger safety.
When, not if, the ticket machine is either out of order or just decides to void your order after taking the money (happened twice to me recently), you won't be able to go to the ticket office to get it resolved and you won't be able to buy a ticket from the guard as they won't exist. The trains will then be empty as nobody will have a valid ticket and therefore no need for guards to worry about passenger safety.
studio150
Well-known member
i have never had a strike on my Hornby network, derailments yes, but no strikes
theboybilly
Well-known member
I've retired from driving trains now. I worked for Thameslink between 1997 and 2001 when GoVia had it but cannot believe that the GoVia of those days is the same company that has almost destroyed Gatwick Express. I have watched firstly the removal of on-board revenue collectors (who did vital work dealing with customers strange to the UK and with many problems to deal with) then the introduction of the unreliable Class 442 trains in place of purpose-built (and exceedingly reliable) Class 460 Rail/Air 8-car units. These decisions were total disasters and seemingly nobody had the courage to stand up and say No. Then we saw the removal of on-board catering across the network. Gatwick Express is no longer a Premium service but you still pay through the nose for using it - even to the point of some poor folk unwittingly being ushered to purchase GEX tickets when the Gatwick Express isn't even running! Everything about GTR is profit motivated - a truly horrible outfit
Ernest
Stupid IDIOT
Looks like all out war has been declared between Southern and ASLEF, I can see commuting being a pain in the next few days/weeks if Southern go through with their threat to send drivers home without pay
KLF
Albion Boleh!
If they can replace the old bat that works at Preston Park, it can only be a good thing.
GTR plan on running a couple more 12 car trains tomorrow morning without guards on gatwick express trains.
A few nasty letters given out to drivers before hand threatening suspension and fines past on if they refuse to take.
Don't think it will effect commuters too much trying to get to London( gtr are not that stupid) but expect the press and managers to be out in force.
Will be interesting to see what happens workers rights over big business with the government supporting gtr as they are the ones pressing this.
A few nasty letters given out to drivers before hand threatening suspension and fines past on if they refuse to take.
Don't think it will effect commuters too much trying to get to London( gtr are not that stupid) but expect the press and managers to be out in force.
Will be interesting to see what happens workers rights over big business with the government supporting gtr as they are the ones pressing this.
Ernest
Stupid IDIOT
Interesting times and no doubt ASLEF officials out in force too
They have tried running the first one with a non Union member. The turn has been swapped with a union rep, so he won't be bullied easy
Ernest
Stupid IDIOT
They have tried running the first one with a non Union member. The turn has been swapped with a union rep, so he won't be bullied easy
Will see if they do in fact send someone home without pay , then the shite will hit the fan
Weatherman
New member
- Jun 10, 2008
- 323
But in effect it is already nationalised. All revenue collected by Southern/ Gatwick Express and Thameslink goes straight to the treasury. Go Ahead/ Keolis are paid a negotiated amount to take all the flack for them. They know that the routes from Sussex and Kent , the Brighton mainline in particular, are at breaking point and will only get worse with the rapidly growing population. All they have to do is take the,money and stand back and distance themselves from it all. They also want costs to be cut hence the Mcnulty report so there will be more machines and less staff in the future.
Colossal Squid
Returning video tapes
I see the new Gatwick Express rolling stock looks considerably shitter than the existing trains. As they're jamming in smaller and less comfortable seats will they be reducing the prices accordingly?
Meridian VT on the trains here: http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2016-02-01/new-trains-for-gatwick-express-in-145m-project/
Meridian VT on the trains here: http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2016-02-01/new-trains-for-gatwick-express-in-145m-project/
I went on one the other day - they are just the normal Brighton-London ones painted red.
http://www.southernrailway.com/sout...tion-of-new-12-car-trains-on-gatwick-express/
Awful spin by gtr trying to make out they are doing this for passengers when it's all about profit. Expect most of the guards jobs to be gone by 2 years time. Same as they did to the thameslink guards.
Guards have voted 95% in favour of industrial action of the downgrading of their jobs as they know this is just the start.
As normal the passengers will suffer over the greed. Worst thing it's the taxpayers that will foot the bill as the government have said they will cover the costs.
Awful spin by gtr trying to make out they are doing this for passengers when it's all about profit. Expect most of the guards jobs to be gone by 2 years time. Same as they did to the thameslink guards.
Guards have voted 95% in favour of industrial action of the downgrading of their jobs as they know this is just the start.
As normal the passengers will suffer over the greed. Worst thing it's the taxpayers that will foot the bill as the government have said they will cover the costs.
worthingseagull123
Well-known member
- May 5, 2012
- 2,590
Would the government please remove Govia ASAP.
There is no rational reason to keep them.
as incompetent as Connex.
There is no rational reason to keep them.
as incompetent as Connex.
Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 70,352
