Barber On The Warpath Over Train Disruption, Doesn't Pull Any Punches!

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Well played that man!

http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/arti...er-brighton-hove-albion-southern-3429410.aspx

 

[Hotchilidog]

He summed it up perfectly.

"There's no accountability, there's no responsibility and there doesn't seem to be any pride in providing a service to the public."

Nailed it.

 

[Normski1989]

Good read. As Southern Rails biggest single customer, the Albion can hopefully put some much needed pressure on them to resolve the matter.

Maybe the club could work with the local council and bus companies to put on a much larger number of buses to and from the stadium and tell Southern Rail to go f*** themselves.

 

[Gwylan]

A bit harsh to blame local politicians: Kyle and Lucas have been very active, meeting commuters at the station, gathering responses from passengers and lobbying ministers. They're only individual MPs, they're very limited in their power. And local councillors have even less power, I'm not sure what Warren Morgan is meant to do to stop the chaos.

And to call on the government to stop the dispute is naive in the extreme - it's the government that's pulling GTR's strings

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Why don't they simply with-hold the large payment they make to Southern for the service, in the basis that there is no service on offer?

 

[Martlet]

By having a raft of big Friday night matches, we are opening ourselves up to this. Far more difficult to cause the same level of disruption on a Saturday afternoon.

I don't doubt Barber's furious, but if the unions have already tried to disrupt one match, shouldn't we have had some contingency plans recognising we had huge numbers of people trying to get home (e.g. booking the park& ride buses for longer that evening)?

 

[brianwade]

Yes well played Paul Barber - how do we actually resolve this issue ? The Union are right to protect what little rights their staff have left and Southern cant actually provide a good service even when there isnt a strike . Clearly they should lose their franchise and the service should be taken back into public ownership . However that involves a massive climbdown from government . A government that can announce billions in HS2 - a line that doesnt serve the vast majority of working people in this country - whilst ignoring this "political " issue . Ive seen people in tears most days commuting recently . Brighton is almost cut off - property prices will fall and business fail . Feel free to do something about it and sign herre at the very least http://www.bringbackbritishrail.org/franchises/south-central/

 

[Bozza]

Good read. As Southern Rails biggest single customer, the Albion can hopefully put some much needed pressure on them to resolve the matter.

This 'biggest customer' thing doesn't mean a jot though. We may be SASTA's biggest customer but that's only because SASTA primarily function as B2C.

The Albion need SASTA far more than SASTA need the Albion. We have no choice but to rely on SASTA for the effectiveness of transport to and from the Amex. SASTA will know it and Paul Barber will know it.

 

[Gwylan]

Why don't they simply with-hold the large payment they make to Southern for the service, in the basis that there is no service on offer?

That should be the first thing to do. it would save the Albion money. It would have no effect, Southern get paid by the government regardless of how many passengers on the trains - that's the problem with Barber's letter. GTR don't care as it doesn't effect their income and the government doesn't care

 

[Peter Grummit]

A bit harsh to blame local politicians: Kyle and Lucas have been very active, meeting commuters at the station, gathering responses from passengers and lobbying ministers. They're only individual MPs, they're very limited in their power. And local councillors have even less power, I'm not sure what Warren Morgan is meant to do to stop the chaos.

And to call on the government to stop the dispute is naive in the extreme - it's the government that's pulling GTR's strings

But that's exactly why he should call on the Government to resolve it. It is a policy to smash the unions and only they can reverse it.

PG

 

[AlastairWatts]

There’s a simple answer to all this: send for Dick Knight. A rubbish railway company shouldn’t present him with much of a challenge compared to his struggles for Albion…

 

[Bozza]

Why don't they simply with-hold the large payment they make to Southern for the service, in the basis that there is no service on offer?

How do you know how often and when we pay SASTA?

Regardless, let's say we can stop paying them. They then stop trains. What then? Who loses out? Not SASTA, that's for sure.

 

[Gwylan]

How do you know how often and when we pay SASTA?

Regardless, let's say we can stop paying them. They then stop trains. What then? Who loses out? Not SASTA, that's for sure.

But surely a contract would entail supplying trains. If they don't deliver, then shouldn't we get our money back?

 

[Bozza]

But surely a contract would entail supplying trains. If they don't deliver, then shouldn't we get our money back?

Maybe we have. Who knows? I don't think Paul Barber is going to come out and disclose details of the commercial transactions between the two organisations.

Regardless, who gives a toss about the money? We just want trains to be able to get to and from games in the reasonable timescales we used to enjoy prior to this dispute.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Good read. As Southern Rails biggest single customer, the Albion can hopefully put some much needed pressure on them to resolve the matter.

Maybe the club could work with the local council and bus companies to put on a much larger number of buses to and from the stadium and tell Southern Rail to go f*** themselves.

Unfortunately, B&H buses - by far the biggest provider, are owned by the same parent company as SASTA. I'm led to believe they have similar working practices in that there aren't enough staff to run the service without relying on OT. Think they have the same employer/employee relations too and hence there have been threats of strikes by the bus drivers.

As a club, we are heavily reliant on public transport and sadly have very little leverage.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

How do you know how often and when we pay SASTA?

Regardless, let's say we can stop paying them. They then stop trains. What then? Who loses out? Not SASTA, that's for sure.

No idea of the frequency of payments. In terms of the service, do we pay them to run an enhanced service Brighton <-> Falmer <-> Lewes <-> Eastbourne? Or do we also pay them to cover the cost of the rail portion of the travel subsidy, so we can use our match tickets / season ticket to travel on match days?

If so, the 1st part isn't really happening is it? The 2nd part, I'd guess there are a % of supporters who don't need the travel subsidy, as they have rail season tickets. Perhaps it would be better for the club to ditch the travel subsidy, make people pay their way via bus or train and remove the need to pay Southern anything?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

There's no accountability, there's no responsibility and there doesn't seem to be any pride in providing a service to the public."

Is this the catering he's talking about?

 

[Official Old Man]

Time for a march. #Bozza mentioned it at the weekend. Is it time for the 100's waiting for transport back to Brighton or Lewes to take to the road and walk?
I'm P&R but would join back to Mithrus House and would not complain at being stuck behind the many walking back to Lewes.

 

[Knotty]

By having a raft of big Friday night matches, we are opening ourselves up to this. Far more difficult to cause the same level of disruption on a Saturday afternoon.

I don't doubt Barber's furious, but if the unions have already tried to disrupt one match, shouldn't we have had some contingency plans recognising we had huge numbers of people trying to get home (e.g. booking the park& ride buses for longer that evening)?

So it's all Barber's fault? And Tony should put his hand in his pocket again and pay tens of thousands of pounds to have buses on standby just in case Southern don't provide a service that HE'S ALREADY PAID FOR.

When they've known that there would be a shortage of trains, they've booked buses. They were told there would be a full train service before the game, only to be told during the second half that this wasn't going to happen.

Do you seriously think the club should pay for both the trains AND buses? What if there's a bus company staff dispute? Bring in thousands of London cabbies to drive us all home?

 

[Postman Pat]

Govia are on the shortlist to get the west Midlands franchise, we should do all we can to ensure they don't.

The fact they are still being considered for franchises is appalling.

https://www.govia.info/west-midlands-franchise/