No more bunking trains?

[Spiros]

On West Coastway trains, if you get on without a ticket and then go and find the guard yourself (instead of waiting for him to find you) he will sell you a ticket no problem and none of this penalty fare rubbish. It's only if you try and get one at Brighton that you have a problem.

 

[fatboy]

Connex and Thameslink are supposed to fine you.

But its the same with most things in life, if you are polite and respectful, you will probably get treated that way, and they will usually sell you a ticket no problem. Thameslink won't though, and I am sure those Connex guards at Brighton station are on some sort of bonus as to how many fines they can get.

 

[Mr Popkins]

im in 2 minds about bunking trains-

on one hand ,the whole rail industry is totally up the swanny, should never have been privatized, pricing is stupid £2.40 off peak single to brighton from shoreham but on 10p more for a return?!.

but if we all bunk the train there would be no train service for anyone,

i dont exactly bunk the train what i do is use my girlfriends pass but it needs a photo with it to use properly, it works through ticket barriers, and everytime if shown it to a guard he has never asked to see the picture.

 

[fatboy]

Like I said earlier in this thread....you will get away with bending the rules but you won't get away with breaking them.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

If the fare dodgers didn't travel the rail companies still wouldn't get their money, and the services would still be as bad.

There is little, if any, investment in the railways. The profits they make do not get reinvested. A lot if it goes to paying directors ridiculously large salaries and bonuses.

Errrrrr......... actually they would, they get it from the Government subsidy.

There is currently billions and billions of pounds being invested in new rolling stock and track infrastucture at present. That money is paying for the upgrade to the West Coast Main Line, the new power supplies required for the South Central trains etc etc.......

Most TOC's don't pay for this investment because they are only contracted to RUN the service, NOT own the track or rolling stock, the bulk of which is owned by Porterbrook or Angel trains and merely leased to the TOC's. TOC's won't invest because they are not able to recoup that investment in the short term.

Were there to be no profit in running the service, then there would be no bidders for the franchise - hence no trains ( except for those mothballed and put into long term storage ). As it is most smaller TOC's are being phased out. because of economies of scale.

The new investment is coming from a combination of City, overseas Investment and Government ( via Network Rail ).

The last level of investment of this scale in the Railways was back in the early 1970's. Scince then there has 30 years of neglect form Government, as it realised that it couldn't risk raising the tax revenue required without contradicting itself as a Government of ' low taxation '.

If you want a good service, then you have to pay for it. It don't matter if the money comes from the fares, or the tax system, it still ends up costing £'s.

However, the person using the railway without paying the fare, is as guilty of theft as any shoplifter. I say why stop with a penalty fare, give 'em a Criminal Record, they've earned it !

 

[fatboy]

I am sure many people would be happy with the old rolling stock, if it meant they ran on time.

Connex(or Govia whatever they no are-does that mean Go via Manchester and be 3 hours late?) have obviously spent a lot of money on these new trains, but the old slam door trains actually had more seats per carriage!!

They need to spend money on getting the trains to where they are supposed to be, and once they have managed that they should work on getting them there on time.

All the figures they show about how good their punctuality is are bollocks. Going back to my point about Japan, a Japanese train is recorded as being late if it is 15 seconds late. Here, the margin is a lot higher.

I hope all these engineering works they seem to keep doing, and be unable to do at night, are making the track and signalling to a sufficient standard so that they don't keep malfunctioning when people are trying to travel.

 

[tedebear]

I am sure many people would be happy with the old rolling stock, if it meant they ran on time.

YES YES YES - of course I would - the old trains are more comfortable and more seats also!! I guess its the safety thing though and the fact the old ones are falling apart!!

 

[Mr Popkins]

must agree altough i like the cleaness of the new trains and all etc,the layout of the old EMU's are best ,for someone with long legs like me its ideal.
still theres more legroom on the new trains than on a 24 hour fight on a plane in economy Class!

 

[tedebear]

yep they are nice and clean - but doesn't that ladies voice on the new trains annoy you it does me..... "The next station is Shoreham-By-Sea.......we are now approaching Shoreham-By-Sea......." eeeeeee

but I can't imagine ever getting a seat at London Bridge on the new ones for overcrowding..... how on earth is the conductor going to walk up and down the aisles in the morning to check tickets?? no room to swing a cat...

 

[bhaexpress]

Much as I'm dubious about sticking my oar in here may I just point something out ?

The real bad guy here isn't the Rail Companies per se but actually Network Rail, the piss artist formally known as Railtrack.

Most delays are due to track or signal failures. Railtrack slashed the number of technicians and engineers by some ridiculous figure to reduce costs. Not strictly their fault as only an idiot (like John Major) could think they could make a profit given the age and condition of the rail network infrastructure.

One of Virgins bigest headaches is that they run up the west coast line which is in bits. A lot of their cross country services wind backwards and forwards across the country and any delay will have further knock on effects.

Yes I know that our public transport system leaves a lot to be desired but (and I apologise for being boring) try living in a country that has virtually no public transport, I have, it's called America.

 

[tedebear]

Yes I know that our public transport system leaves a lot to be desired

those bloody leaves!!!


I agree though - ever tried catching a train in Los Angeles?? its called Greyhound bus....

 

[bhaexpress]

Damn Tedebear, in Georgia they not only don't have trains, the don't have buses and they don't even have Taxis ! You take you life in your hands walking (and things are far more spread out there) as their aren't many pavements.

So, you need a pint of milk ? Nearest shop is 1.5 miles away. I should point out that Rossville, where I live some of the tiime, is the size of Burgess Hill, it's just that it's spread over five times the area.

 

[tedebear]

yep where I was in Washington state (Ellensburgh - sort of near where Twin Peaks was shot) - the bus only came through to Seattle on Tuesdays and Thursdays....no taxis and if you wanted a lift into town chances are it was in the back of a neighbours pickup where you had to mind your head on the gun rack....

 

[bhaexpress]

No buses at all in Rossville, not never ever or indeed in Fort Oglethorpe or Chickamauga or any other of the surrounding towns.

None ! Zilch ! Sod all !

 

[tedebear]

No buses at all in Rossville, not never ever or indeed in Fort Oglethorpe or Chickamauga or any other of the surrounding towns.

None ! Zilch ! Sod all !

good lord man what on earth are you doing there?? especially with town names like that?? flippin eck!! hope you've got one of those 10 ton american pieces of chevvy gas guzzling metal to cart yourself around town??

 

[fatboy]

The real bad guy here isn't the Rail Companies per se but actually Network Rail, the piss artist formally known as Railtrack.

Yes they are responsible for the track, but a lot of the reasons for delays, which I am sure the train drivers have got written in their cabs, include no driver, late driver, breakdown in radio communication on the train, late guard, no guard...need I continue

All things that don't happen and wouldn't be tolerated in any other industry.

I've seen my train driver leisurely walk up the platfrom at Brighton station clutching several bags of food while the train is packed with people and the departure time is long gone.


Why is the public transport so bad in America?

 

[bhaexpress]

Yes they are responsible for the track, but a lot of the reasons for delays, which I am sure the train drivers have got written in their cabs, include no driver, late driver, breakdown in radio communication on the train, late guard, no guard...need I continue

All things that don't happen and wouldn't be tolerated in any other industry.

I've seen my train driver leisurely walk up the platfrom at Brighton station clutching several bags of food while the train is packed with people and the departure time is long gone.


Why is the public transport so bad in America?

Well, I can think of an organisation who are even more crap that all the rail companies put together, try dealing with the Inland Revenue.


Public transport is bad as cars and petrol are cheaper there. The rail networks have been largely replaced by air travel, there are other factors but the fact is everybody wants their own space.

 

[Vankleek Hill Seagull]

One of the major differences with Japan and the UK is the automated Ticket barriers. If you don't have a ticket, you can't get through the barriers and get on to the platform.

Many a time in the UK, i've bought a ticket, walked in to the barrierless station, got my train, not had my ticket checked, got off at my destination and out of the station, and then wondered why I bought one in the first place.

I think that every UK station should have these automated barriers, so everyone has to buy a ticket to travel. This would stop people "Bunking a trip".

This would mean more revenue coming in, less need for guards to walk up and down dishing out or checking tickets. That is if they sorted out their ticket pricing.

I think there should be just one price from one destination to another no matter who you went with, and with a proper automated ticket barrier, it means people wouldn't get off half way as it would cost them money.

Then there's the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) with its aircraft style seats, plenty of leg room, and the best bit is if the train is full, they won't sell any extra tickets, so people won't be standing around, and are always guaranteed a seat.

 

[fatboy]

Automated barriers don't work without guards as well because it is very easy to pre purchase a ticket from Brighton to Preston Park, and then one from Clapham Junction to Victoria at the cost of about £2, instead of paying whatever the fare is from Brighton to Victoria.


I think comparing the transport between UK and USA is flawed due to the huge size difference between the two places. Brighton to Manchester is nothing compared to travelling one, maybe two states, let alone the whole distance of the country!



And I have always found the Inland Revenue to be most helpful when refunding the tax I shouldn't pay!

 

[junior]

I had to go to court a few years ago in Haywards Heath.I lived in Hassocks at the time and was completely skint.I had no petrol in my car so i had to bunk the train to court.

I GOT CAUGHT!!!!!!

And i gave my correct name coz im such an honest chap-DOH!

So a few weeks later,i find myself back in the same court getting fined for travelling on a train without a valid ticket (on the way to court).
Confused?? I was