Great Western Coffee Shop

I have just read this document, which is an interview with the head of FCC done one year into the FCC franchise (so 1 ¹/₂ years ago).

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:FtYJt8rY0VoJ:www.railpro.co.uk/issues/pdfs/aug07interview.pdf

I am shocked at this attitude. I do not like the tone in this - at all, nor do I like the way she laughs off the peak restrictions and ending of trolleys. She also does not seem to care that some people would be put off the railway "for good."

But she then has the cheek to say that pricing people off is not the solution - changes tack.

It is said that the fares from Peterborough are lower than GNER, without seeming to realise that GNER/NXEC operate expresses, so are bound to be more expensive!

It is shown that FCC wanted to shift as many Cambridge commuters onto 'one' (NXEA now).

Her past work is British Airways and First buses - so not railways.

And clearly First Group and TfL fell out.

But here is the big one:

"FirstGroup has beenverysuccessful in its bidding, but we would never bid silly numbers."

Enough said.

Was not impressed, and I doubt passengers were either. I hope the attitude of FCC, and First in general has changed. >:(

Actually She started her railway career as a senior manager at First Great Western, was then head of Firstinfo, then briefly for First Somerset & Avon and then employed in the franchise team bidding for FCC. she has more First Railway experience than that of working on the buses

It should be noted that when First took over the franchise they said "We aim to give customers what they want, not what we think they want or what is easy to deliver" How many customers wanted CDRs banned in the evening peak then?

CDRs are banned in the evening peak on all other service operating out of London afaiaa so why shouldn't FCC?

Speaking to staff on FGW both on train and at head office - she was not exactly highly respected as a manager. Think a party was held when she moved on!

Are you sure about the D/M? I believe you will find that FCC and Cross Country are the only franchises at present that have evening restrictions on CDRs hence the amount of uproar that took place when FCC introduced this restriction.

Fgw do out of London do they not? It suprises me that no other tocs do!

London Terminals with evening peak restrictions (not just referring to CDR's)

Euston
Paddington
King's Cross
St Pancras

Stations such as Victoria, Charing Cross, London Bridge do not have restrictions in the evening

 :) so do Liverpool Street to all destinations beyond Zones 1 - 6

Aha, not sure how I forgot Liverpool Street.

It's not the restrictions in themselves (I am a fence sitter on that one), its the attitude. It seems like the introduction of the restrictions made her day, if you get my meaning.....

I guess we will have to get used to TOCs 'getting nasty' with their customers as their subsidies drop and their premiums rise. One of the ways is to raise fares by stealth by tweaking with the restrictions when they can't be used as happened this week in some parts of the country when the fares went up on Monday.

They do indeed but there are no evening restrictions on CDRs on 'Thames' services. Savers yes as Ollie points out on terminals that are served by 'Intercity' services there are restrictions on these ever since the days of BR.

There may also be historic restrictions on the use of CDRs on evening peak 'Intercity' services on the same time restrictions as Savers. Sorry to use old names for tickets, train services. Its just the easiet way to explain things.

There are NO ticket restrictions at all on the 18.06 Paddington to Frome!

No restrictions on the 1630 Paddington - Taunton as far as i'm aware. The only problem i've ever had is using an off peak ticket to return on a Friday which apparently is frowned heavily upon...  ;)

trout you are wrong  mate .....off peak day not valid,off peak day travelcards only valid after Pewsey.

Interesting That, I checked on the website and Off Peak tickets are allowed on that service to Taunton.

Key in on http://www.fgwtickets.co.uk London Padd - Taunton, Off Peak Return is available on that service at ^60

When I said about using off peak on a friday. I didn't use it on that service it was some XC service in Plymouth who informed me that return portion of an Off Peak Return couldn't be used on Fridays. Yet I think travelling on the 12:25 Plymouth - Exeter was off peak enough :P

That is an Off Peak Return, not an Off Peak Day Return.
I did not know there were any Friday restrictions on an off peak return.

Ah, Fair enough :) Sorry :P

Well according to the very nice people at XC my ticket was not valid because I used the return portion on a Friday. However the train manager informed me that she wanted to catch a real fare dodger before Newton Abbot and politely told me not to do it again. Advice of which I have accepted but at the time was so blissfully unaware of :D

Neither did I to be honest  ???

off peak day...is the old cheap day ticket whilst off peak is a saver

;D