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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Budget announcements, 18 March 2015 (merged topic)
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on: March 18, 2015, 21:12:49
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First Group have done well by FGW▸ after handing the keys back a few years ago. Trebles all round.  What is franchising for if it can just be ignored? ...all made possible thanks to that wonderful Labour government we had. Haven't we got over that "outrage" yet? I read that FG Directors could have been prosecuted for putting the company on an obvious path to financial ruin by taking the extension, so I really don't know what anyone seriously expected them to do? No-one is shocked Osborne's figures do not match his 2010 projections 5 years later, yet many got on their soap boxes and cried foul play because FG and the DfT» couldn't predict the future back in 2006. |
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All across the Great Western territory / Your rights and redress / Re: Train Refunds app
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on: March 18, 2015, 20:54:57
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Hmmn, does seem to me that it could be used by unscrupulous ticket / season holders to find the biggest delay for the journey shown on the ticket and claim for it, rather than the train on which they actually travelled.
I've heard rumours (and I must repeay that they are rumours) that a number of TOCs▸ are developing a system to share information on delay repay claims. The idea being to work out where passengers claim to be travelling on different trains at the same time or where they claim to have made an impossible combination of journeys on the same day. I was also told that the system could potentially flag up constant claimers. Although getting the ticket endorsed is a good idea, it isn't particularly practical when on a busy train (e.g. a 12-car 450, 8-car HST▸ or a train without a guard). It does, however, provide you with proof that you were on the specified service. Interesting set of priorities.I'd rather they spent time and resources developing systems to make trains reliable and punctual, TVMs▸ that don't rip off customers, information systems that keep customers informed during disruption etc that would save everyone concerned a great deal of time and money? Seriously? Last time I checked, revenue protection departments were not responsible for providing the train service or customer service/disruption information. The clue is in the name! The fact that TOCs think it is worth the investment speaks more about the attitudes and behaviours of society as a whole that such fraud will go on and need monitoring. Having said that, if you would like RP▸ to run the train service I am sure they would cancel all trains and then they can sleep easy knowing no-one had a free ride  |
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Journey by Journey / London to Kennet Valley / Re: Bridge strike near Hungerford - 22 Feb 15
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on: March 12, 2015, 09:44:04
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Oh God, it takes the 999 operator several minutes to collect all your details & details of the event you're reporting. I also suspect they don't have direct contact to the correct signalling centre (why would they, they're not rail related & working out where each signalling centre is & what area it covers isn't there job) and only call a central NR» centre....where they do have to locate the event & relay the message.
Not a hope in 10 minutes. Only way would be to put the right phone number on each bridge. But then it's open to pranksters.
Perhaps the 24 hour central NR emergency number: 03457 11 41 41 should get more awareness (or given a simplified 3 digit number most can remember). https://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/1346.aspx |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: FGW named Rail Business of the Year in 2015 and subsequent ongoing discussion
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on: March 02, 2015, 09:45:33
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I would expect that anyone who has an ounce of knowledge of the world of our railway franchise system would know that a TOC▸ who at the moment only has an agreement for another 7 months are not investing ^7.5BN over the next few years. A 10 second google would show that First Group as a whole isn't even worth that.
But someone less savvy? They'll see the posters (on or near FGW▸ managed stations) and assume that, at the very least, First Great Western are contributing to the capital investment. You and I now that TOCs are a special sort of business that don't do capital investment. Any contribution made to capital investment comes through the fare box. That comes regardless of who the operator is. That's not FGW building for the future. It can't be as First Great Western may not be the future!As for FGW paying track access charges to Network Rail? Again, that money goes to Network Rail regardless of who the operator is. Also, Network Rail don't divvy up each TOC's track access charges and apportion the money on investment in that TOC's area. One big pot with capital expenditure decided on a national basis for each 5 year Control Period. To my mind FGW shouldn't have their name associated with the 'Building A Greater West' advertising at all. Zero pounds and zero pence of their own money is being invested. Incidentally, I have a FGW 'Building A Greater West' ticket wallet. No mention whatsoever of Network Rail on that. If I were to show it to someone less savvy about railway finances (which, less face it, is the vast majority of users of the railways, and general public alike) and ask them what it means, they'd likely reply that it means FGW are investing in improving the rail network. FGW are just riding on others coat tails. I wasn't referring to anyone "less savvy" though. I was talking about regular forum users here who will full well understand the difference as is the point you've made above (my bolding), hence why I stick by my comment. |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: FGW named Rail Business of the Year in 2015 and subsequent ongoing discussion
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on: March 01, 2015, 10:15:59
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Que? Guess you're confusing Network Rail's investment in electrification with a train operators investment in rolling stock & stations?
Not that easy to do on a forum like this one
But FGW▸ have been trumpeting the 'biggest investment since Brunel" or whatever the tagline is, on FGW branded posters/adverts all over London, I think I've seen some in South Wales too - in seeing those advertisements, one could be lead to believe it was FGW funding the investment. Probably the same people that blame FGW for the infrastructure problems too?  I would expect that anyone who has an ounce of knowledge of the world of our railway franchise system would know that a TOC▸ who at the moment only has an agreement for another 7 months are not investing ^7.5BN over the next few years. A 10 second google would show that First Group as a whole isn't even worth that. |
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