Arriva XC advertising for MD

[whole diary]

[martyjon]

I see from the latest RAIL magazine that Arriva XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) are advertising for an MD. With just two months to go before the takeover of XC and after adverse comment at the recent PF^▸ (Penalty Fare) meeting in Bristol re Arriva dont seem to have got their act together yet, it wouldnt surprise me in the least to see this one tits-up in the early days of the new franchise.

Wonder if Alison is interested or maybe Charles Belcher who stepped down as MD of VWC when Virgin lost the VXC^▸ (Virgin Cross Country - former franchise) franchise so that Chris Gibbs MD of VXC could step across.

[12hoursunday]

I'll tell you now that come 11th November  this forum will be as dead as a doornail! If you think FirstGroup are bad you aint seen nothing yet.

I talk to the staff of all grades re Arriva Trains Wales (Trenau Arriva Cymru) and not a good word is said about them. Already there has been a number of enquires from staff wishing to jump ship!!!

[Scooby]

Agreed!! You have to wonder if anyone in the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) actually has a brain cell???

Cross Country is set to go MEGA tits up over the next few months, shame as although their trains are uncomfortable and total crap they do seem to of settled down and are fairly reliable, especially when compared to FGW^▸ (First Great Western)...

Bring on the Arriva XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) shambles :S

[simonw]

The whole franchise system is a shambles.

The award of Great Western to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) was purely financially driven, and we customers are paying for the franchise levy.
The award of XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) to Arriva was again purely financially driven.

At no point has the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) seriously considered quality of service and commitment to the customer.

Alison's experience at FGW will be a warning to whoever takes charge at Arriva X2C, and unless the a potential MD has no objection to his name being ridiculed in the press and web, he had better think twice. The XC franchise does not need trolley services or HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) trains, it needs more frequent train services in many places. Upgrading all Voyagers to 3/4 carriages would help, but frequency of service is the key, and this needs money.

I hope I'm wrong, but the DfT track record has not been good recently.

[grahame]

At the Travel Watch South West forum yesterday, a very warm vote of thanks for services past, both personal and company wide, was made to the representation of Virgin Cross Country.  A round of applause that exceeded the norm for this meeting followed fromt he vote of thanks.  The meeting is sad to see Virgin go.

[Timmer]

I'll tell you now that come 11th November  this forum will be as dead as a doornail! If you think FirstGroup are bad you aint seen nothing yet.

Not as long as FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are still running the show it wont be  Totally agree though that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) and other future franchises could head the same way as FGW.

Maybe a new coffee shop could be opened 'The Arriva XC Coffee Shop' 

Correction that should read 'The Arriva XC Trolley Service' as Arriva dont want to run the shop on XC services anymore.

[grahame]

Maybe a new coffee shop could be opened 'The Arriva XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Coffee Shop'

Maybe ... but it I don't think it would be hosted / moderated by this team.

Over the weekend, the "Who's who at FGW^▸ (First Great Western)" board has been changed to a very slightly more general "Who's who on western railways" with the intent of allowing more insight into the ROSCOs^» (Rolling Stock Owning Company - about), Network Rail, the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), Transport authorities and others. It just so happens that it now provides a logical place to discuss the Arriva team.