2012 Travel Difficulties in Cardiff 1/8/12

[whole diary]

[John R]

Wide reporting of difficulties clearing the fans after last nights event in Cardiff. I suspect our experience was fairly typical, queuing for 2 hours before getting the last(?) service back to Temple Meads at around 2350 (booked 2327).

Having told the family (and others) that the operation at Cardiff is pretty slick and efficient, I couldn't believe my eyes at the number of people queuing. It would appear that the type of event meant a much greater proportion of rail traffic to London, Bristol and elsewhere.  For me the main worry was the lack of information. The mobile screen stopped displaying train times at around 2315, about the time the last displayed train to London was booked to leave. As it turns out several more ran well into the night, but it would have been good to have gone round with a loud hailer advising people that more were on the way. There was also a long period from around 2200 to 2245 when the queue didn't move at all, and it would appear as some trains due off around 2200 were an hour late actually departing, which seems to indicate something might have gone wrong.

But on the bright side, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) really did appear to magic up a few HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s, and ran local services to maximum length, and the mopping up effort at Temple Meads between 0100 and 0200 was OK, with vouchers for taxis home and I understand coaches further afield, such as Exeter. I'm sure FGW didn't make any money last night - the additional costs must have outweighed ticket revenue. It's just a shame ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) management on the ground at Cardiff didn't perform as well as it could have done. But then it wasn't their services that were having difficulty coping with the demand.

Any insider view on the evening?         

[bobm]

There is a statement on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website.

Last night saw an unprecedented number of passengers travelling to Cardiff on our services ^ with twice as many customers travelling by public transport than for any other event held at the Millennium Stadium.

"Contingency plans had already been put in place to deal with record number of passengers last night and, responding to the increased demand, we laid on 14 additional trains to ensure all 9,000 passengers could return home safely.
 
"We fully accept that services were busy and we would like to thank customers queuing at Cardiff Central for their patience. We are working with the managers of that station, Arriva Trains Wales, to improve the flow of traffic prior to the next Team GB's game."

[johoare]

It is also interesting to read the replies to that post that appears on their Facebook page..

[Southern Stag]

Two of the contingency trains that are booked to be spare at London terminals in the evenings were sent to Cardiff last night but were not required in the end. One will be sent again on Saturday, but should be there earlier this time.

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Rail chaos claim as Team GB^▸ (Great Britain) match breaks passenger record

A record number of passengers using Cardiff's main railway station caused travel disruption after Team GB's men's football match, according to First Great Western (FGW^▸ (First Great Western)).

A total of 19,500 used Cardiff Central after the game on Wednesday night, double the normal figure after an event at the Millennium Stadium, says FGW.

FGW said 9,000 of those passengers used its service.

Rail passengers complained of "utter chaos" and being "herded like cattle".

A spokesman for FGW said the game saw an "unprecedented number of passengers" travelling to Cardiff on its services.

"With twice as many customers travelling by public transport than for any other event held at the Millennium Stadium," he said.
'Patience'

"Many of those travelling to the match had not purchased tickets in advance, so the true number of passengers travelling could only be ascertained on the day of travel."

He said contingency plans were in place to deal with the "record number of passengers" and 14 extra trains between London, Bristol and Cardiff were provided.

"We fully accept that services were busy and we would like to thank customers queuing at Cardiff Central for their patience," he said.

"We are working with the managers of that station, Arriva Trains Wales, to improve the flow of traffic prior to the next Team GB's game."

A spokesman for Arriva Trains Wales (ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)))), which manages the station and provides local trains, said: "The normal queuing system for fans was in place at the station as is used after all major Millennium Stadium events.

"We recognise that fans will have had to wait outside the station before boarding their services home, however, this was done to ensure the safe and controlled movement of large volumes of people onto trains."

Chris Wild, from Bath, contacted the BBC, saying: "I left the Millennium Stadium at 5.15pm - utter chaos at Cardiff Central.

"There were supposed to be defined queues for passengers according to destination. We were there for five hours."

Juliet Edwards, who was booked on to the 22:20 BST Paddington train with her two children, said the experience was "chaos".

"Having arrived at Cardiff Central Station at around 22.00 we had to queue along with thousands of other people outside the station for over an hour and a half, some of it in the rain.

"There was precious little information given out and many people were doubting whether they would make it home."

Katie Whiting, who was travelling to Bristol, said passengers were "treated like cattle".

"We were herded in and packed like sardines...with no food, water or toilet facilities," she added.

Another sell-out crowd is expected for Team GB's quarter final at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday night.

Nice quotes from one Katie Whiting. Passengers being both 'cattle' and 'sardines'. 

[westerleigh]

I was also in this queue, think I got on the service before the one which JohnR was on. Ended up going to Filton Abbey Wood and walking back to the car near Parkway after we realised that the Temple Meads queue would move a lot quicker than the Paddington one!
Hopefully Saturday shouldn't be as bad!

[Southern Stag]

Three contingency trains will be available at Cardiff tomorrow evening, and they should be there at the right time this time, they're being sent to Cardiff tonight and tomorrow afternoon.

[John R]

In hindsight probably wasn't terribly clever having two trains in London when it should have been clear from passenger volumes heading into Cardiff what was going to happen at the end of the match, but then hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Travel to the Olympic Park today was very smooth. Delays on the Central Line but advised at Paddington by one of the many Games helpers to take the H&C to West Ham. Very lightly loaded both ways, despite lots of publicity in the Park advising people to use WH in preference to Stratford when departing.

[Southern Stag]

It had been decided by mid-afternoon that a contingency train was required at Cardiff, it just took time to make the arrangements and get them there. Hopefully lessons have been learnt though and tomorrow should be better.

[Bob_Blakey]

When this sort of thing happens I do find myself wondering why the event ticket site does not, at the very least, ask the punters what method of transport they are intending to use for the journey home. Not ideal because people will change their plans but the data might give the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s a better idea of what to expect.

I suppose the chances of the job being done properly, with reserved places on train services being available to purchase at the same time, and from the same site, as the event ticket(s) are approximately zero. 

[insider]

A friend sent me this!!!!!!

Looks like FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and all those involved are as ready as they can be for tonight!!!!

Some Pad - Cheltenham services ahve been turned into Cardiff trains in the daytime. (with road transport Swindon to Glocuster/Cheltenham line)

EVENT

^         Olympic mens football quarter final, Team GB^▸ (Great Britain) v South Korea. 

^         Cardiff Millennium Stadium, ko 1930.

^         Normal finish time             - 2120

^         Extra time finish    - 2200

^         Penalties finish      - 2230 

PASSENGER NUMBERS

The ticket sale figures indicate that passenger numbers will be roughly in line with that experienced on Wednesday, with the exception of South Wales which has a significant increase. 

^         Bristol and South West     22,797 (261 down on Wed)

^         London and South East    20,488 (287 up on Wed)

^         South Wales                     17,398 (3,841 up on Wed)

TRAIN PLAN

Inbound from Paddington the service has been strengthened to run half hourly between 1145 and 1645, train plan is as such:-

1B10 0745 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST^▸ (High Speed Train) - capacity: 700

1B15 0845 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1B20 0945 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1B25 1045 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1B28 1145 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1Z29 1215 Paddington to Cardiff Ctl - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1B35 1245 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1Z15 1345 Paddington to Cardiff Ctl - formed of Loco & Coaches - capacity: 700

1B40 1345 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1Z38 1415 Paddington to Cardiff Ctl - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1B46 1445 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1Z48 1515 Paddington to Cardiff Ctl - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1B51 1545 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1B52 1612 Paddington to Cardiff Ctl - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1B59 1645 Paddington to Swansea - formed of HST - capacity: 700

Services from Cardiff to London post game:

1L94 2145 Swansea to Paddington - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1L95 2215 Cardiff to Paddington - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1ZXX 2230 Cardiff to Paddington - formed of Loco and Coaches - capacity: 700

1Z20 2255 Cardiff to Paddington - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1ZXX 2300 Cardiff to Paddington - formed of Loco and Coaches - capacity: 700

1L96 2310 Cardiff to Paddington - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1Z21 2318 Cardiff to Paddington - formed of HST - capacity: 700

1ZXX 0015 Cardiff to Paddington - formed of Loco and Coaches - capacity: 700

Services from Cardiff to Bristol post game:

1C00 2130 Cardiff to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) - formed of Voyager - capacity 350

2C95 2200 Cardiff to Bristol TM - formed of 5 car - capacity: 500

2Z71 2222 Cardiff to Bristol TM - formed of 5 car - capacity: 500

2C96 2242 Cardiff to Bristol TM - formed of 5 car - capacity: 500

1C97 2327 Cardiff to Bristol TM - formed of HST - capacity: 700

Plans are being put in place to operate two additional HSTS from Cardiff to Bristol TM


_{Edit note: Formatting revised for improved clarity. CfN.}

[John R]

That looks much more appropriate. Curious as to the imbalance between one loco-hauled inwards and three return, although maybe the return ones are ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) stpck.

[JayMac]

Being a Saturday I assume the locos FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are using are the Night Riviera 57s. But what of the loco hauled coaches? Where are they getting them from? Spot hire from one of the railtour fleets?

[Southern Stag]

They are the special Olympic contingency trains. Formed of MK2s that have been lying around stored for years and hauled by DBS^» (Deutsch Bahn Schenker - UK^▸ (United Kingdom) website) Class 67s. They'd otherwise be placed at London terminals ready to operate additional services if required. Two of the sets ran coupled together to Cardiff in the early hours of the morning.