Channel 4 Dispatches: Are you paying too much? 1st June 8pm

[whole diary]

[Oxman]

Just noticed this on Channel 4 tonight:

"Channel 4 Dispatches: Dispatches goes undercover to investigate ticket prices, overcrowding and compensation in the rail industry, and reveals what the rail companies don't tell passengers."

[BerkshireBugsy]

It makes interesting viewing - I'm not sure if they explained the limitations of split ticketing (or maybe my understanding is wrong )

[grahame]

It makes interesting viewing - I'm not sure if they explained the limitations of split ticketing (or maybe my understanding is wrong )

I didn't see the explanation ...    ... nor a number of other things - some positive and some negative.  But then who DO you cover such a topic in 30 minutes in a way that's clear, understandable and accurate?    The system's overcomplex - so little surprise that a sensational program will blame someone of the silly rules, then blame someone for taking a pragmatic approach to overcoming the silly rules.   I confess to having a lot more sympathy for the operators than I use to.

[NickB]

Fgw's Twitter team are being rather grumpy in their postings this evening. 

[Timmer]

It makes interesting viewing - I'm not sure if they explained the limitations of split ticketing (or maybe my understanding is wrong )

They didn't, with the most important condition that the train you are on MUST call at the station where the split takes place.

Once again it was another documentary with no 'smoking gun' just the usual things most have already seen or heard in the press or other rail related documentaries.

[tomL]

It seemed a bit too heavily stacked against FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to me... 'Here is a bad ticket machine from Northern and Virgin East Coast. But back to FGW' I guess they just posted a job opening at the wrong time? 

And the usual 'me to you' between TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) and DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)..

[JayMac]

It makes interesting viewing - I'm not sure if they explained the limitations of split ticketing (or maybe my understanding is wrong )

They didn't, with the most important condition that the train you are on MUST call at the station where the split takes place.

It's wise to say that caveat, although it's not strictly true. If both tickets are Zonal, or one of the combination of tickets is a Season Ticket or Leisure Travel Pass (Rover valid for at least 7 consecutive days or at least 3 days in a period of at least 7 days), then the train you're on does not have to call at the split point(s).

For example:

Off Peak Day Single Paddington to Aldermaston, plus Super Off Peak Single Aldermaston to Bruton, plus Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover 3 in 7, plus Off Peak Day Single Tiverton Parkway to Exeter SD, would allow you to use the 1006 from Paddington through to Exeter. This train runs non-stop from Reading to Exeter.

[Ollie]

Fgw's Twitter team are being rather grumpy in their postings this evening. 

Not the intention, sorry if it's come across that way.

[JayMac]

The programme was, in my opinion, a fairly accurate representation of the way FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is being run at the moment. Poorly trained staff, massaging of performance figures, poor communication during times of disruption, little short of contempt for the passengers.

There are pockets of excellence in the company, but they are few and far between.

[JayMac]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s response to Channel 4's 'Dispatches':

First Great Western responds to Dispatches investigation

Monday 1st June 2015

In regards to the issues raised in the programme:

The training of First Great Western staff in relation to ticket sales
It is disappointing that the trainer initially got the answer wrong, but we are pleased he clarified the correct position later in the session. We would of course expect the correct advice to be given straight away and we will make sure that our trainers are clear about the correct position in the future.

Offering and selling ^split tickets^
The conversations shown regarding split tickets accurately reflect the rules every train operator must follow in terms of offering and selling ^split tickets^ as outlined in the Retail Standards Guide, which all train operators must follow.

We agree that these rules ^ and many other rules that have their roots in the British Rail era ^ need reviewing to make the ticket buying process simpler and clearer for customers. As part of the Rail Delivery Group, we are working with other train operators and Government on how to progress this further.

Improper changes to journey times on the public timetable to help improve performance figures and limit the compensation paid for delays
The suggestion that First Great Western improperly changes journey times to improve its performance figures and limit the compensation paid for delays is simply incorrect.

In the journey example given, all but three of the trains on the route have exactly the same public journey time as in the working timetable. The longest difference in journey times is two minutes, and none of them have got longer.

In regards to compensation, this is not based on achieving performance targets, but on trains delayed by 30 or 60 minutes. The additional one or two minute margins would therefore have a tiny impact on reducing compensation paid.

Extending journey times beyond what is operationally required is poor customer service, costs us revenue, and would contravene the franchise agreement which is set and monitored by the Department for Transport. There is simply no other incentive for us to do this than to make sure we get customers to where they need to go at the time we have said they will arrive.

The working timetable is publicly available, published on Network Rail^s website here.

Difficulties in obtaining information from Control during disruption
Providing accurate and timely information to staff and customers during periods of disruption is an issue the rail industry as a whole takes very seriously.

We have issued colleagues with smartphones and tablets, as well as providing additional dedicated resource to help colleagues get accurate information to passengers quicker. We have also developed our own social media team which is able to update customers on a regular basis.

Compensation claims and goodwill gestures
We regularly advertise ways for customers to claim contractual compensation should things go wrong via our website, Twitter feed (@FGW) and other channels. On Twitter, we can even deal with contractual compensation claims immediately via a Direct Message without the need for customers to write in or call an additional number.
When it is the right thing to do, we will also go beyond the contractually stipulated level of compensations, regardless of whether or not we receive a direct complaint from a customer at all. Any customer-focused business would do exactly the same and we are proud of it.

Capacity on trains
Despite the lack of availability of suitable additional trains in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), we have worked hard to secure the additional capacity we know our customers want to see. Working with the Department for Transport, we have created 7,500 additional standard class seats into and out of Paddington at peak times every day.

We know however, that this is only a medium-term solution and, as part of the new franchise agreed with the Department for Transport, we will be introducing newer, longer trains across our network from spring next year, which will increase capacity by around 25%.

This increased capacity is part of the ^7.5bn Great Western Mainline modernisation programme, the initial phases of which we are currently working closely with the Department for Transport and Network Rail to deliver. This investment is the biggest on the route since Brunel and will transform a key part of the country^s transport infrastructure.

As part of this programme, new or refurbished trains will be seen on every part of the network, resulting in more frequent and faster journeys and an increase in the number of seats to keep people moving across the Great Western network.

https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/dispatches

Disappointing to see that, yet again, FGW are giving the impression that they are making significant investment toward the Great Western modernisation programme. They may well be working closely with DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) and NR^» (Network Rail - home page), but they aren't contributing to the capital projects.

[PhilWakely]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s response to Channel 4's 'Dispatches':

First Great Western responds to Dispatches investigation

Monday 1st June 2015

In regards to the issues raised in the programme:

Improper changes to journey times on the public timetable to help improve performance figures and limit the compensation paid for delays
The suggestion that First Great Western improperly changes journey times to improve its performance figures and limit the compensation paid for delays is simply incorrect.

In the journey example given, all but three of the trains on the route have exactly the same public journey time as in the working timetable. The longest difference in journey times is two minutes, and none of them have got longer.

In regards to compensation, this is not based on achieving performance targets, but on trains delayed by 30 or 60 minutes. The additional one or two minute margins would therefore have a tiny impact on reducing compensation paid.

Extending journey times beyond what is operationally required is poor customer service, costs us revenue, and would contravene the franchise agreement which is set and monitored by the Department for Transport. There is simply no other incentive for us to do this than to make sure we get customers to where they need to go at the time we have said they will arrive.

The working timetable is publicly available, published on Network Rail^s website here.

During the Reading blockade over the Easter weekend, I remember looking at Realtimetrains for my train back from Waterloo to Exeter St Davids. I was amazed at the difference between the GBTT^▸ (Great British Time Table) and WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) timings - departure from Waterloo was shown as 1659 on GBTT, yet WTT showed 1707 and we actually left at 1708. I remember mutterings around me by fellow pax about a very late departure; timings for EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) were somewhat easier, shown on GBTT as 2120(a) 2122(d), yet WTT shown as 2118(a) 2120(d). Despite arriving at 2125 (late on both timetables, some pax were heard to be very complimentary about 'making up time'!

[BerkshireBugsy]

A few points I picked up on - I do agree with Graham that after all it was only a 30 minute program so there was only a limited amount of content that could have been included.

1) Split tickets - as has already been said here the limitations of these we not mentioned. In a 30 minute program I wouldn't expect these limitations to be covered in detail but I think a statement along the lines of "there are conditions when split tickets are not valid" should have been added

2) FGW^▸ (First Great Western) reaction to hostile passengers (filmed in the Paddington office if I remember rightly). The statement by the FGW employee was that sometimes people that are (I can't remember the words used) aggressive may not be "rewarded" in the same way as people who are polite when they complain. I'm not surprised! If I want to complain about something in the first instance I am polite and firm because otherwise there is no route of escalation of unhappiness levels left to me BUT in this scenario if I was facing delays day in day out I think it would be a challenge to remain calm.

3) Lack of information when things go wrong: We've covered this before on the forum and it is good to see FGW giving the staff the technology to help improve this even if it only puts them at the same level as customer with smart phones. I don't know what additional facilities staff have access to (above joe public) hopefully someone can comment here.

4) Overcrowding - I accept that FGW have taken steps to reduce overcrowding but at peak hours this is still a problem. My own preference if I am travelling on a congested route is to either travel earlier or to travel on a slower service. This is made easier by the fact that I don't have to commute to London on a daily basis.

5) Pictures of thatcham station: Maybe I spent too much time looking for shots of local stations (Newbury/Thatcham) of which there were quite a few!

[patch38]

It is disappointing that the trainer initially got the answer wrong, but we are pleased he clarified the correct position later in the session.

No he didn't. Even though the undercover reporter asked some direct questions, all the trainer did was to confuse the situation by contradicting what he had said earlier. He was toe-curlingly poor at his job. I think the trainer needs some training...

[BerkshireBugsy]

It is disappointing that the trainer initially got the answer wrong, but we are pleased he clarified the correct position later in the session.

No he didn't. Even though the undercover reporter asked some direct questions, all the trainer did was to confuse the situation by contradicting what he had said earlier. He was toe-curlingly poor at his job. I think the trainer needs some training...

When I first read this reply I agreed with it (having been a trainer myself) but do remember we only saw edited highlights of the training session.

If a TM^‡(resolve) sells a split ticket on board a service does this mean they get less commission?

[patch38]

When I first read this reply I agreed with it (having been a trainer myself) but do remember we only saw edited highlights of the training session.

Yes, good point. The way it was presented to us made the trainer look poor. However I really wasn't impressed with his overall style but, unless we had been there, it's difficult to judge accurately.