Fare Striker Threatened With Prosecution

[whole diary]

[vacman]

I think that's sensible. There must have something about the lady that made her stand out (was a rather long journey - not a typical daily commute) as trying to take advantage rather than a genuine protestor.

So, let's hope that some of the speculation on the forum proves correct and some additional stock is heading our way. Anyone know how long before anything is confirmed?

You'd think FGW^▸ (First Great Western) would be shouting it from the roof tops about 3 car 158's! Maybe they want to spring a pleasant surprise on the commuters on the first day of the new timetable?

[Btline]

What's Andrew Haines' email address? Someone should email him (and others) DEMANDING a conformation for all these rumours.

If they are true, tn FGW^▸ (First Great Western) may survive.

If they are false, they might be another nail in FGW's coffin!

I hope it is true, and salute A Haines if they are!

PS- how do we know that he is not a member of this forum.......?

Btline removed this comment- duplicated somewhere else!

[devon_metro]

andrew.haines[at]firstgroup.com 

[Btline]

andrew.haines[at]firstgroup.com 

Thanks. Sorry for posting twice, I realised that the message would be better on a different thread!

[devon_metro]

andrew.haines[at]firstgroup.com 

Thanks. Sorry for posting twice, I realised that the message would be better on a different thread!

Ah - explains my confusion 

[smokey]

I'm not for OR against fare strikes!

It needs to be remembered how many fare strikes took place on Wessex operated lines, or Thames Trains or Even FGW^▸ (First Great Western) when they ONLY ran Inter-City services.

I thinks the answer is NONE!!!

Only FGW have themselves to blame, they took over Wessex services with a Reduce Trains, Reduce Carriages policy, if somebody from First had BOTHERED to look at Wessex services, especially the Bristol Portsmouth line they would have seen that longer trains were required, not shorter.

I don't think it right to fare strike, but then it's NOT right to Bulldoze service reductions into place First Group style.

Talk of service improvements???

Sorry but if you are only getting things back to a Pre-April 2006 level of services thats

NO DAM IMPROVMENT

[tramway]

Smokey

I totally agree, any claim by First for improvement, especially on the Pompey/Cardiff route will have to be seen from a pre franchise baseline, and they had better not be left in any doubt about that.

The remarkable thing was how much effort Wessex actually made considering the limitations they were working to. Good publicity (sponsoring local weather) increasing 158 capacity, and although not entirely popular with staff the 31^s for the summer and Friday relief. There also seemed to be a hell of a lot more engagement with their passengers. And as I^ve posted before this would seem to have made everyone forgive their smaller failings for which we now gleefully haul First over the coals for.

Returning to the main theme of the post, it would be a shame if TA has succumbed to Daily Mailisms in the pursuit of First, and as in all reports of this nature no-one knows the full story, so I would be reluctant to make much comment based on the limited facts available so far. Two conclusions, real fare dodger and deserves everything she gets, or a lone Strike Ticket holder travelling away from Bristol, (centre of the protest), and is being singled out possibly unfairly as she didn^t have Dom Jolly and a film crew close to hand.

[devon_metro]

I'm not for OR against fare strikes!

It needs to be remembered how many fare strikes took place on Wessex operated lines, or Thames Trains or Even FGW^▸ (First Great Western) when they ONLY ran Inter-City services.

I thinks the answer is NONE!!!

Only FGW have themselves to blame, they took over Wessex services with a Reduce Trains, Reduce Carriages policy, if somebody from First had BOTHERED to look at Wessex services, especially the Bristol Portsmouth line they would have seen that longer trains were required, not shorter.

I don't think it right to fare strike, but then it's NOT right to Bulldoze service reductions into place First Group style.

Talk of service improvements???

Sorry but if you are only getting things back to a Pre-April 2006 level of services thats

NO DAM IMPROVMENT

What business have FGW got maintaining dams? 

[Btline]

I'm not for OR against fare strikes!

It needs to be remembered how many fare strikes took place on Wessex operated lines, or Thames Trains or Even FGW^▸ (First Great Western) when they ONLY ran Inter-City services.

I thinks the answer is NONE!!!

Only FGW have themselves to blame, they took over Wessex services with a Reduce Trains, Reduce Carriages policy, if somebody from First had BOTHERED to look at Wessex services, especially the Bristol Portsmouth line they would have seen that longer trains were required, not shorter.

I don't think it right to fare strike, but then it's NOT right to Bulldoze service reductions into place First Group style.

Talk of service improvements???

Sorry but if you are only getting things back to a Pre-April 2006 level of services thats

NO DAM IMPROVMENT

What business have FGW got maintaining dams? 

[vacman]

Smokey

I totally agree, any claim by First for improvement, especially on the Pompey/Cardiff route will have to be seen from a pre franchise baseline, and they had better not be left in any doubt about that.

The remarkable thing was how much effort Wessex actually made considering the limitations they were working to. Good publicity (sponsoring local weather) increasing 158 capacity, and although not entirely popular with staff the 31^s for the summer and Friday relief. There also seemed to be a hell of a lot more engagement with their passengers. And as I^ve posted before this would seem to have made everyone forgive their smaller failings for which we now gleefully haul First over the coals for.

Returning to the main theme of the post, it would be a shame if TA has succumbed to Daily Mailisms in the pursuit of First, and as in all reports of this nature no-one knows the full story, so I would be reluctant to make much comment based on the limited facts available so far. Two conclusions, real fare dodger and deserves everything she gets, or a lone Strike Ticket holder travelling away from Bristol, (centre of the protest), and is being singled out possibly unfairly as she didn^t have Dom Jolly and a film crew close to hand.

I agree with everything you say about Wessex and the things they did, BUT they recived ^75m subsidy per year! FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have to pay back ^1bn!
As for the fare striker, it may well have been a faredodger who jumped on the bandwagon, but who knows......

[BRADNOCK]

I agree with you if she is a fare dodger then tough if not then perhaps she needs a little bit of sympathy as far as the old thorn in the side about the Portsmouth Cardiff and the Weymouth line is concerned I know Wessex had  a subsidy but when FGW^▸ (First Great Western) took over the line they accepted it as was they should have then maintained it with the same standard of service as Wessex did they put in the tender and they should have been willing then to maintain that standard of service as was. I know they seem to be showing some signs of
improving the service now but ?

[smokey]

Smokey

I totally agree, any claim by First for improvement, especially on the Pompey/Cardiff route will have to be seen from a pre franchise baseline, and they had better not be left in any doubt about that.

The remarkable thing was how much effort Wessex actually made considering the limitations they were working to. Good publicity (sponsoring local weather) increasing 158 capacity, and although not entirely popular with staff the 31^s for the summer and Friday relief. There also seemed to be a hell of a lot more engagement with their passengers. And as I^ve posted before this would seem to have made everyone forgive their smaller failings for which we now gleefully haul First over the coals for.

Returning to the main theme of the post, it would be a shame if TA has succumbed to Daily Mailisms in the pursuit of First, and as in all reports of this nature no-one knows the full story, so I would be reluctant to make much comment based on the limited facts available so far. Two conclusions, real fare dodger and deserves everything she gets, or a lone Strike Ticket holder travelling away from Bristol, (centre of the protest), and is being singled out possibly unfairly as she didn^t have Dom Jolly and a film crew close to hand.

I agree with everything you say about Wessex and the things they did, BUT they recived ^75m subsidy per year! FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have to pay back ^1bn!
As for the fare striker, it may well have been a faredodger who jumped on the bandwagon, but who knows......

Ok so Wessex got ^75m subsidy a year.

FGW only have to PAY BACK ^1bn plus BECAUSE THEY OFFERED TO!!!!!!!!!

Rummour is that the nearest tender from Nat Ex or Stage coach was about ^200m pay back to DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).

If thats true FGW shot themselves for about ^800m

NICE.

[Btline]

Is it true that First did not have to bid for the "West" Routes, that they could have just had the InterCity and the Thames parts?

[smokey]

Is it true that First did not have to bid for the "West" Routes, that they could have just had the InterCity and the Thames parts?

The SRA^» (Strategic Rail Authority - about) started the Greater Western franchise putting FGW^▸ (First Great Western), Thames and Wessex into one pot.
To bid for part of the Greater Western franchise wasn't an option.

(Wessex was only formed as a stop gap untill The Big franchise started.)

[vacman]

Smokey

I totally agree, any claim by First for improvement, especially on the Pompey/Cardiff route will have to be seen from a pre franchise baseline, and they had better not be left in any doubt about that.

The remarkable thing was how much effort Wessex actually made considering the limitations they were working to. Good publicity (sponsoring local weather) increasing 158 capacity, and although not entirely popular with staff the 31^s for the summer and Friday relief. There also seemed to be a hell of a lot more engagement with their passengers. And as I^ve posted before this would seem to have made everyone forgive their smaller failings for which we now gleefully haul First over the coals for.

Returning to the main theme of the post, it would be a shame if TA has succumbed to Daily Mailisms in the pursuit of First, and as in all reports of this nature no-one knows the full story, so I would be reluctant to make much comment based on the limited facts available so far. Two conclusions, real fare dodger and deserves everything she gets, or a lone Strike Ticket holder travelling away from Bristol, (centre of the protest), and is being singled out possibly unfairly as she didn^t have Dom Jolly and a film crew close to hand.

I agree with everything you say about Wessex and the things they did, BUT they recived ^75m subsidy per year! FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have to pay back ^1bn!
As for the fare striker, it may well have been a faredodger who jumped on the bandwagon, but who knows......

Ok so Wessex got ^75m subsidy a year.

FGW only have to PAY BACK ^1bn plus BECAUSE THEY OFFERED TO!!!!!!!!!

Rummour is that the nearest tender from Nat Ex or Stage coach was about ^200m pay back to DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).

If thats true FGW shot themselves for about ^800m

NICE.

Maybe so, but the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) awarded it to them, even though the origional bid was to cut services even more dramaticly than what they did, for a government that needs to attract rail use then not really ideal! I don't really see why you get so worked up about FGW smokey, you only travel by train once or twice a year! And as for your view on contractors, well every TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) uses contractors for maintainence! In fact, FGW are one of the few TOC's that have their own in house painters!