Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[GBM]

Overtime ban starts tomorrow I think?

Cancellations to services on all routes
Due to industrial action:
Train services running across the whole Great Western Railway network may be cancelled or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 30/09/23.
Customer Advice
On Friday 29th September, members of the ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) union are engaging in Industrial Action short of a strike. Our intention is to run as many services as possible, but some short notice cancellations or alterations to services across the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) network are to be expected. Please check both your outward and return journey before setting out for the latest information.
***
In addition, on Saturday 30th September and Wednesday 4th October, an extremely limited service will be in operation across the GWR network due to strike action by members of the ASLEF union. Many stations and routes will not be served at all, with services that are running expected to be busy.

[TaplowGreen]

Not just train crew in Wales - station "crew" too it appears!

Cancellations to services between Swansea and Carmarthen

Due to a shortage of station staff at Carmarthen fewer trains are able to run. Disruption is expected until 13:30 19/10.

Train services between Swansea and Carmarthen will be cancelled.

[grahame]

Not just train crew in Wales - station "crew" too it appears!

Cancellations to services between Swansea and Carmarthen

Due to a shortage of station staff at Carmarthen fewer trains are able to run. Disruption is expected until 13:30 19/10.

Train services between Swansea and Carmarthen will be cancelled.

Whilst most stations can operate unstaffed, some cannot or cannot do so fully??   I recall an incident where a train could not pick up passengers at Bristol Parkway because no-one had turned up to unlock / open the station that morning. 

[TaplowGreen]

Not just train crew in Wales - station "crew" too it appears!

Cancellations to services between Swansea and Carmarthen

Due to a shortage of station staff at Carmarthen fewer trains are able to run. Disruption is expected until 13:30 19/10.

Train services between Swansea and Carmarthen will be cancelled.

Whilst most stations can operate unstaffed, some cannot or cannot do so fully??   I recall an incident where a train could not pick up passengers at Bristol Parkway because no-one had turned up to unlock / open the station that morning. 

Almost beyond parody.

[a-driver]

Not just train crew in Wales - station "crew" too it appears!

Cancellations to services between Swansea and Carmarthen

Due to a shortage of station staff at Carmarthen fewer trains are able to run. Disruption is expected until 13:30 19/10.

Train services between Swansea and Carmarthen will be cancelled.

Whilst most stations can operate unstaffed, some cannot or cannot do so fully??   I recall an incident where a train could not pick up passengers at Bristol Parkway because no-one had turned up to unlock / open the station that morning. 

Almost beyond parody.

Carmarthen station has to have a staff member on duty. One platform can only be accessed by a barrow crossing and I’m guessing the station member has to be there to supervise the use of that crossing

[JayMac]

Whilst most stations can operate unstaffed, some cannot or cannot do so fully??   I recall an incident where a train could not pick up passengers at Bristol Parkway because no-one had turned up to unlock / open the station that morning. 

Yep. 6th May 2014.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13970.0

[TaplowGreen]

.................looks like the BBQs are being fired up across the region today!

[GBM]

Another Sunday for crew shortages today.
Several shortforms as well.

Pity Rishi didn't suffer as many will today.
No good blaming GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) , as they're not allowed to recruit.
Neither are they allowed to bring in stock stored across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

A sad state of affairs.

[grahame]

Another Sunday for crew shortages today.
Several shortforms as well.

Pity Rishi didn't suffer as many will today.
No good blaming GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) , as they're not allowed to recruit.
Neither are they allowed to bring in stock stored across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

A sad state of affairs.

I am very tempted to write to all five candidates I know of so far who are standing to be my Member of Parliament, asking them what their policy is / what they intend to do about this.   And have the replies for publication ...

[TaplowGreen]

Another Sunday for crew shortages today.
Several shortforms as well.

Pity Rishi didn't suffer as many will today.
No good blaming GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) , as they're not allowed to recruit.
Neither are they allowed to bring in stock stored across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

A sad state of affairs.

For how long have GWR not been allowed to recruit?

[GBM]

Another Sunday for crew shortages today.
Several shortforms as well.

Pity Rishi didn't suffer as many will today.
No good blaming GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) , as they're not allowed to recruit.
Neither are they allowed to bring in stock stored across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

A sad state of affairs.

I believe I've heard/read no additional staff can be recruited with DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) approval.
Don't know where or when.
So no evidence to quote.

For how long have GWR not been allowed to recruit?

[grahame]

I am very tempted to write to all five candidates I know of so far who are standing to be my Member of Parliament, asking them what their policy is / what they intend to do about this.   And have the replies for publication ...

A couple of early likes (and also looking locally at hustings, including hosting an environmental in Melksham for the Melksham and Devizes constituency, which includes stations at Melksham, Bradford-on-Avon and Avoncliff (and perhaps Freshford - boundary case).  Additionally, lines run through the constituency but without stations near Devizes and at Box.

[TaplowGreen]

Another Sunday for crew shortages today.
Several shortforms as well.

Pity Rishi didn't suffer as many will today.
No good blaming GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) , as they're not allowed to recruit.
Neither are they allowed to bring in stock stored across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

A sad state of affairs.

I believe I've heard/read no additional staff can be recruited with DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) approval.
Don't know where or when.
So no evidence to quote.

For how long have GWR not been allowed to recruit?

My understanding from this lengthy thread is that this has only been the case for the last few years since the DfT took much more control, and the ability to recruit/address the "BBQ Sunday" issue (the root cause) was within the gift of GWR for many years previously, but was repeatedly filed on the "too difficult" pile, as to resolve it would have involved additional recruitment/expense, so they were content to rely on drivers being prepared to work on Sundays, and when this approach turned around and bit them in the arse, it was the customers who had to suffer.

[froome]

I am very tempted to write to all five candidates I know of so far who are standing to be my Member of Parliament, asking them what their policy is / what they intend to do about this.   And have the replies for publication ...

A couple of early likes (and also looking locally at hustings, including hosting an environmental in Melksham for the Melksham and Devizes constituency, which includes stations at Melksham, Bradford-on-Avon and Avoncliff (and perhaps Freshford - boundary case).  Additionally, lines run through the constituency but without stations near Devizes and at Box.

Freshford is within the N.E. Somerset & Hanham constituency, but some of its users may well live across the constituency border.

[grahame]

A couple of early likes (and also looking locally at hustings, including hosting an environmental in Melksham for the Melksham and Devizes constituency, which includes stations at Melksham, Bradford-on-Avon and Avoncliff (and perhaps Freshford - boundary case).  Additionally, lines run through the constituency but without stations near Devizes and at Box.

Freshford is within the N.E. Somerset & Hanham constituency, but some of its users may well live across the constituency border.

Indeed - I have just taken a look at the boundary:



The boundary is rather like the interlocking tongues of a jigsaw piece there abouts, with Freshford on one of the tongues that sticks into Wiltshire.   Avoncliff is in Melksham, Limpley Stoke if there were still a station there would be in Wiltshire, but Freshford isn't.