Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Twitter warning of cancellations tomorrow (16 June) due to crew shortage - sounds like it's going to be grim............guess as has been speculated elsewhere, England's first match of the Euros added to the usual Sunday BBQ disruption is going to take its toll on the "service"...........notice attached to this post.

[a-driver]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Twitter warning of cancellations tomorrow (16 June) due to crew shortage - sounds like it's going to be grim............guess as has been speculated elsewhere, England's first match of the Euros added to the usual Sunday BBQ disruption is going to take its toll on the "service"...........notice attached to this post.

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) should be making a financial incentive for staff to come in, or work a Sunday for two days lieu leave. There’s ways and means but the DfT simply aren’t interested.

[ChrisB]

It's Fathers Day too, of course.

[TaplowGreen]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Twitter warning of cancellations tomorrow (16 June) due to crew shortage - sounds like it's going to be grim............guess as has been speculated elsewhere, England's first match of the Euros added to the usual Sunday BBQ disruption is going to take its toll on the "service"...........notice attached to this post.

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) should be making a financial incentive for staff to come in, or work a Sunday for two days lieu leave. There’s ways and means but the DfT simply aren’t interested.

That's an interesting concept - perhaps GWR could consult calendars a year or so ahead and introduce additional incentives to work on days when there are sporting events, school holidays, Fathers/Mothers day, good weather etc etc - all financed by the taxpayer, naturally.

Alternatively why not be really radical and introduce contracts which include Sunday as part of the working week for this already well paid group of employees so that this farce which has been ongoing for years can be ended?

Maybe even spare a thought for the customers without whom their jobs would not exist?

[Timmer]

Journeycheck not reflecting the trouble to come between Bristol to London later today as RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) showing more cancellations than what JC is showing. Should what’s shown on both materialise there are going to be some large gaps in service, particularly during the peak afternoon return to London.

Gaps in service on SW services too with many semi fasts not running and fasts running short.

As for services on The Golden Valley line…

Alterations to services between Swindon and Stroud
Due to a shortage of train crew between Swindon and Stroud:
Train services running through these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until 16:15 16/06.
Customer Advice
As the result of a shortage of train crew we are unable to operate the advertised train service between Swindon and Stroud via Kemble. A limited road service will operate instead. Kindly note that the 09:20 Stroud to Swindon is running.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause to your intended journey today.

The line between Stroud and Gloucester / Cheltenham Spa is scheduled to be closed for rail improvement work with an advertised service of road transport.

[IndustryInsider]

Alternatively why not be really radical and introduce contracts which include Sunday as part of the working week for this already well paid group of employees so that this farce which has been ongoing for years can be ended?

The additional costs of which would have to be financed by the taxpayer, naturally. 

[TaplowGreen]

Alternatively why not be really radical and introduce contracts which include Sunday as part of the working week for this already well paid group of employees so that this farce which has been ongoing for years can be ended?

The additional costs of which would have to be financed by the taxpayer, naturally. 

It would address the cause, rather than trying to cure the symptoms by a few random extra quid via additional overtime payments & the like here and there to tempt a few people to turn up so would be money well spent.

[a-driver]

That's an interesting concept - perhaps GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) could consult calendars a year or so ahead and introduce additional incentives to work on days when there are sporting events, school holidays, Fathers/Mothers day, good weather etc etc - all financed by the taxpayer, naturally.

You don’t even need go a year, a weeks notice of an enhanced payment should suffice.

Alternatively why not be really radical and introduce contracts which include Sunday as part of the working week for this already well paid group of employees so that this farce which has been ongoing for years can be ended?

Never going to happen with the current government.  The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) favour keeping Sundays as overtime and introducing the ‘commitment to work Sundays’ into contracts.

Maybe even spare a thought for the customers without whom their jobs would not exist?

They no doubt do, but many will also put family ahead of customers and rightly so.

[IndustryInsider]

Perhaps we could have both.  

Sticking plaster enhanced Sunday payments authorised by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), whilst negotiations and preparations to bring it into the working week are undertaken between the DfT via the RDG^‡(resolve)/GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) and the Unions?

[a-driver]

Perhaps we could have both.  

Sticking plaster enhanced Sunday payments authorised by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), whilst negotiations and preparations to bring it into the working week are undertaken between the DfT via the RDG^‡(resolve)/GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) and the Unions?

Absolutely. If we get a Labour government next month let’s hope they apply some common sense thinking and do just that.

I won’t hold my breath though.

[TaplowGreen]

Due to a shortage of train crew between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 18:45 16/06.
Customer Advice
Owing to a shortage of train crew the frequency of train services between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill will be reduced.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused as a result of this issue.

It is very much regretted that despite strenuous efforts on the part of the provider of our road transport that they have been unable to source any alternative transport.

So basically folks, you're on your own.

[Timmer]

Alterations to services between Exeter St Davids and London Paddington

Due to a shortage of train crew between Exeter St Davids and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run.

Train services running to and from these stations may be revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice
Owing to a shortage of train crew the train service between the West of England and Reading / London Paddington will be operating to a reduced frequency this evening.

Customers intending to travel on this route towards Reading and London Paddington are strongly advised to check that their journey is still viable before setting out.

Should it assist with your particular journey GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) tickets will be accepted on CrossCountry services along the Plymouth / Exeter / Taunton / Bristol Temple Meads corridor. In addition, GWR ticket will be accepted on South Western Railway services between Exeter St David's and London Waterloo.

Interesting choice of wording there to ‘check if your journey is still viable’. Not a great advertisement for travelling by train.

Also of note:

Cancellations to services between Reading and Gatwick Airport

Due to a shortage of train crew between Reading and Gatwick Airport fewer trains are able to run.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 21:15 16/06.

Customer Advice
Owing to a shortage of train crew the train service between Reading and Gatwick Airport will operate at a reduced frequency until later this evening.

Please accept our apologies for any delay that you experience as a result of this issue.

Customers travelling between Reading and Redhill / Gatwick Airport (in either direction) where their intended train is not running may travel on Elizabeth Line services between Reading and Farringdon, changing there for Thameslink services; same directions apply in reverse for travel from Gatwick Airport / Redhill.

Alternatively, customers may travel on South Western Railway services between Reading and Clapham Junction, changing there for Southern services to Redhill, Gatwick Airport, also South Western Railway services to Dorking and Guildford. Again, arrangements apply in reverse for passengers travelling towards Reading. By changing at Ascot on SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) services from Reading customers may reach Ash Vale station which is a 10 minute walk from North Camp station.

On a more positive note, GWR have pretty much managed to operate an hourly service between Bristol and London with some of the Swanseas, which are diverted via Bath this weekend, stopping at Bath and Chippenham to cover gaps. Not so good between London and Bristol with big gaps in service. None of the services that provide a half hourly frequency during peak time in either direction have been able to run however.

[Sleepy]

Dread to think how passengers were supposed to get from Paddington to Cornwall - last service was at 1400 !! 

[TaplowGreen]

Given that the desire of their staff to watch football matches now seems to be a decisive factor in whether or not GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) run a viable service, it may be worth noting that the European Championship "round of 16" (next phase) takes place over the weekend of 29/30 June, the Quarter finals on 5/6 July, semi finals 9/10 July, and the final is on (Sunday) 14 July.

Could well be worth factoring this into your travel plans for the next few weeks.

[a-driver]

Dread to think how passengers were supposed to get from Paddington to Cornwall - last service was at 1400 !! 

Via Bristol?