Cotswold Line - 2018 cancellation and amendments log

[whole diary]

[Richard Fairhurst]

That is against the principle that customers should be expected to pay no more because published timetabled trains don't run.    That principle was set in the context of engineering changes pushing trains from off peak to peak timing, but would seem to me to have been stated by my contact in such a way that it also applies in your case.

I'd (naturally!) agree. I suspect GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) would argue that though the 9.41 was cancelled, I could have caught the 10.08 instead, which as a sub-1 hour delay wouldn't be eligible for compensation. That would have pushed my 10.30 meeting in Reading later, so I'd have to return later... and therefore buy an Anytime Return to catch the evening peak. Pretty much damned either way!

[grahame]

That is against the principle that customers should be expected to pay no more because published timetabled trains don't run.    That principle was set in the context of engineering changes pushing trains from off peak to peak timing, but would seem to me to have been stated by my contact in such a way that it also applies in your case.

I'd (naturally!) agree. I suspect GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) would argue that though the 9.41 was cancelled, I could have caught the 10.08 instead, which as a sub-1 hour delay wouldn't be eligible for compensation. That would have pushed my 10.30 meeting in Reading later, so I'd have to return later... and therefore buy an Anytime Return to catch the evening peak. Pretty much damned either way!

But who's to say that you could push your meeting back?   If I set up a meeting in (say) London with lots of public transport users, I would do so with their travel costs in mind - so allowing off peak travel.   That's what the rail industry encourages, after all - off peak fares to even out travel.    And it is then darned cheeky of them to cancel the first off peak train, giving you Hobson's choice between a higher fare and arriving late for meeting; last minute cancellations do happen occasionally ( ) but if known an hour or two ahead, then surely the morally correct approach would be to allow passengers alerted ahead to travel on the earlier train at the rate they would have paid anyway?

I suspect that although you're on very strong moral ground, this would be a tough battle to fight and win, and the logical approach is to pragmatically accept it as one of the 'dirty' results of the current setup.  An input on the principle that passengers should be expected to pay no more for the second best alternative to them in the event of a cancellation may be a good input to the fares consultation though.

[ChrisB]

The problem is fear that everyone intending to travel on that last peak would discover the cancellation & all ask to buy the off-peak fare.

I guess the half-way house solution would be to allow travel on the peak train *if* the off-peak ticket had been bought in advance - so before the cancellation was made. This could be evidenced by the receipt/email confirmation.

[grahame]

The problem is fear that everyone intending to travel on that last peak would discover the cancellation & all ask to buy the off-peak fare.

I guess the half-way house solution would be to allow travel on the peak train *if* the off-peak ticket had been bought in advance - so before the cancellation was made. This could be evidenced by the receipt/email confirmation.

The solution is to run a reliable service so that there would hardly ever be an issue.

[ChrisB]

of course - we are discussing what could happen when there isn't, aren't we?

[grahame]

of course - we are discussing what could happen when there isn't, aren't we?

If it was only cancelled once in a franchise, I suspect GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) would have no problem honouring the off peak ticket on the final peak service.

[TaplowGreen]

The problem is fear that everyone intending to travel on that last peak would discover the cancellation & all ask to buy the off-peak fare.

......and there you have GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s attitude to its customers & customer service in a nutshell.

[ChrisB]

Sorry, that's tosh.

There you have the Brit passenger's attitude to paying it's way. Rip off the seller if it's at all possible. We believe public transport owes us a free ride as we pay taxes

[JayMac]

... and there you have the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s apologists' attitude. I'm with you TG. Not utter tosh at all.

In the specific circumstances it is good customer service to let a passenger return on a peak service after their days plans have been pushed back by fault of the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company). Such that they can no longer return at an off peak time.

If the customer asks, then individual permission should be granted. No need to relax the peak restriction for all.

[charles_uk]

Another one bites the dust:

14:21 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 16:44 has been cancelled.
This is due to this train being late from the depot.

Last Updated:03/07/2018 14:45

[Timmer]

Sorry, that's tosh.

There you have the Brit passenger's attitude to paying it's way. Rip off the seller if it's at all possible. We believe public transport owes us a free ride as we pay taxes

Not with you on this one Chris. The vast majority of the travelling public are okay with paying a fair price for a dependable train service.

Right now it’s the other way round with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)’s passengers, whether it’s Monday to Friday commuters or weekend travellers, who are being ripped off.

How anyone can justify the daily round of cancellations and short formed services as an acceptable and dependable level of service is beyond me. But that’s exactly what Dft will be doing by rewarding First with another Direct Award in the next few months.

[charles_uk]

It's another poor day today:

16:22 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 19:24 was terminated at Oxford.
It will no longer call at Hanborough, Combe, Finstock, Charlbury, Ascott-under-Wychwood, Shipton, Kingham, Moreton-in-Marsh, Honeybourne, Evesham, Pershore, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern Link and Great Malvern.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:03/07/2018 17:22

with the return 19:42 GMV:PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) starting from Oxford.

[later edit] and to top it, the following service (17:22 Paddington to Hereford) is running 23 minutes late!

[even later edit] - the 17:22 was 37 late through Wolvercote Junction and lost more time on the remainder of its journey. A very late home time for those on the 16:22 travelling beyond Oxford.

[TaplowGreen]

Sorry, that's tosh.

There you have the Brit passenger's attitude to paying it's way. Rip off the seller if it's at all possible. We believe public transport owes us a free ride as we pay taxes

Not with you on this one Chris. The vast majority of the travelling public are okay with paying a fair price for a dependable train service.

Right now it’s the other way round with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)’s passengers, whether it’s Monday to Friday commuters or weekend travellers, who are being ripped off.

How anyone can justify the daily round of cancellations and short formed services as an acceptable and dependable level of service is beyond me. But that’s exactly what Dft will be doing by rewarding First with another Direct Award in the next few months.

To be fair to Chris B I am sure that he wouldn't have dreamed of making such an extreme, (apparently) bigoted statement without the benefit of being able to cite some rigorous, peer reviewed research which he can share with us or perhaps at least reference, which reflects and supports his position?

I can't imagine anyone would make such a statement based simply on ill informed prejudice or a personal bias or narrative? Surely not!


Over to you Chris! (and it's "British" by the way)

[Adelante_CCT]

05:12 London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh due 06:45 will be terminated at Oxford.

07:10 Moreton-in-Marsh to London Paddington due 08:51 will be started from Oxford.

[Worcester_Passenger]

And a new excuse:

06:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 09:37 has been cancelled.
This is due to a late departure while the train was cleaned specially.
Last Updated:04/07/2018 07:20