Public transport, Climate change, Coronavirus and Brexit. Crystal Ball Time.

[whole diary]

[REVUpminster]

Not Benny Hill, his brother Lawrence.

Don't bring Bristol(s) into it lowering the tone of the thread.

[Surrey 455]

I would therefore reserve those parking places nearest to the school for electric cars only. Show what a good parent you are by parking 10 meters closer.

Bearing in  mind that those markings are there to improve visibility sight lines at school entrances, I would suggest that spikes next to the kerb might be a better option. To improve safety they could be spring loaded and normally sunken so only come up when a cars weight is parked on them...

Something like this? - https://www.eta.co.uk/2018/01/10/catclaw-tackles-illegal-and-dangerous-pavement-parking-by-bursting-car-tyre/

[grahame]

A good piece by Rob Parsons in the Yorkshire Post which I commend to members. It brings up many of the sort and medium term issues and balances in a way that provides a good overview for their wide readership.   I'm suggesting members read it in full rather than cherry picking to quote here.

[Red Squirrel]

We long suspected that the operators would be able to run a top-notch service if it wasn't for those pesky passengers gumming up the works!

There's some strongly-worded stuff in the latest issue of Rail. Headline: Winter is coming.... The upshot is that the industry needs to reinvent itself, and quickly.

[bradshaw]

I was looking at the Waterloo Exeter service since it has been back to hourly. Generally time keeping is much better, apart from the effect of the odd bridge strike. Fewer passengers?

[grahame]

I was looking at the Waterloo Exeter service since it has been back to hourly. Generally time keeping is much better, apart from the effect of the odd bridge strike. Fewer passengers?

Perhaps so .. and specifically far fewer occasional passengers?  Are there still fewer trains running on the cluttered section into London?

[grahame]

There's some strongly-worded stuff in the latest issue of Rail. Headline: Winter is coming.... The upshot is that the industry needs to reinvent itself, and quickly.

I agree with that verdict, though my evidence base for the decision may not be totally the same.

Problem is .. rail is used to snail-slow change and is not showing signs of breaking from that until the 59th minute of the 11th hour.

There's a desparate need to make decisions on fares - be in new fares structures or just new products to entice people to put there feet bums on seats which are otherwise being carried around empty.  Lots of work done on carnets, 3 day seasons, etc which have been logical to bring in for years.  Slow Ole rail Industry didn't act a year ago (could have done - products in addition to regulated fares, single operator) and has had powers to set own fares taken back by government under EMA and now ERMA agreements, and the rail companies HAVE informed the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) with recommendations.

But the DfT cannot put the recommendations into effect because it will change what is now government income - that's where the risk is - and they have been ordered to wait the outcome of the comprehensive treasury review which is now underway.  By the time another month has passed and the Treasury might say "go ahead", it will be so late in the day that it's unlikely that the opportunity of the January fare change / rise will be available as other wheels grind to raise fares by whatever percentage it is this year, and the tabloids prepare for screams of mock horror at the price rise on increasingly less used season tickets.

[Red Squirrel]

This YouTube video looks at 8 individual flights as a way of illustrating how the aviation industry has reinvented itself since the start of the syndemic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_rXhuaI0W8

Two details that stood out for me were the fact that Qantas has enough confidence to merit keeping its A380s in storage with a hope of returning them to traffic (perhaps as soon as 2023), and that United has changed from a business-oriented hub-and-spoke airline into a point-to-point leisure and even cargo airline.

Can't help wondering how different the railway's response would be if it was free to make rapid business decisions. 'Creativity' and 'innovation' are not words that immediately spring to  mind when considering the DfT.

[Bmblbzzz]

I understand, mostly from pilots I 'know' online, that all the long-haul carriers have shifted to cargo, both in the hold and on the seats with cargo nets. I don't know who, when, where or how invented the bungee but it's one of those ignored but significant little things!

[grahame]

I understand, mostly from pilots I 'know' online, that all the long-haul carriers have shifted to cargo, both in the hold and on the seats with cargo nets. I don't know who, when, where or how invented the bungee but it's one of those ignored but significant little things!

Lots of quotes about bungee jumping but wet few about the elasticated chords to hold things together

From https://www.explore-mag.com/a-brief-history-of-the-bungee

500 A.D.

Men in the Republic of Vanuatu start a tradition of testing their manhood by tying springy vines to their ankles and then jumping out of trees. It?s the first known use of stretchy materials for fun and daring that also resulted in injuries.

[TaplowGreen]

This YouTube video looks at 8 individual flights as a way of illustrating how the aviation industry has reinvented itself since the start of the syndemic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_rXhuaI0W8

Two details that stood out for me were the fact that Qantas has enough confidence to merit keeping its A380s in storage with a hope of returning them to traffic (perhaps as soon as 2023), and that United has changed from a business-oriented hub-and-spoke airline into a point-to-point leisure and even cargo airline.

Can't help wondering how different the railway's response would be if it was free to make rapid business decisions. 'Creativity' and 'innovation' are not words that immediately spring to  mind when considering the DfT.

They would most probably be totally hamstrung by the Trade Unions, to whom agile thinking, creativity and innovation are also largely strangers.

[Red Squirrel]

Well, Nigel Harris in Rail says:

...2020 railway salaries are streets ahead of not only the rest of the public sector, but also of the private sector.

What if the railway offered up a three-year pay freeze, with maybe a few top executives taking example-setting pay cuts?

Nigel Harris, Comment, Rail 916

[IndustryInsider]

Given the current situation, I?d happily accept a three year pay freeze if it helps the industry survive the crisis largely unscathed.

[grahame]

Given the current situation, I?d happily accept a three year pay freeze if it helps the industry survive the crisis largely unscathed.

A discussion along those lines could develop into a very energetic one.  There is a natural "quid pro quo" in that passengers would look for a fare freeze too, and no denying that a fare freeze would also help the industry rebuild custom.  You then have the people who suggest an investment freeze ...

[TaplowGreen]

Given the current situation, I?d happily accept a three year pay freeze if it helps the industry survive the crisis largely unscathed.

Can I come with you when you suggest it to the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)?

I'd be happy to hold your coat, and will arrange for a taxi to be waiting outside with the engine running so we can get away unscathed!