I have received a survey email from Jane Jones at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway):


I have until 30th April to respond via a form which looks like a personalised URL. So I am not sharing that here, but rather looking for a combined Coffee Shop input; I will write up based on inputs and discussions here.

Page 1 of 2 asks

1. Do you think we should introduce some rail services on Boxing Day?

2. Who do you think would use services on Boxing Day?
2a. If you answered Yes - Do you have any evidence/reports that would support your view?
2b. If you answered No – why do you think they would not be helpful

3. Do you have any thoughts about which routes/services should be the priority if we do introduce Boxing Day services? Please let us know why you think these would be good options

4. Network Rail use the closure of the railway over Christmas to complete intensive improvement work. Would you still support Boxing Day services if
 a) They included the use of diversionary routes or replacement rail buses
 b) It meant that improvement work was extended on to other possibly busier travel dates
 c) If key routes or stations – such as London Paddington were closed

Page 2 of 2 ... I have NOT advanced the survey so I don't know the questions.  I don't want to risk loosing the opportunity to enter by advancing if this is indeed a single shot survey, but bearing in mind the nature f questions 1 to 4 it'll be along the lines of "would you like feedback" rather than being substantive extra data requests.

I am really happy that we are being asked ... rather than this coming up too-late before Christmas and then resulting in disquiet for a few days before being forgotten about again.  Even if you are a cynic who feels that the question is being asked just to tick a "consultation" box, it IS worth us answering - showing interest and having this on the agenda and in the thoughts of GWR, DfT, GBR^▸ (Great British Railways), etc

Voted no service.
Good to have staff with two actual Christmas days off.

Pretty much my view. Well, other than the bit about football matches obvs.

I would support a Boxing Day service.

I am in a small minority in voting for no trains on boxing day.

I would like Boxing day to be a proper public holiday, with the following prohibited from opening.
Supermarkets and other large store, as defined under Sunday trading rules.
Large scale or professional sporting events, any event that needs paid staff, or for which an admission charge is made.
Theatres, cinemas, and circus type events.
Nightclubs and the like.

I would allow the following to open.
Places of worship, provided that no admission charge is made.
Local sporting or cultural events provided that no paid staff are engaged and that no admission charge is made.
Pubs and restaurants, provided that no admission charge is made.

Time to make boxing day a "proper" public holiday with only essential workers in utilities, the emergency services  and the like being expected to work.

The history. When BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) first decided to axe Boxing Day services in 1975 it was criticised by ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) as a potential precedent for running no trains on any Bank Holiday. "Very nice for our members but a bad move for passengers", said Ray Buckton. That year Boxing Day fell on Friday and the thinking then was that trains would not be used as people would stay where they were through to the weekend. Trains were back three years later but were cut again when Boxing Day was next on Friday and have never come back with a widespread service since.

The service that was run before that period was common for other Bank Holidays, ie a normal service but with a later start and the peaks thinned out. It is hard to judge when a service hasn't been provided for so long as to what the demand might be but a Sunday service wouldn't be a bad place to experiment from.

The last time a Christmas Day service was run in the Western Region was 1961.

The Southern Region was the last to run anything like a widespread Christmas Day service across their patch in the 1960s and it was at a level of around half the Sunday service for a period in the middle of the day that could be accommodated by one shift turn following the agreements of the time. Certainly has echoes of the recent strike service. Not sure such a really early finish would make a Boxing Day service worthwhile though today.

I'd certainly like to see a Boxing Day service and would most likely use it too.  Plymouth - Ealing Broadway for a Brentford home match.  Boxing Day is very much like a regular Sunday in terms of what is open generally and I don't think the transport system should be any different.   My vote is for a Sunday service.