Bad News!!

[whole diary]

[gaf71]

If councils want to encourage car sharing, perhaps they should provide car parks for this purpose?

[eightf48544]

Of course part of the problem at places like Bodmin Parkway is that the obvious solution to the problem is considered too costly and that is to have a car park attendant who can collect money from non train passengers clamp cars in the bus turning turning circle and issue tickets to people overstaying in the 20 minute bays (except when trains are late and they are meeting someone) and disabled bays.

You can't police a carpark effectively without staff. It's intersting that most private carparks are manned and policed (usually agressively see Maidenhead Advertiser re Overstaying in the shopping complex in Stafferton Way) but council and railway ones aren't.

[Tim]

If councils want to encourage car sharing, perhaps they should provide car parks for this purpose?

Absoluetly,  that is the only real solution to this issue. 

[G.Uard]

Economic dichotomy?

I think that this is what Christain Wolmar calls "lets pretend capitalism".    I have absolutely no problem with people profiting from the railway (all of the staff make money out of the railway afterall.  You wouldn't expect them to work for nothing so why expect an investor to lend his money to the industry for nothing in return?) but the current system neither sets the market free nor focuses solely on public service.  It is a complet muddle which is neither the best for the company profits, the passenger or the tax-payer. 

The concept A, is that the need exists to perform a public service and also make money from the exercise.  If this is then split,  into parts B and not-B, then the parts form a dichotomy: they are mutually exclusive, since, (seemingly), no part of B is contained in not-B and vice-versa, and they are jointly exhaustive, since they cover all of A, and together again give A. 




 

[Tim]

perhaps you could explain the rules of Mornington Crescent with that level of clarity? 

[vacman]

Either way, the charges are still going to be introduced, it's just been delayed.

[west49th]

This is a perfect illustration of the weird parallel world the people at FGW^▸ (First Great Western) inhabit.

If Sainsbury's started to charge you for using their carpark, you'd decamp to a competitor.

But of course, FGW has no competitor.

So once again - now the threat of Franchise Withdrawal has been removed - it seems like they're back to their old tricks.

Which is not called Mornington Crescent. 

It bears the name "now where else can we screw the passenger?"

[G.Uard]

perhaps you could explain the rules of Mornington Crescent with that level of clarity? 

It was tongue in cheek, so probably not. 

If you want clarity, see vacman's post above.

[vacman]

This is a perfect illustration of the weird parallel world the people at FGW^▸ (First Great Western) inhabit.

If Sainsbury's started to charge you for using their carpark, you'd decamp to a competitor.

But of course, FGW has no competitor.

So once again - now the threat of Franchise Withdrawal has been removed - it seems like they're back to their old tricks.

Which is not called Mornington Crescent. 

It bears the name "now where else can we screw the passenger?"

but you wouldn't park in Tesco car park to go to Sainsburys

[Btline]

Sorry, I'll say it again.

Easy solution - put a barrier at the exit of the car park!

Then make car parking free, where you can only exit the car park with a season ticket/token etc. No ticket? ^25 fine.

[Nemesis]

I have had occasion to park my camper van at Bodmin Parkway.  In doing so, I always ensure that I am using the rail service and that I hold a valid ticket.  Surely, any charge levied upon genuine travellers could be recouped by a corresponding reduction in train fare, much as happens at some Somefield supermarkets.   


Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 
(Matthew VII, v. 12)

[vacman]

Sorry, I'll say it again.

Easy solution - put a barrier at the exit of the car park!

Then make car parking free, where you can only exit the car park with a season ticket/token etc. No ticket? ^25 fine.
[/quoteas if theyre gonna spend money doing that, anyway, it wouldn't work at bodmin as you have to drive into the car park to turn around if dropping off etc and a right of way exists through it to Lanhydrock and a couple of houses

[Nemesis]

Don't be too vexed Brother vacman.  I was only attempting to develop your excellent point re Tesco and Sainsbury which you made above.

"In My Father's house are many mansions."--John 14:2

[FarWestJohn]

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/cornishguardian/Warning-street-chaos-rail-users-try-miss-charge/article-777170-detail/article.html

A link to the introduction of parking charges at Liskeard.

It appears Cornwall County Council paid a large amount of money to upgrade the car parks and Wessex trains agreed no parking charges. First have discontinued this arrangement,

"A considerable amount of money was made available through Cornwall County Council to upgrade and improve the parking facilities at Liskeard station when Wessex Trains held the franchise, and at that time it was agreed in principle that in return for this no parking charges would be levied. First Great Western's policy is somewhat different, and they will not agree to continue this arrangement."

[Andy]

Then, in my opinion, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) should be obliged to reimburse the council (i.e. the public who funded the improvements) for the money spent on upgrading the car park. The general public's money should not end up in the pockets of to the shareholders of FGW.