New Customer Information Systems

[whole diary]

[Louis94]

I noted 4 of the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) on the Severn Beach Line were out of action on Friday 8th October. The one at Shirehampton is still, just about, intact, but someone has had a good go at removing it from the wall. It's in a sorry state and a disembodied voice was saying, "Please wait", over and over. The 'Information' button wasn't working either. Didn't push the 'Emergency' button obviously.

At Severn Beach the screen was blank, although the 'Information' button was working. The nice man in India wanted my full contact details to log the fault so I decided it would be easier to report the faults/vandalism at Temple Meads.

I also noted that the screen on the CIS at St Andrew's Road was showing a Windows pop-up and nothing else. The screen at Clifton Down platform two was also blank.

So with Montpelier and Redland's missing CIS that's 60% of the the screens out of action on this particular morning on the SVB Line. (Excluding Stapleton Road and Lawrence Hill.)

After travelling along that line yesterday, can confirm the sorry state of affairs was exactly the same!

Also noticed that the help point at Bedminster was also showing a blank screen.

And yet again the system at Teignmouth was broken, strangely enough the system at Dawlish was working fine. Must be some kind of fault with the ageing equipment at Teignmouth.

[JayMac]

The constantly repeated "Please wait" has now been silenced at Shirehampton. Someone has come along and made a half-ars*d attempt at keeping the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) attached to the wall. However, I fear that red and white tape isn't going to be good enough. The local scrotes have already started to peel it away. At least the 'information' button was working tonight!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Also noticed that the help point at Bedminster was also showing a blank screen.

The Help Point on Platform 1 at Bedminster was working this evening, at about 18:05. 

[JayMac]

It would appear that my cynicism was unfounded re: the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) at Shirehampton. Back in working order today
(13/10/2010):

[Louis94]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone know whether any FGW^▸ (First Great Western) stations have had the full system fitted/started to be fitted yet?

The project now nearing 2 months before the deadline, is it going to be completed on-time with still some 100 stations still requiring stuff to be installed or setup. Also does anyone know the reason for the delay in the installation of the new system?

Louis

[IanC]

Does anyone know whether any FGW^▸ (First Great Western) stations have had the full system fitted/started to be fitted yet?

Louis

Filton Abbey Wood must've had a new Help Point installed sometime during the week, as I couldn't help but notice those large white machines when the Cardiff -> Taunton train I was on last Thursday slowed into the station.

[ChrisB]

The project now nearing 2 months before the deadline,

What 'deadline' is that? I wasn't aware there was one. Just that it was being completed...

[JayMac]

The FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Franchise Agreement specified 4 years from the franchise commencement (1st April 2006) for Help Points to be replaced or installed and 51 months from commencement for replacement of 299 CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) monitors.

[standclearplease]

Would it be feasible to suggest some of the planned installations will not go ahead now because of incoming budget cuts?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Nailsea & Backwell Station now has two Help Points - one on each platform - and new screens (dot matrix, to replace our olde Wessex ones!) are due to be installed next month.

[Louis94]

The project now nearing 2 months before the deadline,

What 'deadline' is that? I wasn't aware there was one. Just that it was being completed...

My understanding was that everything was supposed to be finished by the end of the year, or so I was told.

Nailsea & Backwell Station now has two Help Points - one on each platform - and new screens (dot matrix, to replace our olde Wessex ones!) are due to be installed next month.

Please post pictures Chris when the screens are installed!

[ChrisB]

The FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Franchise Agreement specified 4 years from the franchise commencement (1st April 2006) for Help Points to be replaced or installed and 51 months from commencement for replacement of 299 CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) monitors.

It is possible to obtain dispensations from these dates, which I guess FGW may have got as they have passed?

Would it be feasible to suggest some of the planned installations will not go ahead now because of incoming budget cuts?

Nope. This is money FGW contracted to expend in exchange for the franchise. Unless they agree a change with the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), the work has to be done.

[Louis94]

Some of the money towards the new information system at some stations is being funded by local councils, and at current it is being reviewed or so i was told by customer panel member.

Dunno if anyone can answer this but didn't fgw's franchise agreement only specify a certain amount (27?) of stations had to have customer information systems, etc renewed?

[JayMac]

Louis94. The details of the committed obligations that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) were specified to carry out can be found in their Franchise Agreement Appendix 11, para. 2.6 (page 49 of the agreement). As ChrisB said, it would appear that the dates have been extended as all the work has not been completed. I'd imagine there was also some flexibility with funding if local authorities and community station adoption schemes in some locations were contributing.

EDIT. In addition to the committed obligations, further text was inserted into the the Franchise Agrreement on 17th March 2008:

25 Station Information Systems CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) Upgrade

(a) The Franchisee will procure by the end of December 2010 the expenditure
of ^<deleted, commercially sensitive> on an enhanced CIS system for its Stations in addition to the
Committed Obligation set out in paragraph 2.6 above The CIS system will
include system enhancements, improved consistency of systems, coverage
of an increased number of Stations, increased equipment at some Stations
and training and support on use of the system and provision of information
in times of disruption.

(b) The Franchisee will develop the specification for the enhanced CIS system
for approval by the Secretary of State (such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld).

(c) It is acknowledged that in preparing the specifICation for the enhanced CIS
system, the Franchisee may review and take into account other related
Committed Obligations which may appropriately be combined with the
enhanced CIS system and make proposals for an integrated approach to
the delivery of those Committed Obligations and the enhanced CIS system,
and the Secretary of State shall not unreasonably withhold consent to such
a revised approach provided that the level of expenditure then procured by
the Franchisee is not reduced below the aggregate of what would have
been procured under the relevant Conunitted Obligations and the
incremental expenditure committed under paragraph 25(a)

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/publicregister/current/fgw/fgwagreement.pdf

Off topic, but one commitment FGW appear to have failed getting anywhere near complete is:

Other revenue protection measures

7.6 The Franchisee shall:

(b) introduce Zifa ticket checking stampers for all revenue protection staff, conductors
and train managers within six months of the Start Date;

Unless there is an amended document somewhere which has substituted the words 'Zifa ticket checking stampers' for 'any old biro'.
 


FURTHER EDIT: Subsequent discussion of the merits, or otherwise, of Zifa tickets stampers has been moved to a new topic which can be found here:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7835.0

[ChrisB]

EDIT. In addition to the committed obligations, further text was inserted into the the Franchise Agrreement on 17th March 2008:

Indeed - this was added as part of the 'fine' when the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) called them over their crap performance in 2008....