It'd also lead to chargebacks and claims by any season ticket holders because "normal timescale for engineering works" can now mean anything from 8 weeks to 1 day.
It’s 8 weeks now, willbe 12 weeks by the Summer.
It'd also lead to chargebacks and claims by any season ticket holders because "normal timescale for engineering works" can now mean anything from 8 weeks to 1 day.
Now that's a bold claim. Not one evening or weekend at less than 12 weeks notice? I'll hold you to itIt’s 8 weeks now, willbe 12 weeks by the Summer.
I don't own a car and never have. Not sure who "we" is in that circumstance, because it's certainly not me and nobody has ever encouraged it upon me. There's nobody else in my family who'd be eligible to drive who doesn't have their own vehicle.We spend a lot of time telling people they don’t need to own a car.
By we - I mean public policy is to discourage car ownership and use (by vehicle and fuel taxation) and encourage public transport use (through subsidy)Now that's a bold claim. Not one evening or weekend at less than 12 weeks notice? I'll hold you to it
I don't own a car and never have. Not sure who "we" is in that circumstance, because it's certainly not me and nobody has ever encouraged it upon me. There's nobody else in my family who'd be eligible to drive who doesn't have their own vehicle.
England is one of the worst places outside North America in which you could live if you don't own a car.
Very good post. I like it.I suppose the big “jump off the page” number earlier in this thread was the 2200 cut off - which given how busy late night Thameslink services can be from London evening events - seems really early and for example 2330 would seem a more viable last service time. However the counter point that the closure of the slows here is less likely due to access to facilities at Bedord. Earlier in this thread an annual bus cost of £1m was mentioned. By my quick google - a taxi to Wixams from Bedford is around £11 - so even assuming every single passenger was transported separately, this would allow 91000 people to travel. Or, using the usage stats of nearby Flitwick (1.09million users) - 12% of all journeys.
Isn’t there something in “last service southbound at 2200” as the advertised service, with northbound services calling until 2359 except in cases of engineering possession.
It seems difficult to believe the numbers travelling in those two hours would be anywhere close to 91000.
As others have said though, there is definitely a discussion to be had as to why the basic provision of very basic station facilities is so spectacularly and prohibitively expensive, and why provision for future growth or basic service resilience is seen in some way as wasteful or optional.
We spend a lot of time telling people they don’t need to own a car. And for a lot of people with access to the excellent network of Thameslink - that is a viable choice. London, Airports and the rest of the Rail Network is in easy reach. However if that service is abandoned for whatever reason, we cannot be surprised when people hedge their bets by continuing to own cars (to drive home from Flitwick after the concert when the rail service gives up on them, for example). So resilience is so important for the strategic direction of the country, far more than just the quality of a rail service. Resilience should be assumed, not optional.
There will always be late change, it existed enough when it was T12 in the past. Short term plans will be offered in two week chunks to get back to 12 weeks.Now that's a bold claim. Not one evening or weekend at less than 12 weeks notice? I'll hold you to it
Now that's a bold claim. Not one evening or weekend at less than 12 weeks notice? I'll hold you to it
Really? Worse than Brazil? Or Saudi Arabia? Or Iceland? Rural France wouldn't be much fun eitherEngland is one of the worst places outside North America in which you could live if you don't own a car.
Luton to Bedford is also a two track railway on Sunday mornings isn't it? I haven't seen anything to say that Bedford Council are underwriting replacement buses for the few times that the fast lines are being used by Thameslink services on Sunday mornings.
I meant for when Wixams opens.All the other stations have four platforms.
Fantastic now someone is on my page.They have plans including shuttles running to and from 'East Gateway Zone' which will be the Wixams station.
When I heard this design I was underwhelmed. But high embankments are north and south of this location along with the B530 bridge next to lots of new housing. I think the station should be next to the car auction it has acres of free space is more picturesque and the car auction could move leaving a wonderful pre built car park for the taking. But no they want it surrounded by pre existing infrastructure. The site I am talking about used to be a munitions ww2 supply port and has room for the same sidings that were there 70 years ago.The problem with the existing station design is the island platform. It is currently planned to be located between the up slow and the down slow. This is the wrong location. It should be located between the up fast and down slow, similar to other MML stations.
It would then be future proofed to add a platform and station building on the down fast, western side to serve the theme park if further investment was forthcoming.
Be careful what you wish for.I assume shuttles is referring to Universal owned mono rail/buses/cable car and not referring to the railway itself.
Fifteen people have been injured and taken to hospital after a tram crashed at Universal Studios Hollywood on Saturday night.