Old Yard Dog
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Aug 2011
- Messages
- 1,468
Today I was travelling on business from Little Sutton to Derby via Ellesmere Port, Warrington BQ and Crewe.
The 1639 from Warrington to Crewe was delayed and pulled into platform 5 about 1706. Several passengers were stood by the doors at the front hoping to make the cross platform connection on to the 1707 to Derby from platform 4.
The conductor on the EMT train let the first passenger on and then closed the door on me as I was boarding, trapping my bag. He barked at me to remove my bag, which I did, then closed the door on me, leaving myself and several other passengers marooned on the platform. With the Trent Valley line disrupted, I have no choice but to wait 59 minutes at Crewe for the next train.
I appreciate that TOCs have punctuality targets to meet, but surely there are occasions when a little common sense has to be applied? How much time would it have taken him to re-open the doors to let half a dozen or more of his customers on? About 30 seconds which the driver could easily make up.
This just confirms my long-held view that EMT is the worst TOC in the country (gross overcrowding on the Crewe Derby line on Saturdays, the loss of Crewe Derby Nottingham Skegness through workings, poor connections at Kettering, uncomfortable carriages with little legroom, etc etc).
Why are EMT so customer hostile? Most conductors with most TOCs will reopen doors to let prospective customers on (particularly ladies!). Closing the doors while customers are trying to board isn't just discourteous, it is potentially very dangerous.
The 1639 from Warrington to Crewe was delayed and pulled into platform 5 about 1706. Several passengers were stood by the doors at the front hoping to make the cross platform connection on to the 1707 to Derby from platform 4.
The conductor on the EMT train let the first passenger on and then closed the door on me as I was boarding, trapping my bag. He barked at me to remove my bag, which I did, then closed the door on me, leaving myself and several other passengers marooned on the platform. With the Trent Valley line disrupted, I have no choice but to wait 59 minutes at Crewe for the next train.
I appreciate that TOCs have punctuality targets to meet, but surely there are occasions when a little common sense has to be applied? How much time would it have taken him to re-open the doors to let half a dozen or more of his customers on? About 30 seconds which the driver could easily make up.
This just confirms my long-held view that EMT is the worst TOC in the country (gross overcrowding on the Crewe Derby line on Saturdays, the loss of Crewe Derby Nottingham Skegness through workings, poor connections at Kettering, uncomfortable carriages with little legroom, etc etc).
Why are EMT so customer hostile? Most conductors with most TOCs will reopen doors to let prospective customers on (particularly ladies!). Closing the doors while customers are trying to board isn't just discourteous, it is potentially very dangerous.