Gatwick Airport: Rail Replacement Bus disruption (06/05)

[Antman]

Who has suggested that?

You and one or two others?

Perhaps you could explain just what passengers are supposed to do?

 

[EM2]

You and one or two others?

Perhaps you could explain just what passengers are supposed to do?

No, I suggested finding alternative ways to get to (or from) the airport.

 

[Antman]

No, I suggested finding alternative ways to get to (or from) the airport.

Why? Are you saying people shouldn't use the railway if there is engineering work? As I said a replacement bus service over such a short distance should have been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

 

[EM2]

Why? Are you saying people shouldn't use the railway if there is engineering work? As I said a replacement bus service over such a short distance should have been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

It's entirely up to them. Personally, I don't unless there is absolutely no alternative. Even in this situation, I would rather have taken a taxi, even if the RRBs had been running to schedule.

 

[talldave]

......
Take ballast for example.
The company supplying the ballast is planning on 10 tons of it being shifted from their depot on a Friday night. Let's say Network Rail cancel the engineering. That means the ballast doesn't move, which means that space can't be used to store ballast for the following weeks engineering, which will now be delayed.

Or you could view that as the ballast for the following week being available earlier than expected!

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I did the rail replacement bus early in the morning (yesterday) on my outward journey. I was reading media reports of between 2 - 4 hours waiting time but I boarded straight away. Either the media reports were hungover from the day before or I got lucky and boarded before the rush (this was around 8am)

The only gripe I had was the lack of staff and signage directing me to the rail replacement bus. Fortunately, most of the pax on my train were holidaymakers going to catch planes with only a handful going for the bus. But then, this was early(ish) in the morning probably just as the crowds were gathering in London

 

[al78]

What a nonsense - buses/coaches operate on Motorways very frequently and many have toilets which can only be got to by standing and walking.

Using a toilet on a coach only requires standing and walking for five minutes maximum, not the entire journey.

 

[Antman]

It's entirely up to them. Personally, I don't unless there is absolutely no alternative. Even in this situation, I would rather have taken a taxi, even if the RRBs had been running to schedule.

I avoid rail replacement buses wherever possible but from Gatwick Airport to the south coast there is no viable alternative.

 

[Joe Paxton]

I avoid rail replacement buses wherever possible but from Gatwick Airport to the south coast there is no viable alternative.

National Express offers a frequent service to Brighton.

 

[EM2]

I avoid rail replacement buses wherever possible but from Gatwick Airport to the south coast there is no viable alternative.

A taxi to Three Bridges would be £10-15.

 

[30907]

The point is, they have previously agreed not to have all routes blocked, so they go and do it anyway.

Agree it shouldn't have been closed, but with a journey time of 2 hours or more from London to Brighton via Horsham and Three Bridges (or via Littlehampton, which has been used in the past) it's hardly time-effective, and a moot point how cost effective it is as a diversionary route compared with hiring extra buses.
Where it comes into its own is when people have heavy baggage - as when Victoria-Horsham-Gatwick ran at Christmas 2016.

 

[Thebaz]

[QUOTE="Deepgreen, post: 3450713, member: 2092]Given the vast number of engineering possessions on the Brighton line for as far back as I can recall, is it doomed forever to have this level of disruption, and, if so, does this further strengthen the case for the Uckfield to Lewes re-opening?[/QUOTE]

Sure. Then NR would also be able to close that route for engineering works at the same time as Dorking-Horsham when the BML was out of action. You know it would happen..

 

[Samuel88]

National Express offers a frequent service to Brighton.

If you call a coach every 90-120 minutes 'frequent'.

 

[Darandio]

If you call a coach every 90-120 minutes 'frequent'.

Hourly isn't it? Regardless, it is a viable alternative.

 

[LordCreed]

It's entirely up to them. Personally, I don't unless there is absolutely no alternative. Even in this situation, I would rather have taken a taxi, even if the RRBs had been running to schedule.

Whilst that's your personal opinion, it's hardly a viable solution. If everyone took taxis or national express coaches (one coach an hour or so) then only a small percentage of people would be able to travel.

When travelling I always check for engineering work, but there's been times when my train has been changed as little as a week out. In one example last month, my train was retained to run 20 minutes earlier less than two days out. It was only by shear chance I noticed.

If my train is replaced by a bus then I'm still going to travel. I won't pay the admin fee to refund my ticket because it becomes a bus, as that's just a waste of money.

You might have a hatred of RRBs, however I've been on coaches that have far outdone the trains .

 

[Bletchleyite]

Hourly isn't it? Regardless, it is a viable alternative.

Not necessarily any better than a properly operated RRB.

 

[Antman]

Hourly isn't it? Regardless, it is a viable alternative.

Be more viable getting a local bus, assuming you could get on one under the circumstances.

 

[EM2]

Whilst that's your personal opinion, it's hardly a viable solution. If everyone took taxis or national express coaches (one coach an hour or so) then only a small percentage of people would be able to travel.

I'm not saying everyone should do that. I'm saying that it is what I would do. But then, I would be checking every day in the lead-up to my journey to know what was happening, and have my back up plans in place, because, as I said earlier, I like to always be prepared.
I'm still firmly of the opinion that the vast bulk of that crowd at Gatwick were day-trippers that didn't bother to check.

When travelling I always check for engineering work, but there's been times when my train has been changed as little as a week out. In one example last month, my train was retained to run 20 minutes earlier less than two days out. It was only by shear chance I noticed.

But you did notice, because you checked nearer the date of travel. Personally, I'd have checked again the night before and in the morning, but that's me

 

[bramling]

I'm not saying everyone should do that. I'm saying that it is what I would do. But then, I would be checking every day in the lead-up to my journey to know what was happening, and have my back up plans in place, because, as I said earlier, I like to always be prepared.
I'm still firmly of the opinion that the vast bulk of that crowd at Gatwick were day-trippers that didn't bother to check.

But you did notice, because you checked nearer the date of travel. Personally, I'd have checked again the night before and in the morning, but that's me

I'm not saying everyone should do that. I'm saying that it is what I would do. But then, I would be checking every day in the lead-up to my journey to know what was happening, and have my back up plans in place, because, as I said earlier, I like to always be prepared.
I'm still firmly of the opinion that the vast bulk of that crowd at Gatwick were day-trippers that didn't bother to check.

But you did notice, because you checked nearer the date of travel. Personally, I'd have checked again the night before and in the morning, but that's me

I would certainly be checking. Works do happen at weekends and people should plan accordingly. Brighton isn’t the only beach that people can go to.

It’s a good example of the usual weekend and especially bank holiday mentality - people expect everything to be laid on for their day trip. Rail isn’t the only form of transport to experience isues - driving up to my holiday in Noryh Wales last night I passed some pretty horrendous queues heading south - the end of the “Bank Holiday Getaway” no doubt.

 

[Joe Paxton]

If you call a coach every 90-120 minutes 'frequent'.

Check again - it is more or less hourly.

 

[Samuel88]

Check again - it is more or less hourly.

Even then, hourly vs a train every 10 minutes or so, not comparable.

 

[Antman]

Whilst that's your personal opinion, it's hardly a viable solution. If everyone took taxis or national express coaches (one coach an hour or so) then only a small percentage of people would be able to travel.

When travelling I always check for engineering work, but there's been times when my train has been changed as little as a week out. In one example last month, my train was retained to run 20 minutes earlier less than two days out. It was only by shear chance I noticed.

If my train is replaced by a bus then I'm still going to travel. I won't pay the admin fee to refund my ticket because it becomes a bus, as that's just a waste of money.

You might have a hatred of RRBs, however I've been on coaches that have far outdone the trains .

Personally I don't hate RRB's but I try and avoid them as they are generally slower than the train although as you point out that isn't always the case. Obviously if there was no viable alternative route by train I'd have to use the RRB.

Getting back to the original point, I don't know what work had to be done but surely closing the BML on a bank holiday weekend was asking for trouble?

 

[infobleep]

And the engineering work being planned and locked in the schedule for about a year.

That is indeed trye so they had a year to get the replacement buses right and it's not Network Rail who deal with the buses.

 

[bubieyehyeh]

On local news there was a cyclist complaining they wouldn't take his bike on the RRB. I think it wasn't a folding one, but is that common, doesn't seem very fair if its not a full replacement for the train.

 

[theironroad]

On local news there was a cyclist complaining they wouldn't take his bike on the RRB. I think it wasn't a folding one, but is that common, doesn't seem very fair if its not a full replacement for the train.

Bikes ,heavy luggage and prams are usually quoted in RRB advertising notices from TOCs that are items hat cannot be carried. I have known a coach driver to take a bike when there was plenty of space available underneath, but imagine it's very much driver discretion.

 

[Chrisgr31]

On local news there was a cyclist complaining they wouldn't take his bike on the RRB. I think it wasn't a folding one, but is that common, doesn't seem very fair if its not a full replacement for the train.

Its 19 minutes on a bicycle from Gatwick to Three Bridges according to Google, probably took longer by RRB!

 

[Chrisgr31]

Do we know how long there was chaos for? How many people waited 4 hours etc? How long it took Southern to take action to get extra staff there etc? I just wonder how much of this is just being stirred up by those with an agenda. Certainly it seemed many tweeting about it werent actually there.

 

[JonathanH]

Its 19 minutes on a bicycle from Gatwick to Three Bridges according to Google, probably took longer by RRB!

About 16 minutes on the two buses I went on via Manor Royal (although a bit disadvantaged by not being able to stop on the A23 at Gatwick which would have saved about 5 minutes)

 

[philthetube]

Err? Perhaaps because none of the bus companies wanted to do the job?

Feel sure that bus companies would love to have the work while their busses are idle, no schools and few services. though prices may be higher on the bank how because of drivers enhanced rates.

Even then, hourly vs a train every 10 minutes or so, not comparable.

But with ticket for coach a seat guaranteed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

But with ticket for coach a seat guaranteed.

At the booked time, which makes them a poor combination with an inbound flight compared with a walk-up train service (or even a RRB).

All this says is some measure of;
1. GTR are incompetent (we knew that anyway)
2. Network Rail should not organise engineering work on Bank Holidays unless they absolutely have to have all three days, and should take into account likely coach availability in their planning (i.e. avoid major events)