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TFL on NYE - free and plenty travel options. Up here? Nothing! *Rant*

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bramling

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Just to give the opposite view, I've been to several Central London New Years, including the Millenium, and have never encountered any difficult people anywhere, Tube, DLR, or in the streets. It was nice once a few years ago to sit in a south bank pub at 2am.

Let’s just say a lot of rostered Underground staff, when they go through their duties for the forthcoming year the first date they will make a bee-line to look at will be New Year’s Eve, and to see that they’re not rostered for nights that day. Likewise try and get rid of such a duty through changeovers and it will prove all nigh impossible. There’s a reason for all that. I think the only other shifts which come close are the Notting Hill Carnival which is similarly notorious.

Reviewing CCTV for NYE can also be revealing. A few years ago there was an allegation about a driver made to the ORR which had to be investigated, which involved trawling through several hours of CCTV at a major inner-London station. What was seen was barely comprehendable - grown adults stripping their trousers off and defacating in the middle of a platform in full view of others, fights, people jumping on the track, bottles being smashed - in other words complete anarchy.

As regards the DLR incident, this reminds me of a debacle where the Central Line was suspended for hours through Stratford in the middle of the olympics, the 92 stock up to its usual tricks!
 
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Joe Paxton

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...

Incidentally, on the Millenium night the DLR broke down at its inner end at about 23.30, until at least 02.00, with people stuck in trains up on the viaduct between Tower Gateway and Shadwell right through the moment, and others of course now unable to get there. This was completely glossed over by TfL and the Mayor the next day, who said all had been perfect. It was only a post here a couple of years ago which gave the technical reason and persuaded me I hadn't dreamt the whole thing. We walked home.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/docklands-light-railway-breakdown-on-millennium-night.110189/


You were dreaming the idea that it had been glossed over by TfL and the Mayor the next day.

TfL didn't come into proper existence and take responsibility for transport in London including the DLR until mid-2000 (LU remained under the control of central government until 2003), and the first Mayor of London was not elected until May 2000 (and didn't have any powers until July).
 

Clip

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...and judging by the TV footage, half the crowd just watch it through their phone/camera screens anyway. Why do people bother?!

Why do parents take pics of their kids growing up when they are going to spend at least 16 years with them day in day out?

Why do people take pics and videos of trains?

Memories would be thte correct answer
 

jon0844

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Why do parents take pics of their kids growing up when they are going to spend at least 16 years with them day in day out?

Why do people take pics and videos of trains?

Memories would be thte correct answer

Photos and video of fireworks are always awful but if you are going to do it, a minute or so is ample. You simply will not watch the whole thing. Better off setting your PVR to record the professionally filmed show.
 

Clip

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Photos and video of fireworks are always awful but if you are going to do it, a minute or so is ample. You simply will not watch the whole thing. Better off setting your PVR to record the professionally filmed show.

But thats not their memories of the night they shared with their friends
 

Robertj21a

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I remember someone telling me that years ago there was always free travel on New Year's Day all day in London. I don't have any recollections of this, but was this true?

Nope. Pretty sure it was never free during daytime on NYD.
 

radamfi

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New Year's Day is hardly a "bog-standard bank holiday"!

The railway seems to think it is pretty much "bog-standard", given that there is near full weekday service on many lines and better than Sunday service in SE England.

Now it is possible to watch live TV of new year in New Zealand as early as 11 am, by the time midnight arrives in the UK it is an anti-climax.
 

Ianno87

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Why do parents take pics of their kids growing up when they are going to spend at least 16 years with them day in day out?

Why do people take pics and videos of trains?

Memories would be thte correct answer

The people could iPlayer the display...

That and phone camera photos of fireworks are **** - and you're missing them **actually happen right in front of you in full HD**
 

Howardh

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The people could iPlayer the display...

That and phone camera photos of fireworks are **** - and you're missing them **actually happen right in front of you in full HD**
Not a NYE but a fiesta finished with fireworks - I was in a hotel room in Ibiza, 7 floors up, and adjecent to the display. Probably had the best view of anyone....except the ruddy things kept landing on my balcony so I had to take shelter behind the glass. Ibiza Playa Hotel it was, but can't remember the exact date although I do have a basic grainy video somewhere I took before escaping out of the way!

It was a serious pro display too - not a few rockets bought from the newsagent.
 

306024

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Think yourself lucky you weren’t in Sydney. Multiple lightning strikes bought chaos to the railway after the fireworks last night. Possee of camera crews on platform 1 at Sydney Central this afternoon giving some official a hard time with questions like if you knew a storm was blowing in why didn’t you have contingency buses ready. Their journalists are no different to ours.

On top of that they don't have a concept of delay repay, so basically, tough.
 
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Statto

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Merseyside, NYE buses finished same times as Christmas Eve, NYD, buses though, a couple of routes operating on Boxing Day are not operating on NYD, frequencies reduced compared to Boxing Day, start times are later than Boxing Day, finish times earlier, but Merseyrail are operating a Sunday service NYD minus engineering/platform upgrade works were services are replaced by bustitution.
 

philthetube

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_ Manchester Evening News

Note, never mind New Year's Eve, there's a severe shortage of buses on NYD too so not one single bus in Bolton. Xmas day I can understand, but a bog-standard bank holiday? Why not a Sunday service on key routes with double-prices so the drivers and staff can get their double time?
Unfortunately double fares wouldn't equate to anywhere near to double revenue. The bus would also need double subsidiaries if applicable, and additional revenue from somewhere as ents passes would only be paid by the council at normal rates, and this assumes normal passenger numbers are achieved.
 

Busaholic

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You were dreaming the idea that it had been glossed over by TfL and the Mayor the next day.

TfL didn't come into proper existence and take responsibility for transport in London including the DLR until mid-2000 (LU remained under the control of central government until 2003), and the first Mayor of London was not elected until May 2000 (and didn't have any powers until July).
In any case, IIRC there was a lot of publicity given to Jubilee Line travails from Stratford that night preventing many 'dignitaries' reaching the Dome, prominent among them then BBC chief Greg Dyke, who made sure BBC News carried the story prominently complete with film showing him fuming with the rest of them at the barriers.
 

Mikey C

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If someone sponsors free travel great, but otherwise I genuinely don't see the justification for London taxpayer money being used in this way. If people can afford to go drinking in expensive Central London venues they can afford their transport home, everyone has contactless or oyster cards, so it's not as if they have to find change to buy a ticket.

Besides if someone is on a major night out, they'll probably miss the morning cutoff time anyway!
 

bramling

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If someone sponsors free travel great, but otherwise I genuinely don't see the justification for London taxpayer money being used in this way. If people can afford to go drinking in expensive Central London venues they can afford their transport home, everyone has contactless or oyster cards, so it's not as if they have to find change to buy a ticket.

Besides if someone is on a major night out, they'll probably miss the morning cutoff time anyway!

I agree in principle, however I think there would be practical difficulties in enforcing revenue protection. Which takes things back to my preference for closing the system down completely!
 

Clip

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I agree in principle, however I think there would be practical difficulties in enforcing revenue protection. Which takes things back to my preference for closing the system down completely!

You simply cant shutdown the system at all on one of its busiest nights of the year - thats just a madness
 

Joe Paxton

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If someone sponsors free travel great, but otherwise I genuinely don't see the justification for London taxpayer money being used in this way. If people can afford to go drinking in expensive Central London venues they can afford their transport home, everyone has contactless or oyster cards, so it's not as if they have to find change to buy a ticket.

Besides if someone is on a major night out, they'll probably miss the morning cutoff time anyway!

Free NYE/NYD travel in London is now a well established tradition, if not institution. It's not going anywhere (thankfully bramling's not in charge!). The idea that the only people who benefit are those drinking in expensive central London establishments is quite wrong, I can assure you!
 

Howardh

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All this is about getting those home enjoying the festivities.

No mention of getting visitors to and from hospitals when the buses aren't running, up here we have had skeleton hospital services in the past; but for those three days this year, nothing. It's a good 6 - 7 miles from some parts of our town to the local hospital, and under normal circumstances a taxi (one way) is a tenner +. So those without a car and have low income couldn't visit their sick relatives over the festive season, yet everyone in London gets a free ride home from the boozer.

Priorities??
 

radamfi

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All this is about getting those home enjoying the festivities.

No mention of getting visitors to and from hospitals when the buses aren't running, up here we have had skeleton hospital services in the past; but for those three days this year, nothing. It's a good 6 - 7 miles from some parts of our town to the local hospital, and under normal circumstances a taxi (one way) is a tenner +. So those without a car and have low income couldn't visit their sick relatives over the festive season, yet everyone in London gets a free ride home from the boozer.

Priorities??

It is certainly unacceptable to have no bus service in big cities on New Year's Day in England given that it is nowhere near the importance of Christmas Day. Is there anywhere in Europe outside the UK that has no service on New Year's Day? The argument about other countries celebrating on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day clearly doesn't apply to New Year's Day.
 

Mikey C

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Free NYE/NYD travel in London is now a well established tradition, if not institution. It's not going anywhere (thankfully bramling's not in charge!). The idea that the only people who benefit are those drinking in expensive central London establishments is quite wrong, I can assure you!

Surely it only was free because it had been sponsored?

Of course all the people using the free travel benefit, but that's not the point. Why should London taxpayers subsidise people going out on that day in particular? Why not have free travel on February 17th or July 2nd instead?
 

ooo

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Cardiff had free evening and night buses on certain routes sponsered by Alexander Dennis
 

bluegoblin7

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Surely it only was free because it had been sponsored?

For at least some (significant) time it was easier to provide free travel because of the UTS equipment having to go through end of day procedures and being unavailable during the overnight travel window (which is why it ends at the start of the new traffic day). These issues have been resolved for Night Tube to function, although I don't know if they would apply on a non-Night Tube night (or line). Sponsorship was a bonus - there would have been no way to allow the gates to be used normally for some period.
 

Daz28

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Surely it only was free because it had been sponsored?

Of course all the people using the free travel benefit, but that's not the point. Why should London taxpayers subsidise people going out on that day in particular? Why not have free travel on February 17th or July 2nd instead?

The cost of the “free” travel is not huge. Don’t forget that it is only free from 23.45 to end of service. Everyone attending the NYE celebrations has to pay to get into London. Most would have hit an Oyster cap and have got most of their journey home free anyway. Many on paper tickets will have got a return as it is almost the same cost as a single. Even with free travel home, the extra revenue from all the journeys into London will offset the cost. With the crowds as big as they are, it makes sense to just open the barriers and let everyone through. Safer and simpler.
 

yorksrob

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It is certainly unacceptable to have no bus service in big cities on New Year's Day in England given that it is nowhere near the importance of Christmas Day. Is there anywhere in Europe outside the UK that has no service on New Year's Day? The argument about other countries celebrating on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day clearly doesn't apply to New Year's Day.

In West Yorkshire, I think there is a bus service over Xmas and boxing day when the trains aren't running, so the buses get NYD off instead. That's how it was explained to me.
 

rebmcr

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All this is about getting those home enjoying the festivities.

No mention of getting visitors to and from hospitals when the buses aren't running, up here we have had skeleton hospital services in the past; but for those three days this year, nothing. It's a good 6 - 7 miles from some parts of our town to the local hospital, and under normal circumstances a taxi (one way) is a tenner +. So those without a car and have low income couldn't visit their sick relatives over the festive season, yet everyone in London gets a free ride home from the boozer.

Priorities??

It's not possible to prioritise Manchester's bus service over London's free travel period, while only using money from the London taxpayer's pot.

That's no different than saying:

Hypothetical said:
So those without a hospital system in the Sahara Desert have to get by with no medical treatment, yet everyone in Britain gets a free A&E service.

Priorities??
 

radamfi

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It's not possible to prioritise Manchester's bus service over London's free travel period, while only using money from the London taxpayer's pot.

TfL is primarily funded by central government and fares. Only a small proportion comes from council tax. Free travel existed before TfL and the Mayor, and in those days London Regional Transport came under direct authority from central government.
 

Clip

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All this is about getting those home enjoying the festivities.

No mention of getting visitors to and from hospitals when the buses aren't running, up here we have had skeleton hospital services in the past; but for those three days this year, nothing. It's a good 6 - 7 miles from some parts of our town to the local hospital, and under normal circumstances a taxi (one way) is a tenner +. So those without a car and have low income couldn't visit their sick relatives over the festive season, yet everyone in London gets a free ride home from the boozer.

Priorities??

So complain to your local PTE or whoever it is and insist you want to travel - no need to moan about some sort of north south divide considering this costs TfL a lot of money and people pay a lot of money throughout the year towards that cost.
 

Clip

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How TfL is funded:

https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/how-we-are-funded

It might also be worth mentioning that some of TfGM's funding comes from council tax payers in GM.

You still need to update your facts as the government grant has now ended and did so in 2018

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34923879

ansport for London (TfL) had been told in 2013 it would eventually have to be self-sufficient with its operating costs.

Today it was told by when.

There will be no more general grants from the government for day-to-day running of services from 2018 - earlier than TfL thought.

That grant currently stands at £591m a year but it will be tapered down.

How it deals with it isn't clear yet, but TfL will undoubtedly have to be more commercial.

It is currently planning to raise £3.4bn by 2020/21 through property, advertising and similar routes.

And it will have to be more efficient; it is currently planning to cut £16bn by 2020/21. That could affect the number of staff.

There will also probably have to be some choices on infrastructure investment in terms of priorities.

What it means is by 2018 London will be the only city in Europe where there is no day-to-day transport subsidy.

'Purse strings tighter'
That bad news is tempered with some good news for transport bosses.

Previously a £10bn investment had been announced in the run-up to the election until 2019/20.

Today it has been increased to £11bn, covering another year. It breaks down as follows:

  • £5.8bn investment grant (infrastructure)
  • £1.4bn general grant (day-to-day)
  • £3.8bn borrowing
So investment in the big ticket infrastructure items such as the Tube upgrades look like they're OK.

But the purse strings just got a little bit tighter at TfL. Some will say this shows TfL is more than capable of looking after itself and this is a vote of confidence.

Others will say it leaves a big hole in TfL's finances that it will now have a big challenge trying to fill.

Whatever way you dress it up, it is still a big cut to transport funding in London.
 
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