Northern sealing off one carriage; TPE's covid seating policy

[Crossover]

RTT doesn't seem to agree with that, they are still showing "reservations available".

I’m not sure I’d necessarily take RTT to be authoritative on it. However, there is no mention on the TPE site either so hopefully the mention I saw is unsubstantiated wibble

 

[Bletchleyite]

I’m not sure I’d necessarily take RTT to be authoritative on it. However, there is no mention on the TPE site either so hopefully the mention I saw is unsubstantiated wibble

RTT isn't authoritative per-se, but if the timetable database (which feeds RTT) is not configured for compulsory reservations, walk-up fares will be sold online in unlimited numbers with an itinerary (and therefore a contract) for that train.

 

[Ianigsy]

TPE would need to find a system which could handle a 185 having to cover a 68/397/802 diagram.

The other issue would be peak loadings in areas like Leeds-Dewsbury-Huddersfield for example. Unless you put a caveat in there "reservations not required for journeys wholly within Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire .

 

[northernchris]

Surely they can't do that.

The conductor didn't patrol the train whilst I was on so suspect she had no intention of enforcing

I’d heard (though it was on the grapevine) that they’d introduced compulsory reservations. I hope it isn’t the case as, in some areas, they run Northern-esque all shacks stoppers and its hard enough to get a ticket at a station without the worry of doing battle for anything else!

I received an email from TPE probably around a month ago now and one of the questions asked was along the lines of would compulsory reservations encourage you to return to rail travel - hopefully the general consensus is no!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I received an email from TPE probably around a month ago now and one of the questions asked was along the lines of would compulsory reservations encourage you to return to rail travel - hopefully the general consensus is no!

Unfortunately it's probably yes - TPE's overcrowding problem has been going on for ages, and people, particularly those who do book in advance, are unlikely to consider "what if the whole service is booked up for a week", which actually does happen with TGV around Christmas.

(For COVID I'd support it on all TOCs other than very frequent services like Merseyrail, normally TPE is too much of a local TOC for it to be workable though I prefer not having it).

 

[infobleep]

Yes, TPE are about 5 weeks behind LNER in this respect, however I do believe this is changing or has already changed to 1m. It's either changed this weekend, or tomorrow.

I was on a TPE train last Friday, where warnings were made of BTP boarding trains to issue fines, saying 2 metre distancing was a "rule" that must be observed " at all times" and the Guard also said they were in the "front portion of the rear train". There was, as you'd expect, no visible staff presence.

There was a member of off duty train crew travelling as a passenger in the front part of the train; when someone approached he grunted "train crew!". Hopefully one day someone will produce a staff pass in response.

My next train was a Northern train, which of course had no visible staff presence, but not only that, no announcements either! I didn't see any evidence of any taped off areas on this train, but I didn't walk through the rear coach, going straight for the quieter front coach. The lack of even saying which station we're at isn't really acceptable, but to be honest a wall of silence is preferable to the harsh warnings given out by the TPE Guard on the previous train.

Guards remaining silent isn't new. Some are great and others not so. I suspect this is countrywide. Certainly I've came across it in South Western Railway. That was prior to lockdown. Perhaps things have improved since lockdown.

 

[MDB1images]

Socially distancing labels on TPE got withdrawn at the weekend and now it's down to passengers discretion for social distancing on board(along with advice over PA from the cond/info on on board screens) puts it in line with some other TOCs, was actually a very useful appliance on the majority of WCML services but with loadings rising it was always short term.

Re: the aisle seat comments further up thread:
The conductor might make an announcement asking for aisle seats to be kept free(although no-one will be removed-thats just ridiculous)as TPE have also mandated that conductors commence on board revenue checks which obviously will cause some social distancing issues if someone is in a aisle seat (means social distancing is impossible as your inches away), this might mean only certain carriages get checked (I read it that rather than a "you must do revenue regardless of loadings" it will likely fall to the discretion of the Conductor to what they feel safe with at the time or indeed out of respect if customers start to worry about the close proximity interactons).

Not aware of compulsory reservations and reservations are still suspended although I suspect these will return.

The areas for all TOCs crews travelling pass/crew safe areas are still in place (so you will still see some areas taped off for staff only for now).

I suppose like everything COVID anything can change very quickly but maybe a small sign of normality returning.

 

[Howardh]

Socially distancing labels on TPE got withdrawn at the weekend and now it's down to passengers discretion for social distancing on board(along with advice over PA from the cond/info on on board screens)

Thanks, can you please clarify - does that mean the labelling on the seats "do not use" has now been withdrawn meaning far more seats are available? It probably does, but just want to check before I leave with the intention of catching the last train home!

 

[MDB1images]

Thanks, can you please clarify - does that mean the labelling on the seats "do not use" has now been withdrawn meaning far more seats are available? It probably does, but just want to check before I leave with the intention of catching the last train home!

Yep, on TPE all the labels was deemed not of use from Saturday (a few trains might have still had them on pending removal)

 

[Ken H]

All this ^^^ is depressing. not exactly a way to encourage people to use the train is it? puts me right off TBH

 

[johntea]

LNER Coach A

‘This carriage is out of use bla bla bla’

...Shame your reservation system didn’t take this into account when allocating reservations that passengers must adhere to then!

 

[Richard Scott]

Used Northern and TPE at weekend, we ignored the out of use labels on Northern as we were all a group that had been together for a while so no point sitting apart and TPE didn't enforce the window seats only despite often announcing it. One conductor did a ticket check but didn't tell us not to sit in aisle seats.