Shortage of Northern Rail Piccadilly drivers

[pemma]

I've heard that there is currently a shortage of Piccadilly drivers, which explains the cancellations due to staff shortages whenever Northern run the Old Trafford specials. The suggestion seems to be for more Victoria drivers to learn the Mid Cheshire line in the short term and to train more drivers for the longer term. As there are some extra Hope Valley services from December, could there be an issue with numerous cancellations until the extra drivers become qualified?

 

[ANorthernGuard]

I've heard that there is currently a shortage of Piccadilly drivers, which explains the cancellations due to staff shortages whenever Northern run the Old Trafford specials. The suggestion seems to be for more Victoria drivers to learn the Mid Cheshire line in the short term and to train more drivers for the longer term. As there are some extra Hope Valley services from December, could there be an issue with numerous cancellations until the extra drivers become qualified?

there is a shortage of drivers but there are quite afew going through training and a few ready to pass out, There is no Rest Day Working agreement between ASLE&F and Northern so what you see is what you get (in a Depot Managers eyes) and there is very little to work with, most drivers would love Rest Day Working but ASLE&F (this is just what I have been told by drivers and I have no proof whatsoever) do not want Rest Day Working, there reasoning is so more drivers get employed but reality is trains get cancelled and existing drivers lose out for the sake of 2 or 3 employment slots that always seems to need to be filled anyway.

 

[driver9000]

ASLEF have it in their charter that they want to see an end to rest day working across the industry. They will normally sanction it when requested. There has also been no request for a rest day working agreement from Northern.

I hope this doesn't descend into another bashing thread.