Travel discounts for staff

C J Snarzell · 24 Aug 2019

Hi there

I'm still job hunting on the railways. I just wanted to query something about staff discounts for travel.

I've been looking at one of the jobs with TPE based in Manchester and they state employees use their services for free.

However I would need to use the Northern train services to get from where I live into Manchester City Centre. Do First Group employees get any sort of discount for using Arriva transport or do they have to pay full price like a standard customer?

I'm just doing my sums to see if the job would be worthwhile due to the possibility of paying lots of travel expences throughout the year. I could always travel by car but as the TPE office is in central Manchester I assume I would have to use one of the many NCP car parks and pay a fortune.

Regards

C J

RailUK Forums

driver9000 · 24 Aug 2019

There is staff car parking at Manchester Piccadilly assuming the job is based there and there is reciprocal residential travel between TPE and Northern. Staff can travel between their local station and workplace when commuting.

TheEdge · 24 Aug 2019

You only get free travel on your own TOC and normally operators owned by the same company. There are a few specific exceptions but these don't always apply to new starters and are normally only where franchises have been chopped and changed.

Never mind, poster above gave a better answer.

You do get a nationwide 75% discount on all tickets which as a staff member you can use to commute (I think but do double check), staff seasons are also sometimes available.

All this depends on the role you are after. If its an office job then this is relevant to know. If however you are applying for operational jobs it's often not possible to use public transport thanks to shifts

C J Snarzell · 24 Aug 2019

Thanks for the replies here.

TPE have offices in Centurian House which is on Deansgate, Manchester (close to the Hilton (Beetham Tower). They also appear to work out of Bridgewater House which is also in the city centre. I would assume both are reasonable walking distance from Victoria or Piccadilly.

Like I said in my original post, working in central Manchester is one to weigh up. A friend of mind works for a financial company that is based near the University buildings down Oxford Road. He travels in his car everyday but deliberately leaves home at 6am just to try and beat the congestion on the motorway network and get to work mega early. He has actually been going in slightly later recently because there's been no school traffic due to the summer break. He also has the added bonus of having a staff car park to use but he does have to make a small parking contribution (about £2 a day which is very reasonable for Manchester). There is always the option of car sharing with him but that's not to say our respective shifts wouldn't be compatible!!!

From what I inderstand, the jobs I've seen are office based and not operational so I hopefully wouldn't need to get there until the first trains have started running in the morning.

C J

ninhog · 24 Aug 2019

TheEdge said:
You do get a nationwide 75% discount on all tickets which as a staff member you can use to commute (I think but do double check), staff seasons are also sometimes available.

Technically, you need prior authorisation from Rail Staff Travel to use the PRIV discount on a season ticket.

Aivilo · 24 Aug 2019

Car park facilities are limited so don't hedge on them.

Priv only gives you 75% off leisure fares or I believe a one off seasonal ticket for work purposes which has to be authorised before purchase.

There is a general understand between TOCs when it comes to travel but always ask the guard first and never assume you will be allowed to travel for free despite being in uniform.

driver9000 · 24 Aug 2019

C J Snarzell said:
Thanks for the replies here.

TPE have offices in Centurian House which is on Deansgate, Manchester (close to the Hilton (Beetham Tower). They also appear to work out of Bridgewater House which is also in the city centre. I would assume both are reasonable walking distance from Victoria or Piccadilly.

Bridgwater House is the Head office for TPE. Oxford Road is the better station as it is round the corner from there but it's less than 10 minutes walk from Piccadilly. A little further from Victoria. I don't know what the car parking is like around there or if staff parking is provided.

OneLowban · 24 Aug 2019

Aivilo said:
There is a general understand between TOCs when it comes to travel but always ask the guard first and never assume you will be allowed to travel for free despite being in uniform.

This.

A guy on our course bought a 3 month ticket for GN and was begging the revenue to look at it.

However there will always be that one inspector when you don’t buy a ticket/ask the guard/ticket office that will give you a hard time.

Aivilo · 24 Aug 2019

I had one LM guard who would always call control to check if we were booked on the job that passed from new street to Crewe. He was only doing his job but became a little tiresome when you in full ornate gear and done 12 hour turn

185 · 25 Aug 2019

Aivilo said:
I had one LM guard who would always call control to check if we were booked on the job that passed from new street to Crewe.

Get the point but chances are their behaviour is probably a result of someone at the other company doing the exact same thing to them.

I say, never become that guard - it ruins it for all the others, and spreads the problem.

At the end of the day, be grateful for every extra pair of hands on board - we may need them one day, where someone is chasing after you down the train with a chainsaw

Undiscovered · 25 Aug 2019

As i understand it, if you have a priv season during disruption, then you're entitled to be got home by any means required.
If you're travelling pass as staff, then they only have to get you back to your home depot.

Aivilo · 25 Aug 2019

185 said:
Get the point but chances are their behaviour is probably a result of someone at the other company doing the exact same thing to them.

I say, never become that guard - it ruins it for all the others, and spreads the problem.

At the end of the day, be grateful for every extra pair of hands on board - we may need them one day, where someone is chasing after you down the train with a chainsaw

As I said he was only doing his job. I am an avid supporter of keeping them on the train. I've worked DOO and with guards/conductors and whilst it doesn't stop me doing my job I wouldn't want to work a train without them.

Back on subject question has been answered but would be worth asking at interview so you totally clear in that particular TOCs set up

Ebee · 25 Aug 2019

Does anyone know if the 75% discount applies to a tfl season ticket? It may be a stupid question but I genuinely don't know. I live in London it would make the commute to Paddington much more affordable. I am starting with GWR in October

tiptoptaff · 25 Aug 2019

Ebee said:
Does anyone know if the 75% discount applies to a tfl season ticket? It may be a stupid question but I genuinely don't know. I live in London it would make the commute to Paddington much more affordable. I am starting with GWR in October

GWR new entrants do not get any TFL concessions, unless your commute would be on Crossrail relief line services between Paddington and Reading

ninhog · 26 Aug 2019

tiptoptaff said:
GWR new entrants do not get any TFL concessions, unless your commute would be on Crossrail relief line services between Paddington and Reading

Is this for underground or overground services?

Surely GWR staff get their PRIV discount?

And with regards to the underground, wouldn’t GWR staff get their PTAC after a year?

tiptoptaff · 26 Aug 2019

ninhog said:
Is this for underground or overground services?

Surely GWR staff get their PRIV discount?

And with regards to the underground, wouldn’t GWR staff get their PTAC after a year?

As far as I know, all GWR staff get is travel on Crossrail services that at one point were GWR

Mag_seven · 26 Aug 2019

While I dare say the advice given on here is sound, I suggest for a definitive answer you contact your TOC's Travel facilities section.

Ebee · 26 Aug 2019

Mag_seven said:
While I dare say the advice given on here is sound, I suggest for a definitive answer you contact your TOC's Travel facilities section.

Agreed! That's what I'm going to do.

74A · 26 Aug 2019

tiptoptaff said:
As far as I know, all GWR staff get is travel on Crossrail services that at one point were GWR

Not for new staff they don't

whhistle · 27 Aug 2019

I'd be interested to know what Virgin West Coast and East Coast get in the way of other TOC travel.
Aren't they the only two that don't have any other TOCs now? (and TfW now I suppose).

Not sure if anything has been left over from Virgin / Stagecoach days.

tiptoptaff · 27 Aug 2019

What I'd suspect the West Coast will get come December is the usual First Group travel benefits, being:

Free travel on their own services for themselves and partner/spouse/dependents

Usual TOC PRIV for self/partner/spouse/Dependant

First Group "boxes" for a number of days free travel on the other First Group TOCs

A number(can't remember what it is) of Family and Friends rover tickets per year - these are for a days unlimited travel for up to 4people travelling with the pass holder, so either staff or Partner/Spouse/Dependant. These are currently £6. Great value when you think about it. Can't remember off hand if it's just for own TOC or for Group, or for parts of.

A number of weekly First Bus tickets per year - again £6. Valid on any of the First Bus networks around the UK.

craigybagel · 30 Aug 2019

whhistle said:
I'd be interested to know what Virgin West Coast and East Coast get in the way of other TOC travel.
Aren't they the only two that don't have any other TOCs now? (and TfW now I suppose).

Not sure if anything has been left over from Virgin / Stagecoach days.

TfW staff get nothing except travel on their own TOC (plus the usual TOC benefits like PRIV and FIP). It's a little sad as under Arriva the travel package was the best in the industry but TfW do make up for it in other ways.

When I worked for Virgin West Coast it was the exact same, no discounts on Stagecoach routes despite the partnership. I understand they did get reciprocal travel on East Coast when that was part of the Virgin brand but I'm assuming that has long since ended.

sw1ller · 31 Aug 2019

craigybagel said:
TfW staff get nothing except travel on their own TOC (plus the usual TOC benefits like PRIV and FIP). It's a little sad as under Arriva the travel package was the best in the industry but TfW do make up for it in other ways.

When I worked for Virgin West Coast it was the exact same, no discounts on Stagecoach routes despite the partnership. I understand they did get reciprocal travel on East Coast when that was part of the Virgin brand but I'm assuming that has long since ended.

Enlighten me

tiptoptaff · 31 Aug 2019

sw1ller said:
Enlighten me

And I.
Worst people I've ever had the displeasure of working for

sw1ller · 31 Aug 2019

I wouldn’t go that far, I’ve not been on the railway all my life and have seen far FAR worse. But they’re starting to make Arriva look like they knew what they were doing.

craigybagel · 31 Aug 2019

sw1ller said:
Enlighten me

They certainly care about the franchise more then Arriva did at the end. Problems we were reporting for years that Arriva ignored or declared weren't their problem were dealt with almost immediately when TfW took over. And to be fair, almost all of the current issues they're having this summer are either legacy issues from Arriva, or problems completely out of their hands.

Arriva would never have dealt with the delay to the 769s by reintroducing 37s.
Arriva would never have dealt with the issues with late night Friday/Saturday trains by hiring security.
Arriva would never have ordered replacement handsets for Star Mobile.
Plus various other things we probably can't discuss on social media.

Have they been dealt with a worse hand then they may have expected? Absolutely. And I understand why our passengers may be frustrated. But I reckon things would be even worse right now if Arriva were still in charge.

tiptoptaff · 31 Aug 2019

And a lot of those things would have been done if they'd had the money they'd asked for that the WAG didn't have, but has mysteriously found now it's got no one to hide behind.

My issues with Arriva were with the way they treated people, but as an organisation they got and still get a lot of unfair criticism

Giacomo · 1 Sep 2019

whhistle said:
I'd be interested to know what Virgin West Coast and East Coast get in the way of other TOC travel.
Aren't they the only two that don't have any other TOCs now? (and TfW now I suppose).

Not sure if anything has been left over from Virgin / Stagecoach days.

LNER staff members get unlimited free leisure travel on Virgin Trains West Coast and East Midlands Trains / EMR services.

Undiscovered · 20 Sep 2019

whhistle said:
I'd be interested to know what Virgin West Coast and East Coast get in the way of other TOC travel.
Aren't they the only two that don't have any other TOCs now? (and TfW now I suppose).

Generally, you have a chat with the guard before boarding and ask if you can travel, or if he'd like you to buy on board.

C J Snarzell · 20 Sep 2019

I've recently applied for a couple of roles. One was on the Manchester Metrolink which is currently being operated by the Keolis Amey partnership. Employees get free travel on the tram network but there is nothing on their website that says staff get any discounts on the railway network. As I live nowhere near any of the metrolink lines I would have to commute to their depots in Queens Road and Old Trafford either by car or train. Given if I was paying full travelling costs over the year it would soon add up. Needless to say I didn't get the job and if I'm incorrect about non-Metrolink discounts with other TOCs please put me right?!?!

The other job I recently applied for was with the Transport for Greater Manchester who's offices are on Piccadilly Gate in central Manchester. Their employees apparently get free travel on ALL services as long as it's within the county of Greater Manchester.

Being ex-police we too used to get a few perks. If you were on duty in uniform there was never a problem jumping on the bus or the train to get from A and to B because generally you were a welcome presence to deter any trouble makers and make life easier for drivers, conductors, etc. Again off duty there were certain discounts but the problem was that in a police force there are always one or two idiots who ruin it for everyone else. I know of a couple of cops in recent years who have landed themselves in the mire because they have pulled out their warrant cards off duty to blag a free ride. I was always wary of keeping my profession private and I was more than happy to pay my way anywhere.

My mate is a cop in the Metropolitan Police and he lives in Surrey. He says that the Met get free travel on everything across London and the home counties including off duty. He did say that there is a limit to how far out of London you can go for free - I think it's something like a thirty mile radius from outside the Met boundary.

C J

Travel discounts for staff

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