Drop in passenger numbers sees train services cut

infobleep · 24 Mar 2020

I see Matt Hancock has, in todays press briefing, said TfL should be running a full service to stop overcrowding on tube trains

Matt Hancock also said Tube services should be running "in full", after being asked about packed trains during Tuesday's morning commute.

BBC News - Coronavirus: Only go to your job if you cannot work from home - Hancock
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52022417

Are there any other TOCs with reduced timetables that is causing overcrowding? I appreciate the resources to not run short trains or provide more services may not exits, given the need for some to self isolate.

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hwl · 24 Mar 2020

infobleep said:
I see Matt Hancock has, in todays press briefing, said TfL should be running a full service to stop overcrowding on tube trains

BBC News - Coronavirus: Only go to your job if you cannot work from home - Hancock
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52022417

Are there any other TOCs with reduced timetables that is causing overcrowding? I appreciate the resources to not run short trains or provide more services may not exits, given the need for some to self isolate.

As I previously noted report of a few issues pre 0730 on C2C (cur from 18tph to 6tph) which aligns with the busy tube times

snookertam · 24 Mar 2020

infobleep said:
I see Matt Hancock has, in todays press briefing, said TfL should be running a full service to stop overcrowding on tube trains

BBC News - Coronavirus: Only go to your job if you cannot work from home - Hancock
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52022417

Are there any other TOCs with reduced timetables that is causing overcrowding? I appreciate the resources to not run short trains or provide more services may not exits, given the need for some to self isolate.

There was talk of some very busy services into Glasgow on Monday, not sure if this has been replicated today though. I think it was either on the Ayrshire or Inverclyde routes.

infobleep · 24 Mar 2020

I see Great Western Railway have cancelled the services that will be cancelled tomorrow, from the journey planners.

I take it their software doesn't allow them to cancel a series of trains on consecutive days at once or they would have done so? This would work by selecting times of trains to be cancelled and the dates you'd like them cancelled for.

deltic · 24 Mar 2020

Is anyone travelling on Heathrow Express - I see they have halved their service but that's less than the reduction in flights coming into Heathrow and I imagine many them are lightly loaded.

Killingworth · 24 Mar 2020

My local barometer to indicate rail users has dropped from 200-250 parked cars to 1, and he's away for a few days!

Seems a lot are now working from home and discovering other ways to avoid trains. The longer this goes on, and 3 months is optimistic, the less likely we'll be needing the services we had only a fortnight ago.

johntea · 24 Mar 2020

Looks like the timetable data has been updated now to remove the ‘cancelled’ trains

The Ham · 24 Mar 2020

Killingworth said:
My local barometer to indicate rail users has dropped from 200-250 parked cars to 1, and he's away for a few days!

Seems a lot are now working from home and discovering other ways to avoid trains. The longer this goes on, and 3 months is optimistic, the less likely we'll be needing the services we had only a fortnight ago.

Yet conversely, you can get a refund on your season ticket but not on your car insurance, lease cost/purchase cost of your car and the like.

If it is a longer term thing with restrictions being eased and tightened rail may well look like a good option for some (in that if you aren't supposed to travel then you'll be working from home).

The way we travel and how often we do so is going to be a lot different once this is over.

johntea · 24 Mar 2020

Just been asked by the guard on a Northern train where I’m travelling and why I’m travelling...apparently an instruction sent down by HQ!

Bald Rick · 24 Mar 2020

The Ham said:
Yet conversely, you can get a refund on your season ticket but not on your car insurance, lease cost/purchase cost of your car and the like.

You absolutely can.

Refund on car cost - sell it, and you’ll get back fair value for it.
Refund on insurance - phone them up, and they will usually refund you with an admin charge.

I’ve done both several times!

43066 · 24 Mar 2020

Bald Rick said:
You absolutely can.

Refund on car cost - sell it, and you’ll get back fair value for it.
Refund on insurance - phone them up, and they will usually refund you with an admin charge.

I’ve done both several times!

Difficult to do if you’re leasing - you don’t own the car so you can’t sell it. The contracts also don’t typically allow for early termination and/or involve stiff penalties for so doing.

If the car is on a PCP deal you will likely be underwater in terms of market value versus amount owed for the majority of the agreement.

43066 · 24 Mar 2020

johntea said:
Just been asked by the guard on a Northern train where I’m travelling and why I’m travelling...apparently an instruction sent down by HQ!

A question you could quite reasonably refuse to answer!

3rd rail land · 24 Mar 2020

johntea said:
Just been asked by the guard on a Northern train where I’m travelling and why I’m travelling...apparently an instruction sent down by HQ!

What instruction does the guard have if you refuse to answer the 2nd part of that question? I presume nobody would have issues revealing what station they were travelling to.

Bletchleyite · 24 Mar 2020

3rd rail land said:
What instruction does the guard have if you refuse to answer the 2nd part of that question? I presume nobody would have issues revealing what station they were travelling to.

Usually the ticket is a giveaway there

The Ham · 24 Mar 2020

Bald Rick said:
You absolutely can.

Refund on car cost - sell it, and you’ll get back fair value for it.
Refund on insurance - phone them up, and they will usually refund you with an admin charge.

I’ve done both several times!

I bet that you probably wouldn't get a very good price selling a car at present.

Anyway the point was more to do with stopping and starting, in that if you used a car until last week and then we'll again at some point in the future the car would continue to cost you money whilst public transport would allow you to pay for what you use.

The other thing to bear in mind is the length of time that this takes. If your lease car is up for renewal during this would you get a new one now or wait for it to be over?

Bald Rick · 24 Mar 2020

43066 said:
Difficult to do if you’re leasing - you don’t own the car so you can’t sell it. The contracts also don’t typically allow for early termination and/or involve stiff penalties for so doing.

If the car is on a PCP deal you will likely be underwater in terms of market value versus amount owed for the majority of the agreement.

The Ham said:
I bet that you probably wouldn't get a very good price selling a car at present.

Anyway the point was more to do with stopping and starting, in that if you used a car until last week and then we'll again at some point in the future the car would continue to cost you money whilst public transport would allow you to pay for what you use.

The other thing to bear in mind is the length of time that this takes. If your lease car is up for renewal during this would you get a new one now or wait for it to be over?

Fair point on leasing - I’ve never leased a car (on the basis that car leasing companies take a margin which would be better in my pocket), so I don’t know how that works.

Definitely a buyers market for cars, should be perfect in a couple of months.

FGW_DID · 24 Mar 2020

43066 said:
A question you could quite reasonably refuse to answer!

essential travel only, why be awkward about it?

surprising reaction from someone who is Rail staff!
Wouldn’t surprise me if there is more of this over the next few days, backed up by BTP.

irish_rail · 24 Mar 2020

johntea said:
Just been asked by the guard on a Northern train where I’m travelling and why I’m travelling...apparently an instruction sent down by HQ!

If you are the only one in the carriage I don't really see the problem. The issue seems to be more in London where people are packed into tube trains. Pretty sure said guard was probably being nosey.

johntea · 24 Mar 2020

In normal circumstances of course they would be politely be told to mind their own business, but it certainly isn't normal circumstances in the world at the moment! I actually had to tell him he had nothing to apologise for once he found out I worked for the NHS! (Although thankfully I have been advised I can work from home starting tomorrow rather than a 50 mile commute each day)

43066 · 24 Mar 2020

FGW_DID said:
essential travel only, why be awkward about it?

surprising reaction from someone who is Rail staff!
Wouldn’t surprise me if there is more of this over the next few days, backed up by BTP.

Fair point.

I’m conflicted: people need to take this seriously and stop being so selfish; but I also don’t think staff should be put into the invidious position of challenging people about their reasons for travelling. That’s a job for the police.

I wouldn’t personally take very kindly to being asked such a question by anybody. But clearly we are living in exceptional times.

FGW_DID · 24 Mar 2020

43066 said:
Fair point.

I’m conflicted: people need to take this seriously and stop being so selfish; but I also don’t think staff should be put into the invidious position of challenging people about their reasons for travelling. That’s a job for the police.

I wouldn’t personally take very kindly to being asked such a question by anybody. But clearly we are living in exceptional times.

my bold

Seems like BTP are already on the case (excuse the pun

)

https://twitter.com/btp/status/1242534789414039559?s=21

A statement from our Assistant Chief Constable Sean O'Callaghan this evening.

We have 500 officers across the network tonight, supporting staff and reminding people of the urgent need to follow government advice.

"We strongly urge the rest of the public to do the right thing"

43066 · 24 Mar 2020

FGW_DID said:
my bold

Seems like BTP are already on the case (excuse the pun )

https://twitter.com/btp/status/1242534789414039559?s=21

Glad to see they’re on the case. All six of them

.

AndrewE · 24 Mar 2020

43066 said:
Fair point.
I’m conflicted: people need to take this seriously and stop being so selfish; but I also don’t think staff should be put into the invidious position of challenging people about their reasons for travelling. That’s a job for the police.

I really wouldn't want to be at the mercy of some person ("officer") at the bottom of the tree applying a dumbed-down questionnaire where "the wrong answer" could deprive me of my liberty.
The Windrush scandal shows how unfair British "Justice" has been (see https://www.theguardian.com/comment...rush-institutional-racism-hostile-environment) and I wouldn't want my liberty to depend on some arbitrary instruction coming out of the Home Office.
I wouldn’t personally be happy to accept such ineptitude in circumstances that might give me a criminal record, or just have me banged up because I was seen as being awkward or uncooperative. I'm just glad I don't personally know (and therefore have to worry about) anybody in prison, where the conditions are another undiscussed scandal.

43066 · 24 Mar 2020

AndrewE said:
I really wouldn't want to be at the mercy of some person ("officer") at the bottom of the tree applying a dumbed-down questionnaire where "the wrong answer" could deprive me of my liberty.
The Windrush scandal shows how unfair British "Justice" has been (see https://www.theguardian.com/comment...rush-institutional-racism-hostile-environment) and I wouldn't want my liberty to depend on some arbitrary instruction coming out of the Home Office.
I wouldn’t personally be happy to accept such ineptitude in circumstances that might give me a criminal record, or just have me banged up because I was seen as being awkward or uncooperative. I'm just glad I don't personally know (and therefore have to worry about) anybody in prison, where the conditions are another undiscussed scandal.

Well, quite!

Questioning from officialdom about your reasons for travelling smacks uncomfortably of 1930s Germany or Stalinist Russia.... “Where are your papers?!”.

Sadly that seems to be the direction we’re now heading in. I went out for a drive earlier* and anecdotally people in London still aren’t heeding the official advice to stay at home.

*I hasten to add I only went out myself because my cleaner turned up - which I was staggered by. I didn’t feel I could turn her away because, had I done so, I have no doubt she wouldn’t have been paid, and she’s trying to earn a living like the rest of us.

FGW_DID · 25 Mar 2020

I see someone’s been panic buying the tin foil! :rolleyes:

dvboy · 25 Mar 2020

I think the number of people travelling in peak time has been grossly underestimated in some areas.

Non key workers should be being encouraged to stop work where possible, or amend working hours so they do not need to travel at peak time.

MikeWM · 25 Mar 2020

Does anyone know GNs plans for next week other than their current vague 'Sunday timetable, maybe with a few extras?'

I have a hospital appointment next Tuesday, early in the morning, which will require a train journey to get to. If services off Ely won't start until the usual (insanely late) Sunday start at 0857, I'll be almost two hours late, which doesn't seem entirely satisfactory. I don't especially want to cancel the appointment, but if I have to because I literally can't get there in time, then I'd prefer to give as much notice as possible...

infobleep · 25 Mar 2020

MikeWM said:
Does anyone know GNs plans for next week other than their current vague 'Sunday timetable, maybe with a few extras?'

I have a hospital appointment next Tuesday, early in the morning, which will require a train journey to get to. If services off Ely won't start until the usual (insanely late) Sunday start at 0857, I'll be almost two hours late, which doesn't seem entirely satisfactory. I don't especially want to cancel the appointment, but if I have to because I literally can't get there in time, then I'd prefer to give as much notice as possible...

Some appointments are being done remotely via the phone. I don't know if yours can be.

MikeWM · 25 Mar 2020

infobleep said:
Some appointments are being done remotely via the phone. I don't know if yours can be.

Unfortunately not in this case.

reddragon · 25 Mar 2020

43066 said:
A question you could quite reasonably refuse to answer!

If you refuse, your journey should be refused.
Last night the BT Police would only let people onto stations with an adequate reason

Drop in passenger numbers sees train services cut

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