4 day closure of ECML south of Peterborough

[LBMPSB]

That’s bizarre. As a TOC employee trains not running/being disrupted generally results in a taxi being provided or, if it happens en route to work, a good excuse for arriving late!

Network Rail has a policy of not supplying taxis for staff except in exceptional circumstances, your local manager has the balls to order them for you 9doesn't mind about the backlash they will get), or you work in the echelons of Network Rail Control. Under BR I always was given a taxi, even shared a taxi with drivers, guards etc. Network Rail now have a policy for new staff, that they have to live within an hour of their work location and have their own transport to get them to work!!. Didn't help me as even under PT&R when I was displaced from my original work location, my travelling distance doubled and the one hour 30 min train journey was acceptable. I did on many occasions catch taxi rides with Drivers and TOC staff, but probably wasn't allowed.

 

[dk1]

Network Rail has a policy of not supplying taxis for staff except in exceptional circumstances, your local manager has the balls to order them for you 9doesn't mind about the backlash they will get), or you work in the echelons of Network Rail Control. Under BR I always was given a taxi, even shared a taxi with drivers, guards etc. Network Rail now have a policy for new staff, that they have to live within an hour of their work location and have their own transport to get them to work!!. Didn't help me as even under PT&R when I was displaced from my original work location, my travelling distance doubled and the one hour 30 min train journey was acceptable. I did on many occasions catch taxi rides with Drivers and TOC staff, but probably wasn't allowed.

Totally different to TOCs then. We obviously provide taxis for traincrew at a moments notice but also for the likes of staff into control/operations offices during strike action or disruption from home.

 

[43066]

Totally different to TOCs then. We obviously provide taxis for traincrew at a moments notice but also for the likes of staff into control/operations offices during strike action or disruption from home.

Where I am you do need a valid reason, but they’re pretty grown up about it, and there’s never generally an issue asking for one, so long as you don’t completely take the mick. It makes sense because if the staff aren’t there, they can’t run the trains at the end of the day!

 

[LBMPSB]

Totally different to TOCs then. We obviously provide taxis for traincrew at a moments notice but also for the likes of staff into control/operations offices during strike action or disruption from home.

Yes that is the case. Also TOc staff get free travel on their own companies trains to and from work. Network Rail has no trains and now thanks to RMT, give staff 75% discount on a Season Ticket. I was a bit more fortunate because I was ex-BR and kept my T&Cs and got free Residential Travel under displacement to and from work. But no Network Rail, despite being a National Rail operator, does not look after its staff in regards travel.

 

[dk1]

Yes that is the case. Also TOc staff get free travel on their own companies trains to and from work. Network Rail has no trains and now thanks to RMT, give staff 75% discount on a Season Ticket. I was a bit more fortunate because I was ex-BR and kept my T&Cs and got free Residential Travel under displacement to and from work. But no Network Rail, despite being a National Rail operator, does not look after its staff in regards travel.

Crazy to think that when I was a roster/production clerk under BR that we had to buy a ‘priv’ rate season ticket. Soon as privatisation happened in 97 we were all given unlimited leisure/duty passes. One of the good things to come out of the change but only if you worked for a TOC.

 

[LBMPSB]

Where I am you do need a valid reason, but they’re pretty grown up about it, and there’s never generally an issue asking for one, so long as you don’t completely take the mick. It makes sense because if the staff aren’t there, they can’t run the trains, at the end of the day!

Might be the case in a single personed Signal Box, but in an ROC they will let staff work without breaks rather than pay for a taxi, until I got into work. It was amazing how a booked 1 hour 30 minutish train journey couldbe extended to 3 hours for whatever reason, and it was happening more often than not.

 

[dk1]

Where I am you do need a valid reason, but they’re pretty grown up about it, and there’s never generally an issue asking for one, so long as you don’t completely take the mick. It makes sense because if the staff aren’t there, they can’t run the trains at the end of the day!

Hotels have also been offered to staff if they prefer.

 

[LBMPSB]

Crazy to think that when I was a roster/production clerk under BR that we had to buy a ‘priv’ rate season ticket. Soon as privatisation happened in 97 we were all given unlimited leisure/duty passes. One of the good things to come out of the change but only if you worked for a TOC.

It was the other way with Network Rail Staff. Under BR I used to have a Residential Pass to and from work and also had an All Station Southern Region pass, didn't keep the All Stations pass under privatisation, and only ex-BR staff kept their Rail Ticket Privileges including residential Travel. Only recently Network Rail staff get a Rail Discount Card but they have to buy it every year!! So I worked alongside same graded staff, I got free travel to work, got free leisure travel and discounted 75% travel even a FIP card for use abroad and my colleagues got nothing until recently. I could have got married had kids and they too would have gotten the free travel priviliges, but my colleagues new to Network Rail couldn't!!

Hotels have also been offered to staff if they prefer.

The only time I have known Network Rail to provide Hotels is during extreme weather.

 

[dk1]

It was the other way with Network Rail Staff. Under BR I used to have a Residential Pass to and from work and also had an All Station Southern Region pass, didn't keep the All Stations pass under privatisation, and only ex-BR staff kept their Rail Ticket Privileges including residential Travel. Only recently Network Rail staff get a Rail Discount Card but they have to buy it every year!! So I worked alongside same graded staff, I got free travel to work, got free leisure travel and discounted 75% travel even a FIP card for use abroad and my colleagues got nothing until recently. I could have got married had kids and they too would have gotten the free travel priviliges, but my colleagues new to Network Rail couldn't!!

Yes all very unfair. Even now I have boxes spare at the end of each year usually as don’t need to fill any in at any TOC operated by Transport UK.

Obviously boxes not allowed for duty travel then or now.

 

[Falcon1200]

I could have got married had kids and they too would have gotten the free travel priviliges, but my colleagues new to Network Rail couldn't!!

The resentment at the apparent unfairness is quite understandable, but the reason some fortunate Network Rail staff (of whom I am gratefully one) got/get full travel facilities is not because we work for Network Rail but because we worked for British Rail. IIRC the late Robert Adley MP played a part in the retention of staff travel for ex-BR staff.

 

[Mag_seven]

Looks like we have given up talking about the four day blockade. If anyone wants to discuss anything else then they are welcome to start a new thread.

thanks all