A Parliamentary Trains franchise

[Peter Kelford]

Could there be a franchise dedicated to routes that are served less than daily in both directions? Such a company would obviously live off subsidies, but perhaps with additional money made from 'repositioning' charters?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Seems a good way to increase costs. For instance, and I'm not sure if it's still true but it definitely was, the weekly Stockport-Stalybridge train used to be basically free to operate (and therefore probably profitable due to ticket sales) because an ECS ran daily in that path which had a driver and guard anyway, so stopping it just cost the marginal cost of additional fuel for the small number of station stops.

 

[Peter Kelford]

Not all trains are like that. For the Stockport-Stalybridge service, perhaps the ECS should stop everyday, elevating it out of parliamentary status.

 

[Peter Kelford]

Not all trains are like that. For the Stockport-Stalybridge service, perhaps the ECS should stop everyday, elevating it out of parliamentary status.

You can actually benefit from a daily service, unlike a Sundays only weekly one.

 

[Ianno87]

Not all trains are like that. For the Stockport-Stalybridge service, perhaps the ECS should stop everyday, elevating it out of parliamentary status.

All that does is increase cost (a guard needs to be provided every day), for no revenue benefit. If anything, the little revenue made today may drop if the train becomes less 'novel'.

 

[Peter Kelford]

All that does is increase cost (a guard needs to be provided every day), for no revenue benefit. If anything, the little revenue made today may drop if the train becomes less 'novel'.

What I'm trying to encourage is the use of 'unique' types on parliamentary trains across the country with unique branding etc.

 

[NewcastleOne]

Why??? These lines are barely used and would be a massive white elephant. There’s no point what so ever. Plus the distance between the P.Lines. Absolutely no point. Although would be nice from a enthusiast point.

 

[Gathursty]

It would be good if more of the passenger facing staff were aware of these 'Parliamentary' services as I remember being at Wolverhampton for the Walsall service was later cancelled. The staff seemed to be unaware that the service even existed.

Perhaps TOCs could make a distinction between limited and Parliamentary services on their network routes.

 

[swt_passenger]

Seems a good way to increase costs. For instance, and I'm not sure if it's still true but it definitely was, the weekly Stockport-Stalybridge train used to be basically free to operate (and therefore probably profitable due to ticket sales) because an ECS ran daily in that path which had a driver and guard anyway, so stopping it just cost the marginal cost of additional fuel for the small number of station stops.

If you can increase costs high enough it’ll become more cost effective to undertake full closure procedures. I don’t think that was the aim of this suggestion...