Does the industry still aspire to T-12?

[Alfie1014]

Mindful of the efforts to achieve T-12 (having all timetables available and booking windows for ticketing 12 weeks before operation) in the 90s and early 2000s is this still an aspiration for the industry, of has it been quietly dropped?

I ask because on the AGA Twitter Feed (which in the main I think the staff do a grand job under the circumstances) they have been repeatedly stating in response to tickets not being avialable that timetable only becomes available around 4 week in advance.

 

[causton]

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/44703.aspx

This shows the true answers, so perhaps it was one of the two dates listed that the people were asking for or AGA were making it up.

As you can see, it is roughly T-12 still.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Last I heard, Network Rail are required to provide timings for engineering works at T-12 so that timetables can be finalised by T-8 at the latest. I believe that each TOC has a set of plans for timetables when particular stretches of line are closed, so they are produced earlier.

 

[Alfie1014]

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/44703.aspx

This shows the true answers, so perhaps it was one of the two dates listed that the people were asking for or AGA were making it up.

As you can see, it is roughly T-12 still.

Thanks for pointing out that page on National Rail I hadn't seen it before. The issue seems to be an AGA specific one and it was one weekend on October that passengers were querying. I'm sure it's partly to do with the volume of pre-Crossrail works on the route at the moment.

 

[The Planner]

We get hit with fines and slapped wrists if we miss T-12, it depends on the block and work as to what timetable we produce with the TOCs.

 

[306024]

Last I heard, Network Rail are required to provide timings for engineering works at T-12 so that timetables can be finalised by T-8 at the latest. I believe that each TOC has a set of plans for timetables when particular stretches of line are closed, so they are produced earlier.

NR should provide timings at T-14, to allow the TOC to consider if the changes meet their requirements in time for the timetables to be published at T-12. Of course that all depends on NR finalising their engineering work at T-26, and the TOC bidding on time at T-18. Sometimes it doesn't all go that smoothly.

You are very lucky if you have a timetable on the shelf that meets all the different permutations of engineering work on any given day. Most plans need some bespoke tweaking.

 

[Class 170101]

It would be fair to say the move from Regional Centres at Leeds, Birmingham and Paddington has been far from a success in terms of NR planning.

 

[The Planner]

We have had 6 years to sort that though. TOCs arent blameless as it is far from unknown for them to bid late.

 

[306024]

........TOCs arent blameless as it is far from unknown for them to bid late.

Or indeed for NR to move the goalposts, or should I say possession limits. But it is not about blame, TOC and NR planners in my experience do work together to resolve issues.