mattdickinson
Member
There is one more gate to the right beside what I presume is space for the service vehicle gate.
It’s supposed to be by popular demand though. Or at least that’s probably what their survey or consultation will have been designed to prove...
I don't think it will die entirely; there will always be some who still use it (especially unknowing tourists). But those who know what the better option is will undoubtedly use Crossrail, if and when (!) that opens with a usable timetable (the splitting of the routes at Paddington etc. is very annoying from a passenger's point of view IMO!).It's going to die anyway - Crossrail will kill it by virtue of going where people want to go rather than some outpost on the very western edge of London where none of the big business is. Might as well have the revenue in the meantime.
5 gates? That'll take a while to empty a 9 car train through. HEx is about to lose some of its journey time trump card...
I saw someone turn up at High Wycombe with a contactless debit card today. My guess is that some people will favour convenience no matter what the price.
I'm sure those people will be having regrets when they get their bank statements at the end of the month. That is the trouble with paying by card - it doesn't feel like you're spending any money!
I saw someone turn up at High Wycombe with a contactless debit card today. My guess is that some people will favour convenience no matter what the price.
If the throughput of people on wide gates is quick enough there tends not to be time for them to close.
I don't think it will die entirely; there will always be some who still use it (especially unknowing tourists). But those who know what the better option is will undoubtedly use Crossrail, if and when (!) that opens with a usable timetable (the splitting of the routes at Paddington etc. is very annoying from a passenger's point of view IMO!).
I agree - there will be some who use it based on how it is sold to people arriving at Heathrow. But I think HEx will be shooting themselves in the foot with this barrier line with 'regulars' - it'll seriously dent the premium 'experience'. Might as well just switch allegiance to the slightly better Crossrail frequency instead...
Bert and Ada aren't using Heathrow Express at the outrageous prices charged. They're changing at Reading onto the bus or a taxi, or driving to the airport. Or if they live in London they're using the Tube. Or not flying from Ee'throw in the first place, more likely Luton or Stansted!
Use HEx and look at the passengers. They aren't families and older couples, they are lone, mostly business travellers.
You can't do any significant amount of work in 15 minutes. I doubt many people work on the HEx at all.
You can't do any significant amount of work in 15 minutes. I doubt many people work on the HEx at all.
....or they are changing at Hayes & Harlington (from Reading) and waiting a few minutes for the TFL Rail train that takes them straight to the airportBert and Ada aren't using Heathrow Express at the outrageous prices charged. They're changing at Reading onto the bus or a taxi, or driving to the airport. Or if they live in London they're using the Tube. Or not flying from Ee'throw in the first place, more likely Luton or Stansted!
Use HEx and look at the passengers. They aren't families and older couples, they are lone, mostly business travellers.
That is very true, although Monzo is still emerging and I don't know how many who know about it let alone trust it. I only knew myself because I got an ad for them on Facebook a while ago. Apple Pay and the like also notify you too but the same as Monzo, only after you have already paid and by that time the damage is already done.With the modern online banks like Monzo notifying you of spending, this isn't necessarily the case any more.
That is very true, although Monzo is still emerging and I don't know how many who know about it let alone trust it. I only knew myself because I got an ad for them on Facebook a while ago. Apple Pay and the like also notify you too but the same as Monzo, only after you have already paid and by that time the damage is already done.
Wouldnt bert and ada be quicker changing at Hayes & Harlington for the tfl rail than going into paddington Even a fast intercity would not make up the time difference of changing at slough for a slower train and then changing for the elizabeth line at Hayes also your comment about someone stealing their luggage on the elizabeth line smacks of snobbery.Ah yes, Bert & Ada will arrive into Paddington from Swindon all ready for their annual holiday and instead of being able to take up a seat on a Heathrow Express service they will go to Paddington low level, wait round for the correct 345 on a crowded platform for a minimal dwell time service already busy with folk heading to Ealing or Southall, on a metro interior unit with no luggage space meaning they will probably be standing for the first 10 minutes...
... Don't worry Bert says to Ada, next year we will avoid this hassle and book an airport taxi, at least there is no worry about Dodgy Bob stealing your suitcase when he gets of at Hanwell.
Wouldnt bert and ada be quicker changing at Hayes & Harlington for the tfl rail than going into paddington Even a fast intercity would not make up the time difference of changing at slough for a slower train and then changing for the elizabeth line at Hayes also your comment about someone stealing their luggage on the elizabeth line smacks of snobbery.
And if you are spending a couple thousand on a holiday, paying for an 90 day advance for HEX won't break the bank.
But still all those business travellers being forced to change at a busy Paddington low level, unable to do any work using the metro spec 345s and unable to relax due to having to stand...
... Taxi!
HEX could go for the GX approach and drop "Buy on board" due to the introduction of gates.I don't know about others, but even when I'm in a rush, HEX has already lost out on about 50% of my business. I take the HEX from T-5 to T-123, and then if a TfL Rail train leaves shortly afterwards, I can now "hop out" and connect, ending with a cheaper fare.
(I actually think the SWT service to Feltham is highly underrated though. I live near Waterloo, and even factoring in the bus journey that service is somewhere between HEX and Tube for speed).
By the way, will the Paddington "gates" actually have gates on them? I don't see how they can, unless HEX wish to give up the "Buy a ticket on board" option. The lack of gates will hopefully make things faster (I suspect that only a minority will actually opt to use the Oyster/Contactless methods, for the vast majority of the population HEX Advance Tickets are cheapest way to use the service).
They have gates at the Heathrow end, don’t they? Didn’t they have to introduce free gate passes at the Heathrow stations for inter terminal transfer?By the way, will the Paddington "gates" actually have gates on them? I don't see how they can, unless HEX wish to give up the "Buy a ticket on board" option. The lack of gates will hopefully make things faster (I suspect that only a minority will actually opt to use the Oyster/Contactless methods, for the vast majority of the population HEX Advance Tickets are cheapest way to use the service).
Bert and Ada aren't using Heathrow Express at the outrageous prices charged. They're changing at Reading onto the bus or a taxi, or driving to the airport. Or if they live in London they're using the Tube. Or not flying from Ee'throw in the first place, more likely Luton or Stansted!
Use HEx and look at the passengers. They aren't families and older couples, they are lone, mostly business travellers.
So change at Reading for the half hourly service which calls at Slough, and then a Metro Spec 345 stopper to Hayes or a Metro-Spec 345 stopper all the way to Hayes, and then wait around at Hayes for the correct Metro-Spec 345 to roll in with minimal dwell times to be able to board. (Working on the basis that the 345s will eventually enter service replacing the 387s on GWML stopping services)
After-all the Metro Spec 345s have no luggage racks, not even overhead luggage racks as they were designed to hold as many people as possible within the Crossrail core.
The airport taxi service sounds even more appealing
HEX could go for the GX approach and drop "Buy on board" due to the introduction of gates.
That's exactly what is being done. I'd expect it to be DOO too.
HEx is DOO already isn't it?