Keep Safety Critical Guards on Trains ePetition

[ANorthernGuard]

I just want to ask a favour! Could all those that believe in keeping Safety Critical guards (Like Myself) on trains please sign this ePetition

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/66647

I don't want this to turn into the age old debate I am just asking that people who do want to keep Guards on trains sign it.

Many Thanks

ANG

Mods' note: please respect ANorthernGuard's request, and use the Should we have DOO? thread instead, if you wish to debate the pros & cons of DOO

 

[pemma]

I think you can probably guess what the government response will be if they get enough signatures. (Along the lines of we are consulting and have no final plans and are looking at ways of reducing the amount of ticket-less travel on Northern Rail services and one way of doing under consideration is for the guard to carry on ticket checking duties while the train is stopped and alternative ideas for achieving this can be submitted as responses to the consultation.)

 

[Clip]

Done.

 

[Monty]

Signed.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Signed it.

 

[Urban Gateline]

Signed.

 

[Hyphen]

Signed.

There's another petition that's been publicised by some of the Northern staff on Twitter (Sammie SPAD, et al) which is hosted by 38Degrees:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-safety-critical-conductors-on-the-train-at-northern-rail

EDIT: Just noticed that they're both being managed by the same chap.

 

[Twoonthebuzzer]

Signed

 

[Qwerty133]

Does anyone know if there's a minimum age to sign these? Would sign it but guessing you have to be 18 and don't want to get in trouble.

 

[pemma]

Does anyone know if there's a minimum age to sign these? Would sign it but guessing you have to be 18 and don't want to get in trouble.

Should be 18 - voting age to sign one.

 

[Tomnick]

I'd urge folk to not only sign both petitions, but also to share them as widely as possible. There are an increasing number of attempts to explain what the guard's role actually involves (such as this one) and dispel the myth that our traincrew colleagues are no more than militant ticket checkers - well worth a read, and also well worth sharing.

 

[SJN]

Signed

 

[Urban Gateline]

I'd urge folk to not only sign both petitions, but also to share them as widely as possible. There are an increasing number of attempts to explain what the guard's role actually involves (such as this one) and dispel the myth that our traincrew colleagues are no more than militant ticket checkers - well worth a read, and also well worth sharing.

Exactly! If we all share the petition on Facebook/Twitter it will reach quite a wide audience and hopefully get more signatues! Of course good old fashioned word of mouth works too!

 

[Vicpaul]

Signed

 

[pemma]

I'd urge folk to not only sign both petitions, but also to share them as widely as possible. There are an increasing number of attempts to explain what the guard's role actually involves (such as this one) and dispel the myth that our traincrew colleagues are no more than militant ticket checkers - well worth a read, and also well worth sharing.

A problem with that article, it quotes from the consultation but omits the bit saying "On the Northern franchise, we expect to require bidders to set out how DOO may be introduced onto suitable services" and then starts talking about DOO being introduced on parliamentary services and lines with request stops which are obviously the least suitable candidates for DOO. It also talks about the Manchester-Huddersfield stopper which has had a lot of publicity in local media regarding proposals to replace it with 2 x Manchester-Leeds semi-fasts operated by TPE, so not a good example of a line to pick.

 

[Tomnick]

The principle is sound though - what applies to Manchester - Huddersfield will apply elsewhere too. Parliamentary services perhaps less so (easier to continue under conventional operation), but I can certainly see increased pressure to close lesser-used stations on lines, along with the whole service, converted to DOO (where the cost of upgrading can't be justified).

 

[alastair]

I just want to ask a favour! Could all those that believe in keeping Safety Critical guards (Like Myself) on trains please sign this ePetition

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/66647

I don't want this to turn into the age old debate I am just asking that people who do want to keep Guards on trains sign it.

Many Thanks

ANG

Just curious but could you say what a "Safety Critical" guard is? I havnt heard this expression before,is this a specific job title or does it just mean any guard where DOO is not in operation(i.e. the train can't run with passengers unless there is a guard).

Thanks

 

[plastictaffy]

Signed.

Cheers fella. Nice to know we're thought of well down your end of the line!!!

 

[Minilad]

Signed

 

[plastictaffy]

Just curious but could you say what a "Safety Critical" guard is? I havnt heard this expression before,is this a specific job title or does it just mean any guard where DOO is not in operation(i.e. the train can't run with passengers unless there is a guard).

Thanks

A Safety Critical job is exactly what it says on the tin. The job is critical to safety. This encompasses pretty much everyone on the railway that works on the operational side, including Despatchers, Signalmen, Guards, Drivers etc etc. I believe (although someone will probably be along in a minute to tell me different, coz that is pretty much the only thing people like to do on this forum!!!) that people that hold a SC role most be certified for PTS also.
All "Guards" or "Train Managers" or "Senior Conductors" or whatever nomenclature is used by the various TOC's will be classed as Safety Critical, and should also be conversant with the Rule Book, and certified for PTS.

 

[LateThanNever]

I just want to ask a favour! Could all those that believe in keeping Safety Critical guards (Like Myself) on trains please sign this ePetition

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/66647

I don't want this to turn into the age old debate I am just asking that people who do want to keep Guards on trains sign it.

Many Thanks

ANG

Signed.

 

[muz379]

signed

 

[455driver]

I have signed both.

 

[pemma]

I think the way it's been written means only rail staff are going to sign it. It sounds like it's been written by the RMT who are more concerned about their member's interests than passenger safety. In contrast a petition in my local Co-op about keeping the local fire station properly staffed and not putting staff 'on call' explains the facts without any bias, for instance, it refers to 'firefighters' not to 'critical live-saving firefighters'.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I thinkg. Reading the thread that many who have so far signed are rail staff. Appologies for anyone iv missed but I iave signed both as has the Wife and we are just normal passengers and Im an enthusiast too obviously!

 

[yorkie]

Please respect ANorthernGuard's request to stick to discussing the petition specifically.

DOO has surely been done to death recently, but I've split the posts to a new thread Should we have DOO? for anyone who feels they want to continue discussing the pros & cons of DOO (in a polite & respectful manner!)

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Thanks Yorkie

 

[trentside]

Both signed.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Signed the second one now as well.

 

[Hyphen]

I thinkg. Reading the thread that many who have so far signed are rail staff. Appologies for anyone iv missed but I iave signed both as has the Wife and we are just normal passengers and Im an enthusiast too obviously!

I'm a passenger (and enthusiast) - not rail staff, and I've signed both!

My only real link to rail staff (other than on here) is that I know an ATW driver socially. Having spoken to him at length about his opinion on DOO, I realise how important guards are to the daily running of the railway.