Well, if they made it free/cheaper for NR staff to travel by train they could say if you want a fly - you pay for it. Quite simple really. No obligation to use the train, but I think most would.
Has the RMT ever flown Ryanair or Easyjet? Travelling by train by comparison is the more expensive, indulgent 'lap of luxury'.
You've misunderstood their point.
Their point is that the railway network shouldn't be so expensive that flying is the cheaper option. Yet it usually is. I've just been to Glasgow for a weekend away and even booking weeks in advance on leisure tickets Virgin's price-gouging meant taking the plane was a no-brainer. That is ridiculous.
For business travel air will usually be the cheaper option simply because it is quicker.
Unless Network rail start opening budget hotels and restaurants, flying will often be cheaper. As some members of staff have pointed out, the big swing factor in the plane v train argument is the need to send people up the night before if going by train and the associated costs. Even if the tickets were free, it might still be more cost effective to fly!
You would think an organisation like Network Rail would be sensible enough to realise that 0900 meetings for staff travelling from afar are ridiculous. I don't see why so many businesses persist with them.
Have it at 1100 and you could easily get there by train from MK without any need to mess with Sleepers.
They could, and should, avoid that by not arranging 9am meetings for remote staff. In any case, someone who has got up at 4am to get to a 9am meeting in that way won't be at full effectiveness.
It is possible if you caught the Cal Sleeper.
1) Pretty difficult to have an all day meeting starting at 1100.
2) Why should a dozen Scotsmen (and women) alter their schedule just because 1 bloke is coming up from London?
4) on the contrary, when getting up at 0400, I'm at the peak of mid-season form by 0900!
If an all-day meeting is genuinely needed, travelling the day before and staying in a hotel makes more sense (or using the Sleeper).
1)
5) I'd rather not have a night away from my young family if I don't need to.
It didn't make sense. See points 5 & 6.
Also flying is much, much cheaper than train + hotel, thus saving the taxpayer cash.
A typical accountant's view. I would rather pay more and have an employee who had had a proper night's sleep than one who's half asleep and stressed and save 100 quid. Though that does depend rather on the individual.
Those saying that NR staff should get free travel from the TOCs surely they are effectively funding this travel through track access charges (I know these are subsidised but you get the point)? All just cyclic money realy
Perhaps NR should embrace modern technology and have electronic conference meetings, by telephone. It's been around for just a while and most of their offices are equipped for the service. Nobody then would need to travel or run up expenses needlessly.
Flybe have done a press advert today based on this. https://twitter.com/JohnPaulMercer/status/594029099477299200
If they get that much custom from Network Rail, then annoying one of your main clients might not be good for business. I'm probably going to need to be in Paris on a Monday soon too early for the Eurostar, and though not a NR employee this will probably influence my choice of EasyJet from Luton vs Flybe from Birmingham.
Perhaps NR should embrace modern technology and have electronic conference meetings, by telephone. It's been around for just a while and most of their offices are equipped for the service. Nobody then would need to travel or run up expenses needlessly.
Anyone with a phone can use this sytem, and there are also web-conferencing tools that allow anyone with a browser to see the content of a presentation screen. They are good for routine meetings but not for the type of meeting where you are getting to know people
and really not for meetings that are reviewing drawings and plans.
Perhaps NR should embrace modern technology and have electronic conference meetings, by telephone. It's been around for just a while and most of their offices are equipped for the service. Nobody then would need to travel or run up expenses needlessly.
Assuming drawings/plans exist in electronic form, they are excellent for that as you can use the screen sharing facility. It's exactly how we mostly do that kind of thing.