Priv Questions

[class 313]

I see that Go-Ahead gives its staff free travel on all three of its TOCs - Southern, Southeastern, and London Midland. So an employee of one of those TOCs can travel (with a bit of convoluted changing) all the way from Dover to Shrewsbury free of charge.

Well with First you can get from Devon to Scotland...

 

[yorkie]

Well with First you can get from Devon to Scotland...

But do Farce Late Western employees get travel with Farce Scotrail and vice-versa?

 

[RJ]

I know a couple of people who work for FCC who get free travel on all First trains in the UK .

 

[W14Fishbourne]

Well with First you can get from Devon to Scotland...

No you can't. Apart from the fact that you have to use the Underground to cross London (Southern can take you round from Clapham Junction to Watford, linking into LM), FGW staff don't get free travel on other First TOCs.

But do Farce Late Western employees get travel with Farce Scotrail and vice-versa?

No. There was even some doubt when First took over Wessex as to whether ex-FGW and ex-Link staff would get free travel on ex-Wessex services and vice-versa.

I know a couple of people who work for FCC who get free travel on all First trains in the UK .

They must be the exception and there would be trouble if that's the case and others found out.

 

[91101]

None of the above posts are correct.

TPE, FGW, FSR, FHT and FCC staff are issued with First Group boxes, allowing them unlimited travel on all First Group TOC's for a certain number of days, I believe it to be 12 per annum. I would presume that this facility is extended to FGBRF staff, but I dont know this for certain.

 

[W14Fishbourne]

None of the above posts are correct.

TPE, FGW, FSR, FHT and FCC staff are issued with First Group boxes, allowing them unlimited travel on all First Group TOC's for a certain number of days, I believe it to be 12 per annum. I would presume that this facility is extended to FGBRF staff, but I dont know this for certain.

That wasn't the case two months ago. There is, however, an arrangement whereby First staff can buy a £5 ticket for any journey on another First TOC. I don't remember what the Ts&Cs are as I never had to use it.

Safeguarded staff - those who worked on the railway before April 1996 - do get such a facility as you described, but it's available on all TOCs, not just First TOCs.

 

[91101]

I can assure you that Guards/Drivers for both TPE, FSR, FHT and FGW ATLEAST get the above facility, its issued on a Dark Blue card with the logos of all of the First tocs around the top and bottom.

This is in addition to the safeguarded boxes that EX BR staff get.

Do you work for a First Group TOC?

 

[dan_atki]

I can confirm that ColOrd is correct - me and my parents have a pass with 10 boxes per annum (allowing travel on the date inserted in the box and the day after) allowing free travel on any First service in the UK. As far as I am aware, all First employees and their eligible dependants get this facility. If I remember rightly I have had the card since about Easter or thereabouts.

Additionally, employees are each given a booklet of 6 rail vouchers (and 12 bus IIRC) which enable family and friends of the employee travel accompanied by the employee for £5 return on any service (or £10 for a FGW Day Rover ticket I believe it is). The voucher must be completed by the employee and taken to a ticket office for redemption.

 

[Dave A]

I will be starting Heathrow Express in Jan, will i get railway privileges seen as its a private company?

Say hello when your doing your six weeks training from hell! Seriously, you'll have some great trainers who will be calling on us if you lot get out of line!

We get a 75% discount with our ATOC passes and free travel on HEx, Connect & FGW services between Paddington & up to Reading (including the branch lines).

 

[W14Fishbourne]

I can assure you that Guards/Drivers for both TPE, FSR, FHT and FGW ATLEAST get the above facility, its issued on a Dark Blue card with the logos of all of the First tocs around the top and bottom.

This is in addition to the safeguarded boxes that EX BR staff get.

Do you work for a First Group TOC?

Yes, up to two months ago. I'll have to ask my erstwhile colleagues about that - should cause a riot if only some of the staff get it! Fortunately I never needed it as I get unlimited free first class travel on any TOC.

 

[metrocammel]

Yes, up to two months ago. I'll have to ask my erstwhile colleagues about that - should cause a riot if only some of the staff get it! Fortunately I never needed it as I get unlimited free first class travel on any TOC.

I was talking to a senior manager (who had worked for TPE since '04, being a "city banker" before, so wasn't safeguarded) at Transpennine back in September, who had free first class travel on TP, however we got into a discussion about the West Highland Line, and i said "oh, I imagine you will get free travel up there too, seen as it's First". He seemed quite surprised, and said, in a rather jovial way "First have to make a profit somehow, and they wouldn't if they let all their staff get freebies!" and went onto say that he got discounts in Scotland, but not free travel . This seems very strange though, when talking to other people I know, who work at much lower ranks at First TOCs (who are also non-safeguarded), who get these First boxes. I did, however, speak to a Laira fitter while on holiday in Ireland, who was safeguarded, and he got the standard amount of BR boxes, however he didn't get free travel normally on FGW!- This meant, afaik, he had to buy a Priv rate season to get to work in the morning, despite travelling on "his" TOC- which his union wasn't happy about.

 

[Gizmogle]

Is it true that Grand Central won't be accepting privs?

(Did I ask this before? I don't remember...:???

 

[me123]

IIRC, Gizzy, GC will not accept Privs.

 

[Gizmogle]

Yeah, that's what I heard

 

[Tom]

Now - I think they said GC would not be accepting privs at "this current moment in time" implying that privs cannot be accepted on their tests ...

The post that I recall seeing certainly implied that anyway.

 

[me123]

I presume, however, that they can't not accept them on National rail tickets (i.e. valid on any operator?)

 

[W14Fishbourne]

I presume, however, that they can't not accept them on National rail tickets (i.e. valid on any operator?)

No, it's entirely up to the operator which, if any, services it allows privs on. Possibly they are waiting to see whether GC staff will be allowed privs on other operators. Perhaps they are waiting to see how well patronised their trains are anyway. (No point in giving away free/discounted priv seats if you can sell them to real passengers.)

 

[Gizmogle]

Right. Lets say I drop out of college.

Do I lose my priv?

Even though I'm earning less than the wage limit? And am still living with my parents?

If I start college again the next year, do I get my priv back? As I'd be back within the rules for having one.

 

[jacknottm]

If Your earning less than £108 (around there) p.w. then they cannot take that off you

As for college then as long as your in education then i assume you qualify for it

Jack

 

[Gizmogle]

But what if I drop out of college for a year, and earn less than £108 in that year? Do I still get it? If not do I get it back when I'm back in college?

 

[jacknottm]

As Long as your earning less than £108 per week then you still get it, wether in college or not

Jack

 

[Gizmogle]

Really? Can someone else confirm this?

I thought I had to do all three (Full time education, living with parents, less than £108 pw) to keep it....

 

[jacknottm]

http://www.atoc.org/rst/_download/app_forms/90003.pdf

"ELIGIBILITY FOR TRAVEL FACILITIES
DEPENDENT CHILDREN AGED 16 OR OVER
DECLARATION
I confirm that my dependent child______________________________(PRINT FULL NAME)
is about to or has now attained the age of 16 and is:
(a) in full time education*
(b) in employment but has a GROSS income which does not exceed £108.30 p.w.*
* delete as applicable
I wish to now make application for an adult card for him/her and enclose a passport size
photograph and the expiring card.
I understand that as soon as this child ceases to be in full time education or if employed
his/her gross income exceeds £108.30 p.w. he/she is no longer entitled to receive travel
facilities. I will at that stage ensure all travel documents are returned immediately to my
usual travel facilities contact point."

Hope This Helps

Jack

 

[Gizmogle]

Cheers for that, very helpful.

So I could not have a job and still keep it? Do pretty much anything as long as I earn under £108.30? (Why the 30p? Very random )



(Before you all start again, I don't intend to quit college and sit around with no job)

 

[me123]

So I could not have a job and still keep it? Do pretty much anything as long as I earn under £108.30? (Why the 30p? Very random )

Presumably some multiple of the minimum wage?

 

[1D53]

So I could not have a job and still keep it? Do pretty much anything as long as I earn under £108.30? (Why the 30p? Very random )

Its the amount you can earn before you have to pay tax.

(Divided by 52 weeks of course)

 

[332 > 444]

Say hello when your doing your six weeks training from hell! Seriously, you'll have some great trainers who will be calling on us if you lot get out of line!

We get a 75% discount with our ATOC passes and free travel on HEx, Connect & FGW services between Paddington & up to Reading (including the branch lines).

I didnt realise you replied in here lol, 75% is a big discount. Well look out for me, ill have some sort of braided hair-do.

Looks like ill be in various places on my 4 days off!

 

[yorkie]

Cheers for that, very helpful.

So I could not have a job and still keep it? Do pretty much anything as long as I earn under £108.30? (Why the 30p? Very random )



(Before you all start again, I don't intend to quit college and sit around with no job)

Just get yourself a job earning £108.25p/week, you know you want to!

Say you were earning £6/hour, just make sure you don't work more than 18 hours in any week, for example.

 

[djw1981]

Assuming it is averaged, we are now more than 2/3 way through the tax year, so you could earn even more! As I say that is an ASSUMPTION!

 

[Gizmogle]

Is there a priv discount for the Rheilffordd Ffestiniog Railway and The Cambrian?
Also is there a discount for the ferry to Ireland or The Isle of Mann?

Cheers
(I know it's a dig up, but this is what I made the thread for)