Scotrail Franchise - Abellio

[dcsprior]

A partitioned off smoking area, and by that I meana door and wall, serviced/cleaned by staff who also smoke to avoid those who dont wish to inhale doing so would do no harm. Niether would allowing it on open platforms again and it would certainly put an end to the large and often unmoving gaggle of smokers at the entrance of stations and other public places and to the non smokers the problem of foalk buggering off to the toilets for a crafty one in the hope the detectors are rubbish which they usually are! I dont wish to penalise you smokers but those of us who dont like it shouldnt be bothered by it and having your own segrigated area in a bar or cafay or restaurant and easing off a bit on the doing it on open platforms thing is farer to all I think.

Come to think about it why shouldnt stations with multiple wating rooms, iether in use or disused or the space to create such facilities (stirling, Perth, Crewe, Carlisle Im looking at you here) have dedicated indoor smokers wating areas?

It depends what the aim of the smoking ban is. If it's solely to protect non-smokers from the impact of passive smoking, your suggestions would perhaps be feasible; but maybe part of the reason is to make smoking a pain in the proverbial and therefore provide an incentive for smokers to give up?

Because it's illegal.

One thing blindtraveler suggested was allowing smoking on open platforms. AIUI, this is not illegal in Scotland, but is not allowed by Scotrail since Abelio took over from First.

 

[signallerscot]

One thing blindtraveler suggested was allowing smoking on open platforms. AIUI, this is not illegal in Scotland, but is not allowed by Scotrail since Abelio took over from First.

A trip to the north end of platform 4 at Perth station any day of the week will reveal crowds of ScotRail staff openly flouting the smoking ban.

 

[cf111]

One thing blindtraveler suggested was allowing smoking on open platforms. AIUI, this is not illegal in Scotland, but is not allowed by Scotrail since Abelio took over from First.

Yes, ScotRail enforce the smoking ban on stations using the byelaws. The legislation which deals with the smoking ban in Scotland (the Smoking, Health and Social Care (S) Act, 2005) specifies (in part) no smoking premises as "premises which are wholly or substantially enclosed."

The relevant byelaw:

"No person shall smoke or carry a lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, match, lighter or other lighted item on any part of the railway on or near which there is notice indicating that smoking is not allowed."

 

[Blindtraveler]

I hope Mr Butts is reading!

I think the smoking laws, now pritty antient were 2 fold, 1 to stop passive smoking and 2 to try stop people doing it at all. How successful the first has been im unsure but I dont think the 2nd has done anything accept dammage the pub traid and create stinky human barriers/obsticles outside pubs, shops and transport interchanges which come to think of it probably defeats the passive smoking thing a bit as instead of the bloke at the end of the bar having an occasional puff you leave the pub for your journey home and are confronted with a gaggle of half a duzzon or so outside, followed quickly by another huge group outside the bus or railway station so the amount of smoke inhaled is greater.

Anyhow this is off topic I guess and appologies for starting the topic a couple of nights ago.

 

[Butts]

A trip to the north end of platform 4 at Perth station any day of the week will reveal crowds of ScotRail staff openly flouting the smoking ban.

Not to mention Crianlarich - which is almost unofficially timetabled as a smoking break venue

 

[cf111]

I am an ex-smoker myself (4 years this year actually!) but if people go out of the way so you can't smell the smoke then I personally don't have an issue with them smoking on open platforms.

 

[Gadget88]

No signs of the 380 going on the Glasgow to edinburgh route? Remember it being said they would use them about May.

 

[Gadget88]

On another note anybody notice the wi-fi not working on the 158 trains and the 380 mentioned above only loads BBC news nothing else.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Scotrails WiFi service is being put to shame by newer and better quality systems being installed by the likes of ATW but if Im honest train Wifi is a joke full stop and your better using your data.

 

[ld0595]

I haven't used the wifi on a 158 for a while but last time I used it, it was much better than a 170 to say the least. As for the 380s being used, there seems to be a few issues with the electrification so the route hasn't been wired yet. I'd suggest looking at the last few pages of the Scottish Electrification Thread for the full details, but as it stands, I don't think we really know when/if we'll see 380s!

 

[route:oxford]

Scotrails WiFi service is being put to shame by newer and better quality systems being installed by the likes of ATW but if Im honest train Wifi is a joke full stop and your better using your data.

Isn't it more for tourists who may not have an overseas data package on their domestic tariff?

Saying that, I'm just back from the USA. $30 bought me a T-mobile sim with 3 weeks of unlimited data, talk and text. Very convenient, it just slipped straight into my second SIM slot and worked straight away.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Your most likely right, the cheeper mobile data gets the less services like train WiFi will be used I think. Even now I can get 3gb for a fiver or there abouts!

 

[marks87]

The advantage of on-train WiFi is that it uses bonding which means it has multiple sims for multiple networks to maximise bandwidth and ensure redundancy.

That's the theory at least.

The idea that it's primarily for tourists is rather bizarre.

 

[47271]

The idea that it's primarily for tourists is rather bizarre.

If it is just for visitors, based on my experience there must be an awful lot of people with Scottish accents living abroad who come back for their holidays and ride around on Scotrail trying to use wifi and complain to their fellow travellers about how poor it is!

To be serious, the only time I go onto Scotrail wifi now is when I'm in a spot where I know my own network doesn't have coverage. Waiting to join the single track at Stanley Jn is one such place, you get nothing on O2 or Vodafone there...

 

[Blindtraveler]

I have found that the places I dont have coversge the train WiFi doesnt iether!
Didnt bother with any today on my 50 minute E and G journey but took full advantage of the sockets!

 

[cf111]

The wifi which was installed on the 158s pre-refurbishment was really good and worked most of the time even in the far north, apart from between Helmsdale and Forsinard. The newer system on the 170s and refurbished 158s is awful, can't speak for any other stock as I've not availed myself on them.

How many of the 170s are waiting to get power sockets at the seats now? I rarely seem to get one between Inverness and Edinburgh/Glasgow.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Quite a few I think as its only my second one. Maybe that nice man/woman we know and love as Scotraildriver will be along soon with his fantastic knoledge?

 

[Clansman]

How many of the 170s are waiting to get power sockets at the seats now? I rarely seem to get one between Inverness and Edinburgh/Glasgow.

All of the completely refurbished 1st series sets have the plug sockets - which is 16 if I'm right in saying. The 2nd series 170s have yet to receive plugs in standard.

All 4 of the former HT sets have plugs in 1 of the end coaches, where first class used to be.

So around 20 in total have some form of standard class plug provision, with the rest of the fleet still to get them.

 

[scotraildriver]

Quite a few I think as its only my second one. Maybe that nice man/woman we know and love as Scotraildriver will be along soon with his fantastic knoledge?

I won't be posting here anymore I'm afraid after Alastair Dalton of the Scotsman copied and published many of my comments on the Scotsman twitter. Too risky I dont fancy getting in bother.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Fare enough!

Sad state of affares none the less.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Fare enough!

Sad state of affares none the less.

 

[Mordac]

Utter shame.

 

[route101]

Might seem a silly question . But where are people getting the Scorail Ticket wallets? Whenvever ive asked at central or queen st i get a national rail one , are the scotrail ones given out with smartcard?

 

[najaB]

Might seem a silly question . But where are people getting the Scorail Ticket wallets? Whenvever ive asked at central or queen st i get a national rail one , are the scotrail ones given out with smartcard?

I've acquired a few from the Dundee ticket office.

 

[sng7]

Might seem a silly question . But where are people getting the Scorail Ticket wallets? Whenvever ive asked at central or queen st i get a national rail one , are the scotrail ones given out with smartcard?

I have got some from Perth before, but admittedly haven't tried recently.

 

[mcmad]

Got mine at Stirling when I got my photocard recently

 

[ChiefPlanner]

How is the franchise doing performance wise , let alone financially - interesting though comments on season ticket wallets etc are ?

 

[Blindtraveler]

Well things do seam a tad more reliable of late with reasonable service recovery when something happens. We are coming into the season of big loading with festivals in Edinburgh and lots of people and luggage on the longer distance stuff. No threat of strikes this year though so going into high season might be a bit less rocky than last year.

On the flip side the delay to energise EGIP phase 1 wires will doubtlessly be causing problems with the DMU refresh/refurb program although they seam to be getting on with the 158s. Anyone know if any of the Haymarket ones have had their full strip and refit yet? These will I think take longer.

Financially I dont have a clue im afraid

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Well things do seam a tad more reliable of late with reasonable service recovery when something happens. We are coming into the season of big loading with festivals in Edinburgh and lots of people and luggage on the longer distance stuff. No threat of strikes this year though so going into high season might be a bit less rocky than last year.

On the flip side the delay to energise EGIP phase 1 wires will doubtlessly be causing problems with the DMU refresh/refurb program although they seam to be getting on with the 158s. Anyone know if any of the Haymarket ones have had their full strip and refit yet? These will I think take longer.

Financially I dont have a clue im afraid

Thanks for that - the busy season is almost upon you then ! - must try and get up there , not been since October 2012 - time flies ....!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Im already of course in this very thread seeing mention of the 170s on long distance being vastly oversubscribed and this of course will only get worse as we go into July and August. In theory this should be the last summer of discontent for the users of such routes but I am not as a passenger confident the HSTs will arrive in time for next summer and the entire rolling stock plan will come unstuck. Would like to be wrong though.