TPE franchise to move to OLR

[Bletchleyite]

I'm surprised the TransPennine Express livery passes for a brand-neutral livery. It's very corporate and in-your-face. Certainly doesn't give off publicly-owned vibes

The point is that it isn't specific to the holding company. It's nothing to do with vibes.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I'm surprised the TransPennine Express livery passes for a brand-neutral livery. It's very corporate and in-your-face. Certainly doesn't give off publicly-owned vibes

"Azuma" doesn't suggest pubic ownership either, but that's what it is.

 

[Krokodil]

I'm surprised the TransPennine Express livery passes for a brand-neutral livery. It's very corporate and in-your-face. Certainly doesn't give off publicly-owned vibes

You mean that in order to look publically owned it needs to look boring and grey? You've probably got a point there...

As with GWR, the branding is tied to the TOC, not the owning group. It's not in Barbie livery with flying Fs, is it?

"Azuma" doesn't suggest pubic ownership either, but that's what it is.

"Azuma" doesn't suggest 'train' either. Reminds me of a mobile phone provider...

 

[43066]

You mean that in order to look publically owned it needs to look boring and grey? You've probably got a point there...

GTR are doing a good job of that with the 700s…

 

[Krokodil]

And we almost saw the same with the original IETs.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

GTR are doing a good job of that with the 700s…

Yes, they definitely seem publicly owned. Publicly owned as in NHS waiting room.

 

[43096]

You mean that in order to look publically owned it needs to look boring and grey? You've probably got a point there...

That should have ended in 1997…

(Image of John Major’s famously grey Spitting Image puppet)

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Tbf they haven't changed anything with Southeastern and Northern only changed because of copyright issues

Annoyingly they stuck with the stupid "sad face" logo, which now looks even more out-of-place as the branding changed from all lower-case to all caps.

I'm surprised the TransPennine Express livery passes for a brand-neutral livery. It's very corporate and in-your-face. Certainly doesn't give off publicly-owned vibes

On that basis, neither did any of the sectorisation or PTE liveries...

 

[Kells21]

I Wonder if this will ever be sorted out, a pay deal in line with 2023, rdw ban lifted and get through the back log of training..

 

[CAF397]

I'd imagine from May 29th there'll be some movement on the RDW agreement, as the Government will be after some quick wins now they are (in the eyes of the passengers) in charge.

Also, it's reported that RDW is not currently authorised - despite a deal in place - due to local issues between ASLEF and TPE (First Group) management. Get these issues sorted and RDW can be authorised. The managers will be the same, but they will report to DOHL not FG.

 

[ComUtoR]

Get these issues sorted and RDW can be authorised.

To what end ? Apologies to jump your post but it's meaningless to continue the same old, same old, and continue with the same problems. This is exactly why the OLR (or GBR) isn't some magic panacea that will make everything better.

A return to rest day working might solve some issues in the short term but a real change needs to be with working practices and increasing recruitment and start moving away from rest day working. Constantly doing everything we can to reinstate the status quo really highlights the mentality of this industry.

 

[CAF397]

I was meaning for a "quick win", RDW being in place would mask many issues for the passenger, but would look like instantly the Government had improved services dramatically.

Of course behind the scenes several issues would remain, but hopefully would get worked through.

 

[43066]

A return to rest day working might solve some issues in the short term but a real change needs to be with working practices and increasing recruitment and start moving away from rest day working.

I doubt we will be seeing that anytime soon. It’s pretty clear that the opposite is the case: the government is looking to further entrench reliance on overtime (via committed Sundays), not to reduce it.

 

[johntea]

There was a piece on Look North tonight about (probably as already discussed on here) things are perhaps going to get even worse before they get better, some drivers have decided not to transfer over too which certainly won't help!

Also features Tracey Brabin getting her photo opportunity in...sat on a LNER train!

TransPennine Express warns improvements will take time

Services may deteriorate further after the company is nationalised, it is claimed.

www.bbc.co.uk

Services on the troubled train operator TransPennine Express (TPE) may deteriorate further after it is nationalised, it is claimed.
It was announced earlier this month that the government would run the service after customer complaints of poor service and cancelled trains.
A letter from the state-owned operator suggests some of the challenges may get worse in the weeks ahead.
However, the mayor of West Yorkshire called it a "fresh start".
TPE has been criticised for months over poor performance, with figures from the Office of Rail and Road showing that between January and March the operator cancelled 21.7% of the trains it runs across the North of England and into Scotland.
It will be run by the Operator of Last Resort (OLR) from Sunday.
It comes after the Labour mayors of West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Manchester, Liverpool and North of Tyne asked the government not to renew FirstGroup's contract to run the service when it expires on 28 May.
A letter - sent to local officials and seen by BBC Look North - said: "The change should be seamless for customers and all employees who wish to do so will transfer.
"Our immediate focus must be to re-establish relationships, re-engage colleagues and rebuild trust with passengers."
However, it also warned that it was clear from an initial review of TPE's current plans that "they were even more stretched than we had understood".
"A number of drivers have decided not to transfer, we start in half-term week including a bank holiday, which will reduce staff availability further, and there are several days of strikes to manage," the letter read.

 

[Geeves]

So those drivers are effectively leaving/taking early retirement?

 

[MDB1images]

So those drivers are effectively leaving/taking early retirement?

The staff(not likely to be just drivers)could object to being transferred from TPE to OLR, which meant instead of working any notice periods, they could leave as soon as it goes to OLR.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

So those drivers are effectively leaving/taking early retirement?

My understanding is that a number of drivers have been offered, and accepted, jobs elsewhere - other TOCS or with Freight - but have not yet left as they are working their 6 (I think) month notice periods as TPE wouldn't release them early.

They have opted not to transfer to the new operator so they can "escape" quicker and start their new job sooner.

The staff(not likely to be just drivers)could object to being transferred from TPE to OLR, which meant instead of working any notice periods, they could leave as soon as it goes to OLR.

Correct.

So suddenly a number of drivers that should have been leaving, spread out, over the next few months, are leaving on bulk this weekend.

 

[43066]

but have not yet left as they are working their 6 (I think) month notice periods as TPE wouldn't release them early.

Ridiculous. If it was me I’d likely simply tell them when I was leaving and go.

If they’d been a little more accommodating they also wouldn’t be losing so many at once. Sheer bloody minded incompetence.

 

[800001]

There was a piece on Look North tonight about (probably as already discussed on here) things are perhaps going to get even worse before they get better, some drivers have decided not to transfer over too which certainly won't help!

Also features Tracey Brabin getting her photo opportunity in...sat on a LNER train!

TransPennine Express warns improvements will take time

Services may deteriorate further after the company is nationalised, it is claimed.

www.bbc.co.uk

Tracey’s photo is from weeks ago, when she was delayed on her were to a transport meeting in Newcastle.

Tpe cancelled across Pennines and had to get LNER to Newcastle.

 

[317 forever]

I don't see the DfT paying for a redesign because it looks too corporate.

I doubt many people even recognise the TransPennine livery, judging by how few trains even turn up

 

[Bantamzen]

My understanding is that a number of drivers have been offered, and accepted, jobs elsewhere - other TOCS or with Freight - but have not yet left as they are working their 6 (I think) month notice periods as TPE wouldn't release them early.

They have opted not to transfer to the new operator so they can "escape" quicker and start their new job sooner.



Correct.

So suddenly a number of drivers that should have been leaving, spread out, over the next few months, are leaving on bulk this weekend.

Ridiculous. If it was me I’d likely simply tell them when I was leaving and go.

If they’d been a little more accommodating they also wouldn’t be losing so many at once. Sheer bloody minded incompetence.

Let's hope no customers of the freight side are paying any attention to what's happening in the passenger side of the rail industry eh? Because all those drivers bailing could be in for a nasty surprise.

 

[43066]

Let's hope no customers of the freight side are paying any attention to what's happening in the passenger side of the rail industry eh? Because all those drivers bailing could be in for a nasty surprise.

How do you mean?

Both sides are short of drivers. A few in the grade are probably looking more closely at freight due to the nonsense on the passenger side.

 

[Bantamzen]

How do you mean?

Both sides are short of drivers. A few in the grade are probably looking more closely at freight due to the nonsense on the passenger side.

I mean that the government is happily kicking the passenger side of the industry down, so can you guess what might be next? All the drivers bailing to freight might soon find that this part of that part of the industry is next in line for being declined managed.

 

[driver9000]

I mean that the government is happily kicking the passenger side of the industry down, so can you guess what might be next? All the drivers bailing to freight might soon find that this part of that part of the industry is next in line for being declined managed.

Why would a commercial operator put itself into managed decline? The freight side is the only truly privatised part of the rail industry. They need the business to survive without subsidy.

 

[43066]

I mean that the government is happily kicking the passenger side of the industry down, so can you guess what might be next? All the drivers bailing to freight might soon find that this part of that part of the industry is next in line for being declined managed.

It’s interesting how you referred to customers before, now you’ve switched to the government. You do realise the DfT don’t micromanage freight/OA?

And why the preoccupation with drivers in particular? It sounds like “a nasty surprise” is an expression of what you want to happen, rather than a serious question…

The railway industry is under siege, for sure, but we will prevail. There’s a GE coming soon, and what’s that saying from Afghanistan, another example of a war of attrition?!

You have the watches, we have the time.

 

[Krokodil]

I mean that the government is happily kicking the passenger side of the industry down, so can you guess what might be next? All the drivers bailing to freight might soon find that this part of that part of the industry is next in line for being declined managed.

Drivers working for freight companies (and non-DfT TOCs) aren't going to be kicked by the DfT.

 

[RailWonderer]

"Azuma" doesn't suggest pubic ownership either, but that's what it is.

Azuma was the brand name created by VTEC for the IETs and means 'east' in Japanese. I liked the Virgin Azuma waves livery, it looked far better than the dull LNER lines.

 

[NI 271]

I mean that the government is happily kicking the passenger side of the industry down, so can you guess what might be next?

The government is in charge of the passenger side of the industry (well, a large part of it), so can go after the T&Cs of those working in it. They’re not in charge of the freight side, so very obviously cannot even consider the prospect of doing the same there. This is patently absurd.

 

[Mag_seven]

Just a gentle reminder that this thread is to discuss the movement of TPE to OLR. If anyone wants to discuss anything else they are welcome to start a new thread elsewhere

I have split some posts that were discussing how a Labour government would treat that railways to this thread:

Would a Labour government be better for the railways than the current Conservative one?

Moderator note split from: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/tpe-franchise-to-move-to-olr.248432/ Why would a commercial operator put itself into managed decline? The freight side is the only truly privatised part of the rail industry. They need the business to survive without subsidy...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

So is life any different now TPE is "nationalised"?*
The Rail Minister thinks it's up to the unions to reinstate the rest day agreement, to bring normal services back.

MSN

Asked if nationalisation would improve performance, Mr Merriman said: “That will be down to the unions, because if they allow their workforce to work in the manner they were a couple of years ago – when things were nothing like as bad as they have been in recent months – then we will get the service back up and running again for the passengers.
We have a reset moment in terms of new management".

* maybe a question best left to tomorrow when it has actually happened...