Wales may make Trains and Buses reservation only

[nedchester]

Coronavirus: Bus and train tickets may have to be pre-booked

Space on services will be "vastly reduced" for safety during the pandemic, Wales' economy minister says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Passengers might have to pre-book bus and train tickets in future to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, Wales' economy minister has warned.

Ken Skates said space on services would be "vastly reduced" for passenger safety.

It comes as travellers are being warned by a Welsh train operator to only use services if "absolutely essential".

Transport for Wales said rail journeys had fallen 95% over the last 10 weeks.

Leyton Powell, Transport for Wales' safety and assurance director, said: "Only travel by rail if it's absolutely essential and you have no other means of transport available."

He added: "Our capacity is down because of social distancing, less than 10% availability. We cannot guarantee people's safety unless we manage the controls at all times, we are trying to run a safe service for our key workers."

Another unworkable and unsustainable idea.

 

[Bantamzen]

Oh boy, someone on here is going to be all over this any minute now....

If they really plan on doing this, I hope they have a defined list of "key workers" distributed to all train and bus staff, and a means to actually check it. And if reservations come in and those "key workers" find themselves not being able to travel because their jobs aren't neat little 9-5 ones, I hope TfW have fleets of taxis ready to sort out all the problems they are going to face.

Another political disaster incoming.....

 

[Mag_seven]

It is really worrying that those in power have still not grasped that fact that social distancing and any measures such as this are just not possible on public transport. We have to accept that joining a crowded train does carry a risk of catching COVID but you can catch a whole lot of other things as well. The direction of travel must be about getting back to normal and that means getting back to the normal way of travelling by public transport.

 

[Bantamzen]

It is really worrying that those in power have still not grasped that fact that social distancing and any measures such as this are just not possible on public transport. We have to accept that joining a crowded train does carry a risk of catching COVID but you can catch a whole lot of other things as well. The direction of travel must be about getting back to normal and that means getting back to the normal way of travelling by public transport.

They have basically painted themselves into a corner with social distancing, and now rather than look at how to apply easements they are scrambling around with dafter & dafter ideas to maintain their position so as not to lose face. The only problem is that they are now exploring options that will make things worse, not better.

 

[nedchester]

It is really worrying that those in power have still not grasped that fact that social distancing and any measures such as this are just not possible on public transport. We have to accept that joining a crowded train does carry a risk of catching COVID but you can catch a whole lot of other things as well. The direction of travel must be about getting back to normal and that means getting back to the normal way of travelling by public transport.

It seems to me that the people that come up with these ideas just sit in an office looking at a spreadsheet and nevfer going anywhere near a train.

A bit like yesterday the Universities claiming that students would have to live together in bubbles and not ever mix with anyone else!

 

[nedchester]

They have basically painted themselves into a corner with social distancing, and now rather than look at how to apply easements they are scrambling around with dafter & dafter ideas to maintain their position so as not to lose face. The only problem is that they are now exploring options that will make things worse, not better.

Exactly. I can't help think they are now worried about litigation if there's an increase in infection amongst travellers. Never mind the fact that the economy is trashed in the process.

 

[Bantamzen]

Exactly. I can't help think they are now worried about litigation if there's an increase in infection amongst travellers. Never mind the fact that the economy is trashed in the process.

Not just the economy, but potentially the public transport network. Imagine for example being a nurse with trying to use a reservation only system on the buses. Their shift overruns, they try to book on another bus but there are no seats available for a couple of hours. I'm sure that would go down a treat after a long 12+ hour shift.

What this risks doing is completely trashing the remaining passenger's confidence in public transport, forcing many more away once and for all. And when the handouts run out, so will many, many services. Genius.

 

[joncombe]

I entirely agree. Public transport is meant to be for the public. The public fund it through taxation (as well as fares). So if most of the public can't use it anymore then it's not public transport any more. Frankly at this point it would probably be cheaper to pay for everyone that needs to travel to do so in a taxi and give up with running a train service at all.

 

[Mojo]

Not just the economy, but potentially the public transport network. Imagine for example being a nurse with trying to use a reservation only system on the buses. Their shift overruns, they try to book on another bus but there are no seats available for a couple of hours. I'm sure that would go down a treat after a long 12+ hour shift.

This is exactly my main concern. The majority of shift work is dependent on either not being busy towards the end of your shift, and/or the person on shift after you being there on time to take you off before you can go. Unfortunately many people in offices who can just down tools and walk out after they have finished don't seem to understand this.

 

[Romsey]

It seems to me that the people that come up with these ideas just sit in an office looking at a spreadsheet and never going anywhere near a train.

A bit like yesterday the Universities claiming that students would have to live together in bubbles and not ever mix with anyone else!

So true for both subjects!

MODS : Can we have a "like" button please??

 

[BJames]

This is ridiculous. While I'm still undecided about the reservations on intercity trains, it's quite obviously not workable on local services or buses.

Not just the economy, but potentially the public transport network. Imagine for example being a nurse with trying to use a reservation only system on the buses. Their shift overruns, they try to book on another bus but there are no seats available for a couple of hours. I'm sure that would go down a treat after a long 12+ hour shift.

This is what I can't understand. Has nobody in the Welsh government realised this? Goes back to the point made above of the people making these decisions are not the ones who need the services and who just tell us to implement these measures without realising that it won't work.

Not sure what loading is like but I can't see how you could enforce reservations on a short train with big gaps in the service - if people have to go somewhere they're going to get on and it doesn't matter what staff have to say - they're not going to be able to hold up each service or nobody will ever get anywhere!

 

[Belperpete]

The direction of travel must be about getting back to normal and that means getting back to the normal way of travelling by public transport.

I totally agree. However, with an estimated 8000 new infections every day, I think now is too early to be doing it. Once infections are down to a reasonable number, we have to drop social distancing. I am concerned that many seem to assume that it will be with us indefinitely.

 

[duncanp]

Let's suppose for a moment that this idiotic policy works, and 90% of people who used to use public transport vanish into thin air.

How do you think that will affect the economics of running the transport network? Fares income will fall by approximately 90% as well, which means that the Welsh government will have to provide massively increased subsidies to keep the existing network running, or there will have to be substantial service cuts to compensate for the shortfall in income, or most likely both.

I can't help thinking that Sergeant Wilson from Dad's Army has the correct idea.

 

[Belperpete]

There must be many people who don't live within walking distance of the station, and so use the bus to get there.
For example, many of my journeys involve a bus journey of over an hour to get to the rail station, followed by a multileg rail journey. The opposite for the return journey. How is this going to work if everything has to be reserved? Unless they come up with an integrated system, it will make it almost impossible. And what would happen if say the return train ran late, and you missed your bus? Or vice-versa.

 

[BJames]

In that article, a picture of London Paddington station with the tag line "scenes like these could become a thing of the past as people are urged only to use public transport if absolutely necessary" - I don't think they're realising that we are beginning to get nearer to the stage where more and more people view getting back to everyday life as absolutely necessary.

 

[duncanp]

Also, what will happen for those Transport for Wales services that cross the border to places such as Shrewsbury.

Could be interesting at Knighton (Powys) where the town is in Wales, but the railway station is just over the border in England.

 

[Skymonster]

In that article, a picture of London Paddington station with the tag line "scenes like these could become a thing of the past as people are urged only to use public transport if absolutely necessary" - I don't think they're realising that we are beginning to get nearer to the stage where more and more people view getting back to everyday life as absolutely necessary.

People will start to question the part-funding public transport through taxation if they are denied simple access to it.

 

[kieron]

The article is all about what the government "might" do. I can see demand-responsive bus services being expanded, as it make more sense (in comparison to a timetabled service) when demand is low. I don't expect to hear anything more about some of the other things in the article, including the compulsory reservations.

On another note, I'm pretty sure the article uses "Transport for Wales" to refer to two separate organisations.

 

[Llandudno]

Another barnpot idea from a car driving office worker/politician who never uses public transport...

 

[Ianno87]

It seems to me that the people that come up with these ideas just sit in an office looking at a spreadsheet and nevfer going anywhere near a train.

I suspect it's more a case of by being seen to 'relax' social distancing (even where that is a completely reasonable thing to do) then being held responsible when somebody inevitably gets ill.

 

[Belperpete]

The article is all about what the government "might" do.

Except that it says they are already trialling it in Newport. So it has got beyond the stage of just being a bright idea.

 

[nedchester]

I suspect it's more a case of by being seen to 'relax' social distancing (even where that is a completely reasonable thing to do) then being held responsible when somebody inevitably gets ill.

As I expected it's probably more about litigation. Never mind the fact that the economy will be trashed.

 

[Mag_seven]

Except that it says they are already trialling it in Newport. So it has got beyond the stage of just being a bright idea.

Hopefully the Newport trial will demonstrate that it doesn't work.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

This is another example of what's known as "Politician's Syllogism", as famously coined by the writers of "Yes Minister".

Something must be done, this is something, therefore we must do it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oh boy, someone on here is going to be all over this any minute now....

Sorry, I was driving because the Government don't want to let me use my preferred mode of transport.

This just serves as evidence that it isn't totally unworkable, as it's not just a Forum desk jockey that's suggesting it, but a reputable organisation.

Remember in particular that other than in Cardiff/Newport/Swansea and the urban bits of the North Wales Coast most Welsh bus routes are very infrequent and long-distance. Being turned away from a bus when the next one is in two hours is just not workable. Reservations at least give you the option of making other plans. Would anyone propose that National Express should not take reservations?

 

[CN04NRJ]

Unless they're willing to stump up the cash to support operators I hope this idea ends up where it deserves to be - the bin.

 

[Pete_uk]

What happens if you cant make your bus? How much faff is it going to be to get another reservation?

And nurses doing 12 hour shifts? Try 15 to 20 hours.

 

[Bantamzen]

Sorry, I was driving because the Government don't want to let me use my preferred mode of transport.

This just serves as evidence that it isn't totally unworkable, as it's not just a Forum desk jockey that's suggesting it, but a reputable organisation.

Remember in particular that other than in Cardiff/Newport/Swansea and the urban bits of the North Wales Coast most Welsh bus routes are very infrequent and long-distance. Being turned away from a bus when the next one is in two hours is just not workable. Reservations at least give you the option of making other plans. Would anyone propose that National Express should not take reservations?

No it serves as evidence that there are some idiots in the public sector with now't but cloth between their ears! Nothing has been proved yet in the real world, and will get tested properly when demand outstrips limited reserved capacity.

 

[Markdvdman]

It is frankly ridiculous this Welsh Government needs to live in the real world! I just checked the TFW site and from Monday, at least from Merthyr, a full service is running again, every 30 mins. No mention of it anywhere though. It makes no sense, as I could go back to work but as I am not a key worker what is the point of bringing a 30 minute service carrying fresh air - or does somebody know something I do not?

 

[Butts]

It is frankly ridiculous this Welsh Government needs to live in the real world! I just checked the TFW site and from M onday, at least from Merthyr, as full service is running again, every 30 mins. No mention of it anywhere though. It makes no sense, as I could go back to work but as I am not a key worker what is the point of bringing a 30 minute service carrying fresh air - or does somebody know something I do not?

They have been doing it in Scotland with the Trains for the last 8 weeks - carrying fresh air !!