WMR Cancellations/Problems

[GWVillager]

Sorry for adding yet another operator to the list of discussions here...

Recently, an alarming number of cancellations appear to be affecting huge swathes of the WMR network, for a variety of reasons according to RTT, PIS screens etc., but primarily staff shortages. Presumably this has something to do with the overtime bans continuing at the moment, but why has WMR seemingly got no idea what trains they will be able to run until quite late in the day, and why are they being hit quite as hard as they are? Things haven't been this bad during previous overtime bans, and other operators seem to be able to cope much better. Additionally, buses have been replacing certain Hereford trains with no explanation. Travel with them is becoming untenable, what on earth is going on?

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Overtime ban ends today, service is due to resume to normal from tomorrow!

 

[AndrewE]

or is it summer leave entitlement meaning just not enough traincrew?

 

[GWVillager]

Overtime ban ends today, service is due to resume to normal from tomorrow!

Oh is it quite literally just that? Rather embarrassing for me then...

 

[SCDR_WMR]

It's a mixture, the OT ban is leaving many jobs open due to Annual Leave being at max levels across all depots.

But, whereas some TOCs have resorted to emergency timetables to limit exposure, WMT have kept all standard timetables in place.

The Trent is being hit hard, not helped by a train with UDS issues earlier today.

 

[boxerdog]

It's a mixture, the OT ban is leaving many jobs open due to Annual Leave being at max levels across all depots.

But, whereas some TOCs have resorted to emergency timetables to limit exposure, WMT have kept all standard timetables in place.

The Trent is being hit hard, not helped by a train with UDS issues earlier today.

Whilst 'bustituting' the Leamington - Nuneaton service in it's entirety whilst the OT ban is in place.

 

[Ridercross]

WMT really should have introduced emergency timetables. Not doing so has left some appalling gaps in service.

Today for example four trains in a row were cancelled from Kidderminster to Birmingham meaning a 90-minute gap between the 1737 and 1907 trains. Also, between Kidderminster and Worcester 2 in a row were cancelled, again leaving a 90-minute gap between 1639 and 1809.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

WMT really should have introduced emergency timetables. Not doing so has left some appalling gaps in service.

Today for example four trains in a row were cancelled from Kidderminster to Birmingham meaning a 90-minute gap between the 1737 and 1907 trains. Also, between Kidderminster and Worcester 2 in a row were cancelled, again leaving a 90-minute gap between 1639 and 1809.

90 is low compared to some sections, Particularly Crewe to Rugby which has been horrendous in the evenings all week

 

[GWVillager]

The Hereford line appears to be experiencing many cancellations today (no information on the cause), and the WMR website is suggesting that several trains will be short-formed from 3 to 2 coaches. Presumably this means 2 coach 172s?

 

[JDM1818]

Those 2 coach 172s still have no place on the Hereford line if you ask me.. need to get more 196s ready

 

[SuperLuke2334]

The Hereford line appears to be experiencing many cancellations today (no information on the cause), and the WMR website is suggesting that several trains will be short-formed from 3 to 2 coaches. Presumably this means 2 coach 172s?

1040 was cancelled due to Traincrew shortage.

 

[Kent99]

Deleted

 

[AndrewE]

2 successive Bham-Lpool trains cancelled yesterday late afternoon, passengers being told they would have to wait for the one after the 3-hour gap. And being sold new tickets on the Avanti services to change at Crewe. Dreadful customer "service."

 

[GWVillager]

It is rather poor, cancellations are becoming normal. Presumably the dirty state of many trains is a result of the staff shortages too?

 

[trainophile]

It wouldn't be so bad if they announced the cancellations first thing in the morning, so you could travel earlier if need be. Getting to the station to find your train that was running when you checked two hours ago is now cancelled is so frustrating, especially when they cancel two 1TPH consecutive services, Nobody wants to have to hang around at a station for three hours, even if it does have a Wetherspoons!

 

[50010 Monarch]

I counted 37 cancellations between Snow Hill & Stourbridge/Stourbridge & Snow Hill yesterday.

 

[tetartoid]

I've had my WM train to Euston cancelled two days in a row recently. I've had to fork out for an anytime Avanti single fare while on the platform because being 60 minutes late for work isn't really an option.

 

[GWVillager]

I've had my WM train to Euston cancelled two days in a row recently. I've had to fork out for an anytime Avanti single fare while on the platform because being 60 minutes late for work isn't really an option.

Can you not claim the Avanti fare from WMT?

 

[Watershed]

I've had my WM train to Euston cancelled two days in a row recently. I've had to fork out for an anytime Avanti single fare while on the platform because being 60 minutes late for work isn't really an option.

If the next train is expected to arrive ≤60 minutes later then unfortunately you're out of luck. But if it's 61+ minutes later then you can require WMT to reroute you to get to your destination at the earliest opportunity - i.e. arrange ticket acceptance with Avanti. If you ask them to do this and they fail or refuse to do so, you could recover the cost of any new ticket you're forced to buy.

 

[tetartoid]

If the next train is expected to arrive ≤60 minutes later then unfortunately you're out of luck. But if it's 61+ minutes later then you can require WMT to reroute you to get to your destination at the earliest opportunity - i.e. arrange ticket acceptance with Avanti. If you ask them to do this and they fail or refuse to do so, you could recover the cost of any new ticket you're forced to buy.

Oh right, thanks very much - I wasn't aware of this. The platform announcement made it clear that "there was no ticket acceptance with Avanti" and the delay to my journey would have been just short of 60 minutes (but only just!) so sounds like I'd have been out of luck. But good to know my rights if it happens again.

 

[Watershed]

Oh right, thanks very much - I wasn't aware of this. The platform announcement made it clear that "there was no ticket acceptance with Avanti" and the delay to my journey would have been just short of 60 minutes (but only just!) so sounds like I'd have been out of luck. But good to know my rights if it happens again.

There's arguably still a case for refusing to arrange ticket acceptance being a breach of the obligation to provide the service with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act. But it's a much less clear-cut argument than relying on your right to be re-routed at the earliest opportunity under the Passenger Rights and Obligations Regulation (PRO).

 

[SCDR_WMR]

If the next train is expected to arrive ≤60 minutes later then unfortunately you're out of luck. But if it's 61+ minutes later then you can require WMT to reroute you to get to your destination at the earliest opportunity - i.e. arrange ticket acceptance with Avanti. If you ask them to do this and they fail or refuse to do so, you could recover the cost of any new ticket you're forced to buy.

We have requested acceptance on most days from Avanti which has been refused. Certainly we have at local levels, can't confirm what the reason for not having it company wide is.

Both conductors and Avanti station staff at my station have asked TMs to allow LNR passengers onboard which has been refused point blank every single time.....funny how it's a one way street!

Oh right, thanks very much - I wasn't aware of this. The platform announcement made it clear that "there was no ticket acceptance with Avanti" and the delay to my journey would have been just short of 60 minutes (but only just!) so sounds like I'd have been out of luck. But good to know my rights if it happens again.

Avanti are the ones not allowing the ticket acceptance from my experience, would probably have to pay twice and refund if desperate to catch an Avanti service which is plain wrong to me.

 

[Watershed]

We have requested acceptance on most days from Avanti which has been refused. Certainly we have at local levels, can't confirm what the reason for not having it company wide is.

Both conductors and Avanti station staff at my station have asked TMs to allow LNR passengers onboard which has been refused point blank every single time.....funny how it's a one way street!

The fact that Avanti won't allow ticket acceptance through official channels (which is of course nonsensical) doesn't relieve WMT of their obligations.

If it's possible for a passenger to buy an Any Permitted ticket and board an Avanti service, then WMT need to be getting out the corporate credit card and buying people new tickets - just like Grand Central and Hull Trains used to do in their early days.

 

[185]

Both conductors and Avanti station staff at my station have asked TMs to allow LNR passengers onboard which has been refused point blank every single time.....funny how it's a one way street!

In fairness last night with three missing southbound Trent WM services, the WM Twitter account did give authorisation on an Avanti when pushed.

One solution... one franchise on the Trent.

 

[Bletchleyite]

One solution... one franchise on the Trent.

It's a solution (comparable to the ECML where the equivalent service, the York semifast, is operated by LNER, or to the GWML and the Exeter semifast), but people wouldn't like it as it'd mean the end* of the lower fares!

* OK to be fair that LNER service typically has cheaper Advances than the fast service, but it's nothing like as cheap.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

The fact that Avanti won't allow ticket acceptance through official channels (which is of course nonsensical) doesn't relieve WMT of their obligations.

If it's possible for a passenger to buy an Any Permitted ticket and board an Avanti service, then WMT need to be getting out the corporate credit card and buying people new tickets - just like Grand Central and Hull Trains used to do in their early days.

Oh absolutely, I'm just putting across that on the ground level Avanti are clearly telling their staff not to help which is not on.

But then if the DfT would allow TOCs to resolve the current industrial action, passengers wouldn't be having such truncated services

 

[sk688]

3 hours worth of Abbey Line services cancelled today between 3 and 6

Maybe it's down to the summer holidays but LNWR cancellations have been notably worse over the last week or so

 

[james_the_xv]

Was awful today at Northampton this afternoon, 1610 to BHM (1Y45) terminated short but ran ECS to COV (no idea why this couldn't have carried passengers as Conductor also seemed to be present), 1640 (1Y47) terminated short into Plat. 1 and formed a service to EUS, but Station departure boards and announcements said it was continuing to BHM which caused a huge stampede from Plat. 3. (I assume) station manager on Plat. 1 confirmed it was going back to EUS, prompting some horrific abuse to the poor guy from some passengers. 1710 (1Y49) turned up as planned on Plat. 3 but was then full and standing.

LNR control must have had an off day, really threw their colleague under the bus with that one, felt really sorry for him as he seemed none the wiser either but was left to take the abuse. Understand train crew were displaced after an earlier incident between COV and BHI but there was zero communication. Worse than any of the overtime ban days on the EUS-BHM via NMP route.

 

[GWVillager]

3 hours worth of Abbey Line services cancelled today between 3 and 6

Maybe it's down to the summer holidays but LNWR cancellations have been notably worse over the last week or so

I have noticed the same.

Is there anything happening on social media? It feels as if WMT/DfT need to be shown up, this is getting ridiculous yet there’s none of the coverage that AWC or TPE were receiving a few months ago. Granted, that was notably worse, but still.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

I have noticed the same.

Is there anything happening on social media? It feels as if WMT/DfT need to be shown up, this is getting ridiculous yet there’s none of the coverage that AWC or TPE were receiving a few months ago. Granted, that was notably worse, but still.

I think the only thing that has saved WMT up to now has been the fact it hasn't been a sustained failure to run the services unlike the other 2 TOCs you mention.

Summer holidays are always very tight on staffing levels only this year there is zero goodwill and higher levels of sickness at certain depots on the driver side in particular, which means all spare turns seem to be being allocated work on the 7 day sheets so late sickness isn't coverable.

That and some drivers at my depot are basically working to black ink, so are refusing to work passenger services or shed moves if it takes them over their day etc.

Hopefully this will improve with the end of school holidays not that far off now.