Trains cancellations - latest

[Jeremy]

Too right, Monkey. And no Burger King. Crap.

[BrandNewGuy]

8.20 this morning ? on time, seats to spare. Mustm't grumble :-)

Our rail problems have several causes ? the Thameslink upgrade and the associated rebuilding of London Bridge being the main one that affects congestion. Until those works are complete in 2018, we're going to have problems. However, this is unrelated to Southern's uselessness, which needs addressing urgently.

[KidKruger]

I'm talking to Southern now about reduced carriages on the 0830 and why we can't get notice (ie. an announcement before train turns up / note on journey planner about short-form train) that the train is 4x carriages only.

I said I need to know the size of train BEFORE it gets to ED, not wait until it arrives.

1. I was told my query will be forwarded to the relevant team at the END OF SEPTEMBER. After that the period of time / ETA is undefined.

2. There will be NO response to my query from the 'relevant team', it will be 'dealt with', but responses are not provided.

3. Southern apparently don't know themselves how many carriages are on a train and telephonist said that holds even when the train has left the departing station ! (Obviously that cannot be true, they must know how many carriages are leaving a station on a particular train).

4. Southern will not be announcing the train length to passengers waiting up the line (this I find really out of order). Southern say passengers will have to 'wait and see'.

5. If passengers are not confident with the 0830 service they need to consider alternative transport or an earlier train.

[JohnL]

Southern are so rubbish they now advise customers to use their rivals :)

[Earl Aelfheah]

Monkey Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> i can't see what's in it for us regarding the

> works at LB. we've lost train services which will

> never get reinstated, put up with years of

> commuting misery and this morning, I'm sat on a

> train which is leaving countless trains go past at

> high speed, the congestion hadn't eased.

Exactly this. This is a suburban railway, primarily serving those commuting in, or through town, from outside the city. Southeast London needs some tube lines, or some proper 'metro' services. Perhaps if TFL take over we'll get the latter at least. This part of London is woefully underprovided for compared to the rest of the Captial.

[Bic Basher]

At ED earlier, two trains to London Bridge were cancelled in a row with a gap of around 45 minutes between trains. Something is still not right.

[Lowlander]

Crowdfunding towards funding a judicial review of Southern is 84% complete.

https://www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/southernrail/

"The Association of British Commuters is seeking legal advice from Devonshires Solicitors LLP and specialist counsel on the options for issuing a Judicial Review of the government?s handling of the Southern Rail franchise.

We are looking for ?25,000 to cover the initial stages of the Judicial Review. Please donate and help us bring the Government to account, protect the health, safety and livelihood of thousands of rail users, and change your future commute for the better.

There is a strict time limit on starting JR claims, so we need to act now and we need to act fast! Please pledge now so we can begin the action.?

[KidKruger]

How many carriages formed today's 0830 train ?

[Burbage]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Our rail problems have several causes ? the

> Thameslink upgrade and the associated rebuilding

> of London Bridge being the main one that affects

> congestion.However, this

> is unrelated to Southern's uselessness, which

> needs addressing urgently.

Unrelated? Really?

First, DfT are surely responsible for all of them. The delivery of rail services is very much their job.

Secondly, and curiously specifically, there is a Managing Director of Passenger Services at the DfT's Rail Excecutive. This is Peter Wilkinson, resident of Vienna and 'businessman with interests in the rail industry' who draws at least ?250k p.a. from the public purse, presumably in return for some sort of responsibility for passenger services, even if he has only seemed to annoy the unions and splutter at train drivers' pay.

The Managing Director of Passenger Services was not, however, always the Managing Director of Passenger Services. Before that he was the Rail Executive's shiny new Director of Franchising, brought in to smooth things over after the West Coast Mainline fiasco, and whose first major success was the creation of the three-in-one Southern franchise, with its fat fee payable independent of fare revenue or even, as we've seen, the presence of trains.

So, perhaps not so unrelated after all. Especially when you consider that he not only served a near-four year stint at British Rail, butchering it for privatisation, but afterwards set up a rail consultancy with Govia as a client.

It is, I know a small world. But sometimes it looks a little smaller than it should be.

[Earl Aelfheah]

@burbage - great post.

[BrandNewGuy]

Burbage Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> BrandNewGuy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Our rail problems have several causes ? the

> > Thameslink upgrade and the associated

> rebuilding

> > of London Bridge being the main one that

> affects

> > congestion.However, this

> > is unrelated to Southern's uselessness, which

> > needs addressing urgently.

>

> Unrelated? Really?

>

> First, DfT are surely responsible for all of them.

> The delivery of rail services is very much their

> job.

>

> Secondly, and curiously specifically, there is a

> Managing Director of Passenger Services at the

> DfT's Rail Excecutive. This is Peter Wilkinson,

> resident of Vienna and 'businessman with interests

> in the rail industry' who draws at least ?250k

> p.a. from the public purse, presumably in return

> for some sort of responsibility for passenger

> services, even if he has only seemed to annoy the

> unions and splutter at train drivers' pay.

>

> The Managing Director of Passenger Services was

> not, however, always the Managing Director of

> Passenger Services. Before that he was the Rail

> Executive's shiny new Director of Franchising,

> brought in to smooth things over after the West

> Coast Mainline fiasco, and whose first major

> success was the creation of the three-in-one

> Southern franchise, with its fat fee payable

> independent of fare revenue or even, as we've

> seen, the presence of trains.

>

> So, perhaps not so unrelated after all. Especially

> when you consider that he not only served a

> near-four year stint at British Rail, butchering

> it for privatisation, but afterwards set up a rail

> consultancy with Govia as a client.

>

> It is, I know a small world. But sometimes it

> looks a little smaller than it should be.

Agreed that the current set-up is a entangled mess with government in the middle, but I meant that Southern's ongoing issue with training, staffing, sickness etc is not formally connected to the Thameslink/LB upgrade. Even in the best of all possible worlds, closing a number of the platforms at LB while rebuilding the station was always going to cause congestion problems.

[Siduhe]

From this morning's Times re changes to the compensation regime. I guess we'll need to see what the actual rules are but this sounds promising:

Commuters affected by rail delays of just a few minutes will be able to claim compensation for the first time next month after a sudden change of policy by the government.

The Department for Transport ruled that enhanced consumer rights will apply to rail passengers next month ? abandoning a previous decision to postpone the measures for a year.

Consumer groups said that the move would allow passengers to claim for any delay that could be attributed to train operators rather than receiving a graduated payout that starts when trains run at least 30 minutes late.

Other changes include guaranteeing that passengers are repaid in cash rather than vouchers and being able to claim for losses caused by missed train connections.

The enhanced rights will be introduced after a decision to apply the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to the rail industry from October 1. The government had proposed a 12-month delay to allow train companies to meet the requirements but this was dropped yesterday by Paul Maynard, the rail minister. It raises the prospect that thousands of passengers using networks such as Southern, which has one of the worst punctuality rates in the country, will be able to claim more money for delays.

[KidKruger]

Compensation goes nowhere towards fixing the missed meetings, deadlines, presence in workplace that is being messed-up by Southern.

It's a great gesture though and I'm sure the odd ?50 or so rebate per week will satisfy some customers, but not most.

We're here for trains, not ?2.67 against a train that's a fecking hour late or has reduced no. of carriages leaving passengers stranded at the station.

[doogsey]

Seems like we're back to the same unreliable service now that the old timetable has been reinstated.

1730 from LB was cancelled yesterday. Now the 1851 is delayed indefinitely while awaiting crew, no sign of the 1901 and the 1911 is filling up.

I don't really see what legal action will do, unless it has the power to break up the franchise and give some of the inner London routes like LB to Tulse Hill over to TfL to run an overground service. Removing the franchise from Govia or heavy fines won't fix anything.

[KidKruger]

Did trains ED LB run yesterday at all ?

Are they running today / this morning ?

[Tomemery13]

Yes running ok this morning.

[Minitoots]

Here's a Crowdfunding scheme we have just heard about on the news for a

Judicial Review of the Department for Transport?s handling of the Southern Rail franchise

https://www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/southernrail/

[KidKruger]

Thanks Tomem.

[Cedges]

I got on the 8.51am at 8.51am this morning. I nearly fell of the platform in surprise.

There were folk handing out questionnaires outside the train station this morning - re Helen Hayes' campaign to have the franchise transferred to TFL.

You can complete it online at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/X2QB9GZ if you didn't pick up a paper copy.

Please do complete it!

[siousxiesue]

What are the morning trains like now? I.E overcrowding? I'm looking to catch an 8am ish train from ED to LB tomorrow but am prone to fainting in this heat!

[treehugger]

Advice please - I want to get to London Bridge at 9.30 tomorrow for a very important meeting at 10 am. It looks like the (.13 is the one to get. Do you think I should risk it, or get a cab?

[Penguin68]

Overground to Canada Water; Jubilee Line to London Bridge. Avoid disappointment.

[treehugger]

Thank you

[rendelharris]

Or, if you don't mind a short stroll (15 minutes) to London Bridge, the 8.42 Thameslink from Peckham will get you to Blackfriars at 8.58, time to clear your head and even grab a coffee!

[BrandNewGuy]

There really haven't been many cancellations since the last timetable change. Get the 08.51, 08.57 or 09.10 (there's no .13) and you'll still get there in plenty of time without having to think about changing or walking.