General Election 2010 and its implications for the railways (combined topic)

[whole diary]

[inspector_blakey]

I'm sure I read somewhere that DC^▸ (Direct Current) was using a private jet, although I can't remember where and can't find the source online at the moment so I could be mistaken. May well not have been Air South West.

[paul7575]

So, this could mean that after asking everyone (who doesn't at first make it clear) whether they want Anytime or Offpeak or Super Offpeak etc, passengers asking at the Bristol ticket office for 'London' must be reminded that it could be cheaper but slower to go via Salisbury to Waterloo, or everyone asking at Southampton for 'London' should be advised that it is far cheaper, but much slower, to go on SN's Victoria services. 

The ticket office staff (and TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) for that matter) aren't mindreaders - so every sale will have to be prefaced with something along the lines of 'do you want direct for speed or roundabout for cheapness' - there's no easy answer to the supposed problem.

With every TVM being programmed to offer the cheaper fare more obviously, this will probably be the cause of thousands of pax being excessed for being off route, because they didn't read or understand the displayed restrictions...

Paul

[JayMac]

One would suggest that Labour, Andrew Adonis and the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) (if they get back in) sort out the complex fares system before 'forcing' TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to sell the cheapest ticket.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I'm sure I read somewhere that DC^▸ (Direct Current) was using a private jet, although I can't remember where and can't find the source online at the moment so I could be mistaken. May well not have been Air South West.

Erm ... (cough) ... see my post, above: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=6551.msg65170#msg65170 

[devon_metro]

I'm sure I read somewhere that DC^▸ (Direct Current) was using a private jet, although I can't remember where and can't find the source online at the moment so I could be mistaken. May well not have been Air South West.

Correct, however he is using a number of different private jets to support various different businesses, obviously...

[woody]

David Cameron hits turbulence ^ and gets another bump on the head
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jameskirkup/100033148/david-cameron-hits-turbulence-and-gets-another-bump-on-the-head/

[caliwag]

Having searched high and low, I still cannot locate the actual detailed press release re the lib dem re-opening proposals. The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) statement of 5 April is the most detailed, but what is it officially based on...an interview with Norman Baker perhaps!

[Chris from Nailsea]

I rather think you've hit the nail on the head there, caliwag. 

The Liberal Democrat press release, to which I provided a link earlier, is as much as has been published - seven paragraphs. The bulk of the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) news report, at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8603009.stm was indeed apparently based on an interview with Norman Baker.

The Liberal Democrat statement on 'What We Stand For' on transport is at http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport.aspx - five paragraphs.

The Liberal Democrat Policy Briefing on Transport is here: http://www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/resources/PDF/Election%20Policy/11%20-%20Transport.pdf - six paragraphs.

Make of that what you will. 

[devon_metro]

Perhaps we might see more on Wednesday when their manifesto is published.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

At-a-glance: Labour election manifesto
...
Commitment to high-speed rail linking London, Birmingham, the East Midlands, Manchester, northern England and Scotland
...

The full Labour election manifesto is available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/12_04_10_labour_manifesto.pdf

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

At-a-glance: Conservative manifesto
...
Immediate start to high-speed rail line linking London, Heathrow Airport, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds
Block plans for third Heathrow runway and second runways at Gatwick and Stansted
...

The full Conservative election manifesto is available at http://media.conservatives.s3.amazonaws.com/manifesto/cpmanifesto2010_hires.pdf

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) press release:

Train Companies respond to Conservative manifesto pledges on rail

In response to the Conservative manifesto pledges on rail, a spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies said:

^The Conservatives^ pledge to grant longer and more flexible franchises will be welcomed by train companies and would be good for passengers and taxpayers. Train companies have been calling for focused reform to allow them to address issues such as overcrowding and station improvements more quickly and effectively and to attract more private sector investment to the railways.

^Train companies support the commitment to make Network Rail more accountable to its customers and believe that ensuring this happens should remain the core role of the rail regulator.

^The pledge that the Conservatives have made on high speed and their support for Crossrail, electrification of the Great Western line and reopening old lines represent a vote of confidence in the railways. It is important that these projects are part of a programme of wider investment as demand for rail travel is expected to double in the next 30 years.^

[devon_metro]

Pretty supportive then!

Then again, all seems like common sense to me, so you'd like to think they did.

[inspector_blakey]

Paging Btline

Borrowed from Railway Eye today: the UKIP manifesto, transport section (with my emphasis in bold at the end!)

UKIP believes the British people have a right to a reliable public and private transport system at an acceptable cost. UKIP will invest in a transport network that meets the needs of the British people and Britain^s economy. UKIP will:

    * Invest an extra ^3 billion p.a. in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)^s transport infrastructure, using money made available by leaving the EU^» (European Union - about) and saving the ^6.4 billion net Britain pays every year in EU membership contributions
    * Invest in an enhanced and safer road network, building new bypasses and widening major roads
    * Offer a ^Windfall Return^ on fuel duty above a set world dollar oil price. When this level is reached, government receipts from oil duties will be returned to motorists as fuel tax cuts
    * Be fair to motorists by subjecting parking charges and revenue-raising devices, including speed cameras, to greater democratic control
    * Repeal EU-generated road directives that
    * impose unnecessary and expensive burdens, such as the new Road Transport Directive
    * Introduce a ^Britdisc^ which foreign lorries will have to pay for using major British roads.
    * Currently, many of these lorries pay nothing for the wear and tear they cause
    * Veto EU attempts to force the UK into accepting EU lorries that are a third longer and a third heavier than currently allowed - up to an unacceptable 60 tonnes
    * Invest in three new 200mph plus high-speed rail lines including a new line between London and Newcastle with a spur to Manchester, a London-Bristol-Exeter line and a linking route via Birmingham
    * Expand the rail network by re-opening rail lines where there is a proven need
    * Improve passenger rail franchises by demanding higher standards of customer satisfaction, and by extending standard franchise terms to up to 20 years to encourage greater investment and stability
    * Encourage a major transfer of freight away from road and onto rail and canal
    * Invest in better rail and road links to ports
    * Oppose a sixth Heathrow Airport terminal and third runway and the expansion of Gatwick and Stansted in favour of a major new Hong Kong-style Thames Estuary airport with motorway connections and a high-speed rail service to London, the UK and the Continent

This of course provided as a special Eye service to the three of you who intend voting for them.

[JayMac]

Encourage a major transfer of freight away from road and onto rail and canal

Canal  

"When would you like your goods delivered?"
"Tuesday."
"Which month?"