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Title: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: grahame on December 29, 2021, 12:01:46 It does appear that the TransWilts is not the only line to have significant service culls today that have taken people "left field" - and these are culls quietly slipped in after timetables were announced, but before the "delay repay" and JourneyCheck cutoffs, so that passengers who have made their plans for this week are left high and dry, and don't even find out on the morning from their normal sources.
Services southbound from Maiden Newton today: 10:37, 11:37, 16:43, 18:45, 19:40, 22:46 Services southbound from Maiden Newton next week: 07:57, 10:37, 11:37, 13:36, 16:43, 18:45, 19:40, 22:46 Services southbound from Dilton Marsh today: 06:57, 15:14, 17:14, 17:56, 19:38 Services southbound from Dilton Marsh next week: 06:57, 09:54, 13:34, 15:14, 17:14, 17:56, 19:38, 22:07 Services northbound from Melksham today: 05:31 07:24 07:52 12:32 14:31 20:23 Services northbound from Melksham next week: 05:31 07:24 07:52 10*01 12:32 14:31 16*40 18*49 20:23 Services northbound at Avoncliff down from 22 to 20 Services from Severn Beach down from 22 to 16 Services at Okehampton appear unaffected at 8 departures I appreciate this is a quiet week, and there are probably more staff shortages that usual due to illness, but the quiet (almost secretive) disappearance of services from the timetable - sometimes leaving massive gaps with successive and key trains removed - does not show any care for the customer base. I was alerted initially to this as a TransWilts problem - probably because we have a healthy regular user market including people who work in key operational roles in supply chains and medical who rely on these trains ... Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: ChrisB on December 29, 2021, 14:39:31 If staff report in sick in numbers obviously represented by this number of cut services, what do you sensibly suggest might be the alternative?
If it covers next week too, it seems Covid may be the reason Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: Sulis John on December 29, 2021, 14:54:15 At least in terms of delay repay, then the "cut off point" is once a service has been advertised as running on a particular day at a particular time - then any qualifying failure should be accompanied by a liability to pay compensation. I can't help thinking that this is another reason that various train operators are trying to ditch PDF timetables - you can alter something on a journey planner at any time (no doubt, if you're devious, even retrospectively to be able to claim that train xyz never existed) but it's hard to argue with the professionally printed timetable someone has in their hand.
Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: IndustryInsider on December 29, 2021, 16:00:42 If staff report in sick in numbers obviously represented by this number of cut services, what do you sensibly suggest might be the alternative? I’d suggest that GWR should have decency to announce these changes on their website, complete with full explanation and an apology, at least 24 hours in advance. I often ‘stick up’ for my company in the face of criticism - but sneaky changes like this are inexcusable. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: ChrisB on December 29, 2021, 16:38:38 I weote that post prior to checking journeycheck, assuming those were all listed.
Not the case, and this I completely agree with both you & Graham Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: TaplowGreen on December 29, 2021, 16:59:18 If staff report in sick in numbers obviously represented by this number of cut services, what do you sensibly suggest might be the alternative? I’d suggest that GWR should have decency to announce these changes on their website, complete with full explanation and an apology, at least 24 hours in advance. I often ‘stick up’ for my company in the face of criticism - but sneaky changes like this are inexcusable. This goes to the lack of a culture of customer service and putting the customer first on the railways which we've discussed elsewhere and is a perfect example of the problem. I'm not sure if I'd use the word "sneaky" if the reason for the changes is unforeseen COVID casualties but there has clearly been very little effort to make customers aware. GWR could have used local radio, television and other media (as well as social media) to publicise it as widely as possible but the effort to do so seems to have been virtually non existent. ..........a few more people who will make a mental note to take the car next time no doubt. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: IndustryInsider on December 29, 2021, 17:08:22 I'm not sure if I'd use the word "sneaky" if the reason for the changes is unforeseen COVID casualties but there has clearly been very little effort to make customers aware. I think it's the perfect word. What annoys me the most is that you might well have been able to get away with it in the days before the internet, but there's no chance of that now with all the public data feeds that Joe Public can access to work out belatedly what's gone on and form a tarnished opinion of GWR and 'the railway' as a result - even if the cancellations are understandable due to the exceptional staffing issues at the moment. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: TaplowGreen on December 29, 2021, 17:22:28 I'm not sure if I'd use the word "sneaky" if the reason for the changes is unforeseen COVID casualties but there has clearly been very little effort to make customers aware. I think it's the perfect word. What annoys me the most is that you might well have been able to get away with it in the days before the internet, but there's no chance of that now with all the public data feeds that Joe Public can access to work out belatedly what's gone on and form a tarnished opinion of GWR and 'the railway' as a result - even if the cancellations are understandable due to the exceptional staffing issues at the moment. I see where you're coming from. To be honest, in the context of customers, I just don't think it's in GWR's cultural mindset to think enough of their customers to make the effort - it may well be that it didn't even occur to them that they should. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: ChrisB on December 29, 2021, 17:38:06 I’d like to know the explanation for why none of the services Graham lists appear on GWR journeycheck today….
Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: grahame on December 29, 2021, 18:05:54 This goes to the lack of a culture of customer service and putting the customer first on the railways which we've discussed elsewhere and is a perfect example of the problem. I'm not sure if I'd use the word "sneaky" if the reason for the changes is unforeseen COVID casualties but there has clearly been very little effort to make customers aware. GWR could have used local radio, television and other media (as well as social media) to publicise it as widely as possible but the effort to do so seems to have been virtually non existent. ..........a few more people who will make a mental note to take the car next time no doubt. You are 110% right and the tragedy is that customer care, and using the community available to them, so much better could be done even in difficult times with some awkward decisions. I am sadly feeling that I'm very much a "shouty man" at present, with negative public transport issues piled up all around. Those issues need to be recorded and reported, but in just recording and reporting them, there's a danger of the decision makers and "powers that be" just battening down the hatches, carrying in with little attention to or care for customer who are the people they need for the future of their own industries. The $64,000 question is how we can help the public transport industry and its governance organisations and decision makers to see passengers and the community as partners to work with rather than as the 'awkward squad' to be contended with and kept in the dark. I would love to be back to an informed partnership. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: Timmer on December 29, 2021, 18:17:59 This isn’t the first time that this has happened. During Christmas party season December 2019 (pre-Covid) trains were removed four days before they were due to run making it very difficult to claim delay repay as the service you were trying it make a claim on was no longer in the system.
Had a real battle to get compensation for the train we were booked on being cancelled as ‘computer says no’ despite having an advance ticket showing the reservations for that cancelled service. It wasn’t till I escalated it to the top that I got anywhere. I agree with II that sneaky is the right word to use and a bit underhand of GWR to remove trains from the system without publicising it as it makes them look like they are cancelling less trains than they actually are. I think we’ve all been gracious to GWR these past few weeks because of the current Covid situation. The least they can do is be honest and upfront with the number of services they are having to cancel. There is understanding at the moment but that may not last if cancelled trains are being hidden from the public. edited to correct spelling mistake Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: grahame on December 29, 2021, 19:19:32 All five lines I looked at in our GWR area had services that had disappeared late from the timetables. Lisa suggested I take a look at some other TOCs to see if there was any evidence of similar stuff going on. So here are eight examples from other TOCs - first column of numbers services scheduled today, second column number of services scheduled for Wednesday of next week. A few of the services listed (today and next week) are til replacement buses, and there have been some cancellations today - but no unexpected timetable holes of 7 hours, nor surprise first trains after 10:30.
Tenby, westbound 8 8 Cromer, westbound 16 17 Skegness, arrivals 12 13 Rufford, northbound 17 15 Tweedbank, arrivals 18 19 Fenny Stratford, East 17 17 Chandlers Ford, SE 18 18 Rye, Eastbound 18 18 Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: broadgage on December 29, 2021, 20:24:30 This sort of thing does beg the question "how many and what sources do intending passengers need to check, before they travel ?"
The timetable ? yes but do not count on it. Journey check ? Yes, but remember that this wont show trains withdrawn after publishing the timetable, but far enough in advance that they are called "alterations" rather than "cancellations" On line live departure indicators ? perhaps, but of limited use for multi leg journeys, since the intended second train might be cancelled after boarding the first train. Any others ? Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: stuving on December 29, 2021, 23:28:00 This sort of thing does beg the question "how many and what sources do intending passengers need to check, before they travel ?" The timetable ? yes but do not count on it. Journey check ? Yes, but remember that this wont show trains withdrawn after publishing the timetable, but far enough in advance that they are called "alterations" rather than "cancellations" On line live departure indicators ? perhaps, but of limited use for multi leg journeys, since the intended second train might be cancelled after boarding the first train. Any others ? GWR would offer you their own journey planner, and more official sources refer you to National Rail's OJP. But what no-one wants to talk about is how far ahead that can be relied on - the advice is in effect to keep checking and checking again. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: grahame on December 30, 2021, 05:45:57 This sort of thing does beg the question "how many and what sources do intending passengers need to check, before they travel ?" GWR would offer you their own journey planner, and more official sources refer you to National Rail's OJP. But what no-one wants to talk about is how far ahead that can be relied on - the advice is in effect to keep checking and checking again. From the engineering changes ( at http://www.passenger.chat/25812 picture at ((here)) (http://www.wellho.net/pix/blasted_001.jpg) ) Quote Please check your journey on the day you travel. Additional late timetable changes may apply due to the impact of Covid-19. And from JourneyCheck a couple of hours ago: Quote 11:01 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47 11:01 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47 will be cancelled. This is due to a short-notice change to the timetable. Further Information If you hold a valid single, return, or weekly ticket, you will be able to claim compensation for delays of 15 minutes or more. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR.com/DelayRepay Last Updated:30/12/2021 03:45 No answer on how late the last changes might be - but taking this morning as an example, if you checked at 3 O'Clock this morning for your train later in the morning, as far as I can see you would still have been told it was running ... and that change is not reported as immediate staff sickness (which can happen at a few minutes notice, I appreciate) but as a timetable change. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: Timmer on December 30, 2021, 13:04:09 And we now have a list of altered and cancelled services for today. From what I can see these are not listed on Journeycheck but I haven’t checked every train listed:
https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information Quote Amended services - 30 December 2021 (listed in time order) 11:45 Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth terminates at Westbury 11:50 Penzance to Plymouth is cancelled 12:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington is cancelled 12:10 Weston-super-Mare to Severn Beach is cancelled 12:13 Par to Newquay is cancelled 12:28 Plymouth to Gunnislake is cancelled 12:42 Bristol Temple Meads to Brighton terminates at Westbury 13:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington is cancelled 13:00 Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads is cancelled 13:10 Newquay to Par is cancelled 13:15 Plymouth to London Paddington is cancelled 13:19 Gunnislake to Plymouth is cancelled 13:25 Warminster to Bristol Temple Meads start at Westbury 13:38 Gloucester to Worcester Foregate Street is cancelled 13:43 Exeter St. Davids to London Paddington is cancelled 14:18 Plymouth to Penzance is cancelled 14:20 Paignton to Exmouth is cancelled 14:37 London Paddington to Paignton is cancelled 14:55 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads start at Westbury 14:56 Worcester Foregate Street to Gloucester is cancelled 15:02 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads is cancelled 15:55 Plymouth to Penzance is cancelled 15:55 Exmouth to Paignton starts at Exeter St. Davids 16:25 Westbury to Swindon is cancelled 17:00 Plymouth to Liskeard is cancelled 17:02 Brighton to Bristol Temple Meads starts at Westbury 17:04 London Paddington to Penzance is cancelled 17:29 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington is cancelled 17:36 Swindon to Westbury is cancelled 17:40 Gloucester to Worcester Foregate Street is cancelled 17:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street is cancelled 17:58 Liskeard to Plymouth is cancelled 18:34 Westbury to Swindon is cancelled 18:57 Worcester Foregate Street to Gloucester is cancelled 19:05 Paignton to London Paddington is cancelled 19:15 Penzance to Bristol Temple Meads starts at Plymouth 19:33 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare is cancelled 20:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour terminates at Bristol Temple Meads 20:32 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare is cancelled 20:47 Swindon to Westbury is cancelled 21:00 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington is cancelled 21:30 Cardiff Central to Frome terminates at Westbury 22:10 Weston-super-Mare to Bristol Temple Meads is cancelled 22:50 London Paddington to Worcestershire Parkway (High Level) is cancelled Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: IndustryInsider on December 30, 2021, 13:33:58 Better late than never.
Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: grahame on December 30, 2021, 19:21:18 From the East Lothian Courier (https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/19815158.two-east-lothian-train-services-suspended/) - an example of how it should be done.
Quote A NUMBER of temporary rail service suspensions will hit East Lothian next month as a result of staff shortages caused by the rising number of Covid-19 cases. The 5.56pm and 7.05pm North Berwick to Edinburgh trains and the 5.15pm and 6.17pm Edinburgh to North Berwick services will be suspended from Tuesday until January 28. A ScotRail spokesperson said: “The rapid spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant has resulted in a large number of absences at ScotRail, with colleagues testing positive, awaiting results or having to self-isolate. What seems to be good notice, and thinning out alternate services - still an hourly train running. From the Swindon Adveriser (https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19815684.swindon-trains-delayed-cancelled-today-covid-hits-staff-numbers/) - of how it should not be done Quote In a statement the company said: "With rising numbers of staff being unavailable to work due to self-isolation requirements we've taken steps to maintain service levels across the network. "Unfortunately this incldues planned cancellations designed to minimise the impact on as many customers as possible. As a result of the cancellations some services may be businer than normal. The services it cancelled this morning were 7.40am Penzance to Cardiff Central, the 9.50am Penzance to Plymouth, the 9.59am Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington, the 11.01am Swindon to Westbury and the 11.10am Newquary to Par. Telling people what's been cancelled after the cancellations have passed ... some way out of the region of the newspaper, and overlooking busy missing trains such as the 17:36 Swindon to Westbury Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: TaplowGreen on December 31, 2021, 07:43:17 Attached tweeted by GWR in the last 15 mins - a link to Journeycheck was included which at the time of trying didn't work.
Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: Timmer on December 31, 2021, 08:08:43 Today’s list:
https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: grahame on December 31, 2021, 09:27:28 Today’s list: https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information Information from that page: Quote With rising numbers of staff unavailable to work because of testing positive for covid and having to self-isolate, we have taken steps to maintain services levels across the network, including cancelling all non-safety critical staff training. Unfortunately, this also includes planned cancellations designed to minimise the impact on as many customers as possible. Some services may be busier than normal. Online journey planners have been updated to reflect planned cancellations for the rest of today, please check your journey before you leave home for the most up to date information. Customers with booked tickets are able to travel on an earlier or later service should their booked train be cancelled. Customers who choose not to travel can claim a full refund. Please visit gwr.com/refunds for more information Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: TaplowGreen on December 31, 2021, 09:58:00 A lot of people struggled getting home from London Paddington last night as a lot of late evening services were cancelled at short/no notice due to signalling staff testing positive, and (apparently) the only remaining healthy chap needed to take a break.
According to a friend who was there after a theatre trip, no trains left Paddington for a while, and a lot of people struggled to get further than Reading even when things got moving again - suffice to say, a lot of taxi drivers will have paid for Christmas thanks to last night. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: ChrisB on December 31, 2021, 11:11:05 Attached tweeted by GWR in the last 15 mins - a link to Journeycheck was included which at the time of trying didn't work. Today’s list: https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information Information from that page: Quote With rising numbers of staff unavailable to work because of testing positive for covid and having to self-isolate, we have taken steps to maintain services levels across the network, including cancelling all non-safety critical staff training. Unfortunately, this also includes planned cancellations designed to minimise the impact on as many customers as possible. Some services may be busier than normal. Online journey planners have been updated to reflect planned cancellations for the rest of today, please check your journey before you leave home for the most up to date information. Customers with booked tickets are able to travel on an earlier or later service should their booked train be cancelled. Customers who choose not to travel can claim a full refund. Please visit gwr.com/refunds for more information The link to journeycheck might not have worked but there were many of these that did appear, but I haven’t doneva check for completeness. I did complain yesterday both on twitter & to management that the cancellations that they listed for 30th hadn’t beenbput on journeycheck & suggested that ALL & any same-day cancellations should appear there as that is the main source that travellers do check before setting out. Hopefully it achieved something as more certainly appeared today, if not all of them Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: TaplowGreen on December 31, 2021, 16:14:04 Hopefully the late night service will prove to be resilient tonight of all nights.
I got a TfL service to Taplow earlier and they seem to be pretty much unaffected (so far), which may ease the London-Maidenhead-Reading pressure. Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: Timmer on January 01, 2022, 09:28:23 Looks like all cancellations and service alterations are listed on Journeycheck today of which there are quite a few.
Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: phile on January 01, 2022, 09:55:12 TFW have been operating similarly adopting a Special Timetable but without any copy available. Queries re train enquiries are directed to Journey Planner so this enabled TFW to change willy nilly. One punter queried with TFW regarding removing trains frrom the system in this manner and that all cancellations should be listed in Journey Check with the reason. This forced some change
Title: Re: Late service reductions - 29th to 31st December 2021 Post by: grahame on January 01, 2022, 12:15:45 TFW have been operating similarly adopting a Special Timetable but without any copy available. Queries re train enquiries are directed to Journey Planner so this enabled TFW to change willy nilly. One punter queried with TFW regarding removing trains frrom the system in this manner and that all cancellations should be listed in Journey Check with the reason. This forced some change From the outside (England) looking in (to Wales) The National (https://www.thenational.wales/news/19818929.covid-19-transport-wales-updates-emergency-rail-timetable/) reports Quote Rail passengers are being asked to check before they travel as Transport for Wales updates its emergency rail timetable from Monday 3 January. TfW and Network Rail have continued to see a significant increase in staff absences as a result of the latest wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and this has impacted rail services in recent weeks. As a result, TfW introduced an emergency rail timetable from 22 December, which equated to a reduction of between 10-15% of the standard timetable introduced on 12 December. However, with staff absences continuing to increase, the decision has been taken to further reduce services to ensure the company can provide a reliable service throughout this latest stage of the pandemic. and it goes on considerably further. Not a good situation, but (I would argue) much better than "see what does and doesn't turn up on the day" which is what we appear to have in our GWR parts today. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |