Confusion Over FGW Handling Of MTLS Fare Strike Tickets

[whole diary]

[Lee]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) article link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7212697.stm

[Timmer]

Hot off the press so to speak...The Bath Chronicle's report on this mornings fare strike:

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232327&home=yes&contentPK=19691903

[Lee]

Interesting that Dom Joly took part, given the link below.
http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2007/12/tidings-of-comfort-and-joy.html

[Timmer]

Interesting that Dom Joly took part, given the link below.
http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2007/12/tidings-of-comfort-and-joy.html

I believe he is currently working on a consumer based TV series and one of his targets was...yes you've guessed it FGW^▸ (First Great Western)! I suspect he got quite a bit of interesting footage this morning at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)).

[Lee]

Interesting that Dom Joly took part, given the link below.
http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2007/12/tidings-of-comfort-and-joy.html

I believe he is currently working on a consumer based TV series and one of his targets was...yes you've guessed it FGW^▸ (First Great Western)! I suspect he got quite a bit of interesting footage this morning at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)).

Yes, thats pretty much what the I Hate FGW blog link says.

[Lee]

More article links on the Fare Strike(s)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=19689038&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

http://thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=143632&command=displayContent&sourceNode=142719&contentPK=19687703&folderPk=91672&pNodeId=201778

http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=19693240

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/display.var.1998413.0.commuters_in_train_protest.php

According to the Bristol Evening Post, several got through without paying at Bristol Temple Meads. However , see other article quotes regarding Bath :

First Great Western insisted most of the passengers allowed through with their fake vouchers had already bought tickets.

Spokesman Adrian Ruck said: "So far here at Spa, 40 people who have shown their protest tickets have been allowed through - but they had already bought tickets.

"We have only had one person who has pushed through the barrier and we will decide whether they are to face prosecution.

Mr Ambrose, who this morning travelled from Bath to Bristol without paying for a ticket, said he wanted rail services in the South West taken away from FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

Either FGW havent got it quite right (and it was a hectic morning for them) or they are considering making an example of the MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain) leader.

On the other hand, they could be reffering to Dom Joly, which would make an equally interesting prosecution :

TV comedian Dom Joly took part in the protest at Bath station, which he was filming as part of a new show.

The funnyman had a heated confrontation with staff at the ticket barriers at Bristol Temple Meads along with More Trains Less Trains spokesman Peter Andrews, 58.

Mr Andrews eventually relented and produced his season ticket while Joly sneaked in through behind him.

Among those who travelled without paying was comedian Dom Joly, who, accompanied by a film crew, made the journey from Bath to Bristol with a fare strike ticket.

[Shazz]

Anyone get an on the spot fine? or no idea

[Tim]

The BBc article (first link), says that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will not be prosecuting anyone but will be writing to the people whos names they took explaining how the service is being improved. 

Tim

[Timmer]

Daily Mail report on the fare strike:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=510734&in_page_id=1770&ito=1595

I just love the picture of passenger with the cow mask. Worthy of a caption I think: FGW^▸ (First Great Western) try to keep things moooooving!

[mada]

The BBc article (first link), says that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will not be prosecuting anyone but will be writing to the people whos names they took explaining how the service is being improved. 

Tim

I'm on the "names taken" list at Bristol Parkway. I gave my real name as I'm proud to have made a stand. However the FGW staff refused to show me a copy of their data protection policy when taking my personal details therefore if any prosecution is forthcoming I shall be writing a letter to the information commissioner which could potentially cause FGW to receive a heavy fine which will be a great deal more than any fine I receive.

[Btline]

The BBc article (first link), says that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will not be prosecuting anyone but will be writing to the people whos names they took explaining how the service is being improved. 

Tim

I'm on the "names taken" list at Bristol Parkway. I gave my real name as I'm proud to have made a stand. However the FGW staff refused to show me a copy of their data protection policy when taking my personal details therefore if any prosecution is forthcoming I shall be writing a letter to the information commissioner which could potentially cause FGW to receive a heavy fine which will be a great deal more than any fine I receive.

 

[Lee]

The BBc article (first link), says that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will not be prosecuting anyone but will be writing to the people whos names they took explaining how the service is being improved. 

Tim

The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) link quotes that as the view of one FGW manager, while another said that FGW will decide later on whether to prosecute.

[devon_metro]

Some interesting news reports here
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?tab=av&q=first%20great%20western&recipe=all&scope=all&edition=d

[Timmer]

All in all I suspect that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are briefing a sigh of relief that Monday January 28th has come and gone. It wasn't a good day for them with all the media coverage but neither was it a really bad day for the company either.

[mada]

The question is what will they do to the "militants" such as myself from whom they took names?