Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[grahame]

In a way, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) don't operate the contract stipulated by DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) because there is a published DfT Business requirements specifying first and last trains and frequency for each route, associated with the contract, and that is not being met.

Possibly the contract daftly (DfT-ly ?) makes it cheaper to not operate minimum, and accept any penalty, than trying to deliver it.

As I understand it, the contract does also include a measure of disruption / unreliability that's allowed, accepting that things will never be 100%.  Delay attribution calculations are done so that GWR are not financially liable (for example) for a failure to run services when the tracks are flooded, and this attribution can get silly at times - if a train hits a small bird it is treated differently to a train hitting a big bird.   I have asked one of the managers concerned what the measure of disruption actually allowed is, and understand that it varies; I also got the message that I am probably not bright enough to understand the algorithm used even if I were told.  I may not have got that message quite as it was intended, mind you.

[TaplowGreen]

In a way, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) don't operate the contract stipulated by DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) because there is a published DfT Business requirements specifying first and last trains and frequency for each route, associated with the contract, and that is not being met.

That relates to the pre-pandemic contract. The new post-pandemic contract does not have these stipulations, just a timetable that has to be operated, if everything like staffing is adequate, which it obviously isn't - so as a-driver states correctly, it is for the DfT to find a solution that works.

I genuinely hope Hopwood is taking the approach suggested by his PR^▸ (Public Relations) team in order to find solutions, rather than simply sitting back saying "DfT problem".

I guess it's worth bearing in mind as well however, that these highly paid managers in GWR must be conscious that their sinecures are coming to an end given the new Government's commitment once existing contracts expire, and it's only natural for their motivation to slip somewhat in these circumstances as "dead men walking" - so to speak!!!

[Marlburian]

... I guess it's worth bearing in mind as well however, that these highly paid managers in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) must be conscious that their sinecures are coming to an end given the new Government's commitment once existing contracts expire...

Who's going to replace them?

[TaplowGreen]

According to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Journeycheck 1518 Penzance to Paddington cancelled with 1618 & 1755 both terminating at Plymouth.

According to National Rail all three are cancelled throughout - which should be believed?

(Both agree it's due to crew shortage though)

..........can add the 1650 to that list too according to NR^» (Network Rail - home page)

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/journey-planner/?type=single&origin=PNZ&destination=PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)&leavingType=departing&leavingDate=101124&leavingHour=14&leavingMin=00&adults=1&extraTime=0#O

[brooklea]

According to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Journeycheck 1518 Penzance to Paddington cancelled with 1618 & 1755 both terminating at Plymouth.

According to National Rail all three are cancelled throughout - which should be believed?

(Both agree it's due to crew shortage though)

..........can add the 1650 to that list too according to NR^» (Network Rail - home page)

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/journey-planner/?type=single&origin=PNZ&destination=PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)&leavingType=departing&leavingDate=101124&leavingHour=14&leavingMin=00&adults=1&extraTime=0#O

The two websites agree, depending on the search parameters input - ask National Rail for options from Penzance to Plymouth and the trains listed are shown as running; but for journeys beyond Plymouth onto Paddington they come up as cancelled, as the journey requested can’t be completed.

[a-driver]

I genuinely hope Hopwood is taking the approach suggested by his PR^▸ (Public Relations) team in order to find solutions, rather than simply sitting back saying "DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) problem".

I guess it's worth bearing in mind as well however, that these highly paid managers in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) must be conscious that their sinecures are coming to an end given the new Government's commitment once existing contracts expire, and it's only natural for their motivation to slip somewhat in these circumstances as "dead men walking" - so to speak!!!

Again, he shouldn’t need to find solutions….. there’s only one and that’s increasing the rate of pay for Sunday’s.  Obviously someone somewhere is not agreeing to that happening.  At the moment, there’s probably a huge amount being paid out in delay repay, replacement coaches and taxis so presumably someone is cutting off their nose to spite their face.

[Timmer]

At the moment, there’s probably a huge amount being paid out in delay repay, replacement coaches and taxis so presumably someone is cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Absolutely, but that is reliant on people claiming delay repay. How many don’t? I suspect it’s quite a lot.

Meanwhile, started the day with 23 cancellations, now up to 75 

[TaplowGreen]

At the moment, there’s probably a huge amount being paid out in delay repay, replacement coaches and taxis so presumably someone is cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Absolutely, but that is reliant on people claiming delay repay. How many don’t? I suspect it’s quite a lot.

Meanwhile, started the day with 23 cancellations, now up to 75 

I suspect there'll be fewer people claiming delay/repay pretty soon as they'll be travelling by other means knowing that they can't rely on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) on Sundays.

It's just possible then, when revenue starts to tank, that all concerned will wish they'd tried a bit harder to reach a solution.

[a-driver]

According to the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website, they’re paying out between £2m to £3m a month in delay repay.

[grahame]

According to the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website, they’re paying out between £2m to £3m a month in delay repay.

About £80,000 per day ...

Put another way ... £30 million a year. If it costs £300k per annum to employ a train crew, that's 100 train crews.   Let's say they had 25 more crews, which is many more than they say they need, would that allow them to halve the delays.  Looks to me like they'll end up £7.5 million better off ... what have I missed?

[nickswift99]

Not all the delay repay claims are related to staff shortages. Infrastructure failures, especially those impacting peak services, are likely to result in a significant percentage of those claims, not least of which because regular travellers will be used to claiming.

[IndustryInsider]

... what have I missed?

Erm…that 25 more crew on the books would barely make any difference?

[grahame]

... what have I missed?

Erm…that 25 more crew on the books would barely make any difference?

Perhaps.  But we reassured from some sources that on a day by day basis they're only a handful of crews short across the whole area, so who to believe?   By the way I costed "25 more crewS" [of 2] rather than "25 more crew"

[grahame]

Not all the delay repay claims are related to staff shortages. Infrastructure failures, especially those impacting peak services, are likely to result in a significant percentage of those claims, not least of which because regular travellers will be used to claiming.

Which is why I've looked at a modest reduction and not an elimination.   The easy things to sort out are those with a single cause / weak point, but we have many issues; in this case I'm thinking that perhaps 60% to 70% are down to crew and it's a good place to start.

[UstiImmigrunt]

More train crew isn't the answer unless Sundays are correctly rostered in the working week. Not committed Sundays and therefore enforced overtime but as part of the base roster.

It would also help if the staff weren't travelling around then working a train for 30 minutes before another crew change.

As I've stated previously this problem is only 30 years old...