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Author Topic: Taplow Station  (Read 16469 times)
TaplowGreen
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« on: September 30, 2017, 19:47:54 »

Taplow station, until recently managed by the admirable Ted, has now been mostly closed every day for the last month or two. He generally made sure that the TVM (Ticket Vending Machine) was working too.

After a number of weeks of the ticket office being virtually constantly closed, GWR (Great Western Railway) are now saying that they "don't have a date as of yet" when it will be reopened - along with a TVM that is virtually constantly broken.

This is yet another demonstration of GWRs attitude to its customers.
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« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2017, 07:59:39 »

Taplow station, until recently managed by the admirable Ted, has now been mostly closed every day for the last month or two. He generally made sure that the TVM (Ticket Vending Machine) was working too.

After a number of weeks of the ticket office being virtually constantly closed, GWR (Great Western Railway) are now saying that they "don't have a date as of yet" when it will be reopened - along with a TVM that is virtually constantly broken.

This is yet another demonstration of GWRs attitude to its customers.


GWR will be handing the operation of the station to TfL» (Transport for London - about) in the not too distant future, perhaps that is tainting their enthusiasm, the TVM will almost certainly be replaced by TfL and its difficult to recruit staff when you have to inform a potential candidate "oh by the way you'll be transferred to TfL in x months"
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« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2017, 08:23:53 »

And that reason may be why Ted retired/left?
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2017, 09:02:13 »

Speculation is always interesting but the fact is that GWR (Great Western Railway) are accountable for this station's operation. Taplow is not the only smaller station regularly suffering in this way.

If GWR, for whatever reason, is indeed unable to recruit a permanent member of staff, then the logical next step is to recruit and train someone on a temporary contract to fill the role - again it's a concept that most businesses seem to grasp, along with customer service.

Right now it's just another indicator of GWR being a business on the slide.
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« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2017, 09:37:06 »

Some of the stations, Ealing and the like, transfer over to TfL» (Transport for London - about) Rail in a couple of months -out as far as Southall I think.  Not sure about the remainder as it's still over two years until GWR (Great Western Railway) will stop having 100% of services which call at places further west like Taplow.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2017, 09:12:57 »

Still ongoing - months now - thought this exchange with GWR (Great Western Railway) "Help" Twitter may be of interest as an example of GWRs attitude to Customer Service......note particularly the "feedback" issue  Roll Eyes

GWR - Hi Neil. I'm afraid we've had problems covering long term sickness at Taplow. We are trying to cover with the help of other stations in the area but this isn't always possible.

TG - Then the obvious answer is to recruit more staff. Right now customers at Taplow are unable to renew season tickets, access the waiting room, toilets etc, and this has been going on for weeks if not months - you need to consider the needs of customers at Taplow and other smaller stations who are experiencing the same problem. Please don't just say "I'll log your feedback" unless you're going to do something constructive about it. Some of the cost of our season tickets must contribute to these services and right now we are not getting value for money. If advertised facilities are not being provided then this should be reflected in ticket prices.

GWR - We have recorded your feedback to the station manager.

- Incidentally not sure if he reads this, but if so, Get well soon Ted.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2017, 06:08:17 »

As well as Taplow this morning the following ticket offices are also closed - Acton Main Line, Hayes and Harlington, Hanwell and Iver.

Are GWR (Great Western Railway) giving up on LTV (London [and] Thames Valley) ticket offices?
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« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2017, 07:58:35 »

Are GWR (Great Western Railway) giving up on LTV (London [and] Thames Valley) ticket offices?
Giving up on revenue as well.
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ellendune
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« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2017, 08:04:34 »

As well as Taplow this morning the following ticket offices are also closed - Acton Main Line, Hayes and Harlington, Hanwell and Iver.

Are GWR (Great Western Railway) giving up on LTV (London [and] Thames Valley) ticket offices?

When are they due to hand them over to TfL» (Transport for London - about)? Not really practical to take on staff if they will be TUPE (The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006.)'d very soon.  So if there are vacancies they will go unfilled till TfL take over. 
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2017, 21:18:51 »

Are GWR (Great Western Railway) giving up on LTV (London [and] Thames Valley) ticket offices?
Giving up on revenue as well.

It provided the predictable fun & games on the Paddington Gateline this morning when loads of people arrived from the stations concerned without tickets.....the GWR grunt I observed, who clearly had been away on the day of Customer service training, refused to accept what he was being told about closed ticket offices and as a result a huge queue built up.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #10 on: November 28, 2017, 20:59:35 »

Today (as well as Taplow of course!), Langley, Iver, West Drayton, Hayes & Harlington & Southall ticket offices all closed....pretty much no chance of buying a ticket from a human  between Slough & Ealing......what is going on?
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« Reply #11 on: November 28, 2017, 22:28:52 »

Have you tried emailing Mark Hopwood or asking the twitter team?
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« Reply #12 on: November 28, 2017, 22:51:29 »

As well as Taplow this morning the following ticket offices are also closed - Acton Main Line, Hayes and Harlington, Hanwell and Iver.

Are GWR (Great Western Railway) giving up on LTV (London [and] Thames Valley) ticket offices?

When are they due to hand them over to TfL» (Transport for London - about)? Not really practical to take on staff if they will be TUPE (The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006.)'d very soon.  So if there are vacancies they will go unfilled till TfL take over. 

10th December. (See http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=18970.msg225139#msg225139.)
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« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2017, 22:55:52 »

Agreed re vacancies, though that seems a rather sudden and spectacular shortfall?
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #14 on: November 29, 2017, 09:24:14 »

Have you tried emailing Mark Hopwood or asking the twitter team?

Response from GWR (Great Western Railway) Twitter "I don't have the reason for this, I'll record your feedback" - pathetic.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2017, 18:40:46 by TaplowGreen » Logged
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