Easements ... some current interesting examples

[whole diary]

[grahame]

http://iblocks-rg-publication.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/easement_text.pdf

Some of these have me scratching my head!

700778 - Customers travelling via Dingwall to Long Buckby may travel via Rugby avoiding Northampton. This routeing point eassement overrides fares checking and operates in both directions.

700771 - Journeys between Salisbury and Swindon priced on route (00136) VIA MELKSHAM may travel via Bath Spa on the following dates; 23 - 26 April 2018; 14 - 17 May 2018; 04 - 07 June 2018; 09 - 12 July 2018; 16 July to 05 August 2018; 28 - 30 August 2018; 08 - 11 October 2018 and 19 - 22 November 2018. This fare route easement applies in both directions

700351 - Customers travelling via Yate to Bromsgrove in possession of tickets routed "Any 700351 Doubleback Permitted" may double back via Birmingham New Street. This easement applies in both directions.

700350 - Customers travelling from Norton Bridge via Crewe may double back via Stafford. This easement applies in both directions.

700413 - Customers traveling from Cleethorpes, Grimsby Town, Habrough, Barnetby and Scunthorpe to Brough in possession of tickets routed "Any Permitted" may not travel via Manchester Stations. This easement applies in both directions.

[Adelante_CCT]

That last one does seem a bit odd...



I think they've forgotten one.

999999 - Customers travelling from St Erth to St Ives in possession of tickets routed "Any Permitted" may not travel via Wick. This easement applies in both directions.

[eightonedee]

Are you certain these aren't the rules for the Network Rail edition of Mornington Crescent?

[JayMac]

http://iblocks-rg-publication.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/easement_text.pdf


700351 - Customers travelling via Yate to Bromsgrove in possession of tickets routed "Any Permitted" may double back via Birmingham New Street. This easement applies in both directions.

I've fixed the formatting error in that one from the cut and paste.

Not sure why it's a headscratcher though. Travelling to Bromsgrove from the south isn't easy due to the lack of services that call there. You can change at Cheltenham Spa onto a CrossCountry service from Cardiff to Nottingham, but only two peak time services each way call at Bromsgrove. The easement allows for many more journey opportunities without having to go via Worcester.

[grahame]

I've fixed the formatting error in that one from the cut and paste.

Thanks.

Not sure why it's a headscratcher though.

That one isn't ... "Some of these have me scratching my head".  The Bromsgrove one and the Melksham one are clear; the other three are odd!

[JayMac]

The Bromsgrove one is very useful if you want to get to Birmingham on the cheap from certain stations...

One just breaks their journey in Birmingham and forgets to go on to Bromsgrove. 

[bobm]

Frankly when I get to Birmingham New Street I invariably get lost so going to Bromsgrove would easily slip my mind.

[Trowres]

Spoiled for choice with weird easements. How about:

[700097
Customers in possession of tickets routed Thornford Honiton may travel via Yeovil
Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill. These tickets are not valid for travel via Castle Cary. This
easement applies in both directions

1. Which tickets carry this routeing?
2. Is there a valid route without the easement?

[Timmer]

Frankly when I get to Birmingham New Street I invariably get lost so going to Bromsgrove would easily slip my mind.

Glad it’s not just me.

[LiskeardRich]

That last one does seem a bit odd...



I think they've forgotten one.

999999 - Customers travelling from St Erth to St Ives in possession of tickets routed "Any Permitted" may not travel via Wick. This easement applies in both directions.

So instead of wick I can go via Glasgow still I assume 

[RA]

Spoiled for choice with weird easements. How about:

[700097
Customers in possession of tickets routed Thornford Honiton may travel via Yeovil
Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill. These tickets are not valid for travel via Castle Cary. This
easement applies in both directions

1. Which tickets carry this routeing?
2. Is there a valid route without the easement?

A journey from Weymouth/Upwey/Dorchester West to Exeter Central and stations west thereof has routing options of:
-Thornford Honiton
-Westbury Salisbury
-Yeovil Westbury

A lot of these easements appear to be nonsense, but they are just data inputs to make journey planners function correctly in offering valid journey options for certain tickets.

A popular local one allows passengers to/from Dilton Marsh to circulate via Warminster or Westbury (because of the limited number of trains calling there) in order to provide more journey opportunities.

[CyclingSid]

Not knowing the Routeing Guide, is there a general easement for the disabled?

700211
Customers travelling from Basingstoke to North Camp and Ash in possession of tickets
routed 'Farnborough North' may not travel via Reading. This easement applies in both
directions.
Circuitous Rout

Travelling from Basingstoke to North Camp offers two default routes, via Farnborough Main and Farnborough North, alternatively via Ash Vale. The first includes a 17 minute walk and the second an 11 minute walk. Neither would seem viable for somebody in a wheel chair, especially the street to platform stairs at Ash Vale.
You can, of course, specify via Reading but that might not be apparent as part of a longer journey.

[grahame]

Not knowing the Routeing Guide, is there a general easement for the disabled?

Looking wider that just routing, the rail industry takes many steps to help the disabled - to take account of the issues they face that other's don't face and to provide for them.  That's not to say there isn't a way to go you, and in some elements a very long way to go indeed.   But I don't think there's any general easement in there ... not exactly sure what it would say - "where the routing guide only offers routes which are not wheelchair accessible, tickets for wheelchair users and their travelling companions will be accepted via any reasonable wheelchair friendly route" perhaps?   But such a generallity could lead to more questions than it would answer - what is "reasonable", what about stations that are measured as wheelchair friendly but not found to be such by users? Also not sure how it would be implemented in software.

With some exceptions, rail staff are pretty good at helping with informal easements to help disabled passengers. Example.  Journeys such as Melksham to Bradford-on-Avon involve a change at Trowbridge. Trowbridge is technically accessible, but if you're changing trains there and cannot use stairs it's an impractically long way around.   If you're in a wheelchair, better to double back at Westbury even if it's not really in the rules.

[paul7575]

Not knowing the Routeing Guide, is there a general easement for the disabled?

With some exceptions, rail staff are pretty good at helping with informal easements to help disabled passengers. Example.  Journeys such as Melksham to Bradford-on-Avon involve a change at Trowbridge. Trowbridge is technically accessible, but if you're changing trains there and cannot use stairs it's an impractically long way around.   If you're in a wheelchair, better to double back at Westbury even if it's not really in the rules.

I think reasonable diversions off recognised routes and doubling back outside normal rules (eg via a nearby station with lifts) are options available to passenger assistance when you ring them.  As you suggest it would be rather difficult to programme them into normal journey planners.

PS

Did some more digging, and my understanding above is actually confirmed almost at the end of the routeing guide instructions:

DISABLED TRAVELLERS
Train Operating Companies may make special arrangements for disabled customers and an accompanying passenger via Passenger Assist (PA^▸ (Public Address)).

Provided these arrangements are made in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Manual, they will override the requirements of the Routeing Guide.

All staff involved in revenue protection duties will be advised, on each individual occasion, of customers who are exempted under these arrangements.
http://iblocks-rg-publication.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/nrg_instructions.pdf

Paul