Man(person)power availability - do we have it right?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Quite simply its not in a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) franchise or management contract with DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) to provide these additional services; they have a minimum service obligation to meet. ...

Agreed. But doesn't the minimum service obligation require the TOC to provide staff and rolling stock to run the trains they have in their published time table, all be it subject to alteration 8 (or is it 12) weeks ahead because of things like engineering works and - perhaps - major events?  Closing a line because they don't have enough crew, and doing so at a few hours notice, strikes me as being way below the minimum that should be provided.  It also does no good for their business which should be about giving customers a service they can plan to use and then rely on.

[ChrisB]

It's no longer that 'sort' of business - the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) just do what they are told/asked to perform. And that really is that!

[grahame]

It's no longer that 'sort' of business - the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) just do what they are told/asked to perform. And that really is that!

But - if you are answering me - they are NOT performing.  They are not running the trains in the published timetable.   Or have they been asked to perform in some way different to what's published?   FOI^▸ (Freedom of Information) question anyone??

[ellendune]

It's no longer that 'sort' of business - the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) just do what they are told/asked to perform. And that really is that!

But - if you are answering me - they are NOT performing.  They are not running the trains in the published timetable.   Or have they been asked to perform in some way different to what's published?   FOI^▸ (Freedom of Information) question anyone??

Is DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) controlling staff levels now?  Does the ongoing industrial action affect staff training and therefore recruitment?

A freeze on all recruitment (regardless of the consequences) is the sort of unthinking action bean counters (such as the Treasury) insist on when they need to save money. 

[ChrisB]

Is DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) controlling staff levels now?

All I have been told is that the DfT have to agree on any increase change in expenditure - and that includes after savings identified, agreed & made/being made. So it depends on why the recruitment is being requested.