Bias article against First

[whole diary]

[northwesterntrains]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/7050045/Is-FirstGroup-the-worst-company-in-Britain-That-sounds-about-right.html

It puts all blame on First and assumes DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) don't interfer with anything.

The article also uses the DfT figure for passenger numbers on a First Capital Connect service which made one Bedford to Brighton service have 1.75 passengers per seat on the train and the most overcrowded in Britain, which certainly isn't the most overcrowded train in Britain.

[IndustryInsider]

I thought it was a pretty poor article when I read it in the paper.  Too many woolly or inaccurate statements which no doubt sound informed and correct to the average man and woman on the street, judging by many of the "I travel by FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) and agree it is the worst company blah blah blah" comments made. 

True FirstGroup might not be the best company in the land, but is its rail franchises really any worse than the others?  What about National Express, Arriva, Eurostar, and Stagecoach?  I can see SHRUG's (http://www.shrug.info/) viewpoint on that last one at least... 

[grahame]

I'm quoting a couple of elements from that story "for critical review" ...

In 2007, it was First Great Western's branch lines that got the treatment. Despite rising passenger numbers, trains were deliberately shortened to save money  ... or even cancelled altogether ...

Technically, they got the treatment in December 2006 rather than in 2007 - we saw the effects in 2007.  60% of trains withdrawn, and 40% + of the remaining ones cancelled in January 2007.   For the first 20 days of 2010, the cancellation rate on the remaining services (we're still down 60%) was about 25%, and by the end of this month I thnk the whole January figure will only show a 15% to 20% cancellation rate overall.

In the recent snow, disruption on First lasted days longer than on other London rail companies.

Not sure on that one.   We had all services cancelled for two complete days where i'm writing from.   The roads were a bit slushy but perfectly passable, and those of us who can used cars.   What sort of service breaks were there on SWT^▸ (South West Trains) or Chiltern?   I saw another thread just earlier this morning that referred to South Eastern closures at that time, and Eurostar didn't do terribly well

First Group has produced nothing, except fury and poverty in its customers and fat profits for its shareholders. It has, instead, degraded and mismanaged its part of a vital national asset.

I'll agree that's not totally fair.   I was at the station here about a week ago and noted the following changes from "Wessex Days"
* Still 60% of trains down
* No map to show where the town is any more
* No working information point any more

But on the positive side
* Signs with a number to call if you're unhappy with the condition of the station

I could get a return ticket to London for the day(off peak) on a Monday through Friday for 48 pounds, whereas a standard return (there being no off peak return options the same day) would now cost me 133 pounds.

But we do still have some trains, so "nothing but poverty" is a bit strong.

[IndustryInsider]

It's also fair to say that as a Melksham resident you've suffered worse than virtually anybody else's local station's services.  So, if even you think the wording is a little strong, how about those who've seen a significant improvement in their service - West Drayton and Falmouth are two stations at opposite ends of the network that spring to mind...

[grahame]

True FirstGroup might not be the best company in the land, but is its rail franchises really any worse than the others?  What about National Express, Arriva, Eurostar, and Stagecoach?  I can see SHRUG's (http://www.shrug.info/) viewpoint on that last one at least... 

I have to smile / agree the question needed to be asked.

From SHRUG:

It seems that January^s snowfalls were particularly kind to SWT^▸ (South West Trains). They completely extinguished trains only on the company^s less commercial routes:
* local services between Brockenhurst and Lymington, and between Ascot and Guildford;
* the line between Virginia Water and Weybridge, at the end of a very circuitous secondary route from Waterloo to Weybridge;
* the Dorking-Epsom line where services/profits are shared with Southern.

And, if the author was covering the same ground in the same vien for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) he could have used the same text but named FGW lines.

[grahame]

It's also fair to say that as a Melksham resident you've suffered worse than virtually anybody else's local station's services.  So, if even you think the wording is a little strong, how about those who've seen a significant improvement in their service - West Drayton and Falmouth are two stations at opposite ends of the network that spring to mind...

As somewhat of an outsider to those two stations (I've never happened to have reason to use either), I'm not well placed to comment first hand; my own "far end" experiences are very wide ranging - Oxford, London, Bristol, South Wales, Taunton, Heathrow, Gatwick, Cardiff, Exeter, and destinations out or area, all of which are suffiently infrequent for me to give you a valid "before and after" comparison.

Other's views?

[The Grecian]

On the ex-Wessex services it does seem that 'most' of the harshest cuts have been restored e.g. 7 trains a day to Newquay instead of 4, 3 car trains on Cardiff-Pompey services (admittedly partly due to the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), although they were the ones who specified the change), a later departure from Exeter to Bristol. There are also some improvements e.g. a more or less hourly service for Barnstaple, Falmouth's been mentioned and Ivybridge has a couple of Paddington services, more trains to Avonmouth.

Melksham is obviously a notable exception to the general trend. But in general First were running a lousy local service 3 years ago so the comment might have been fair then; it isn't now, especially compared to the low quality service provided by Arriva XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) (though I wouldn't expect a London journo to travel on a provincial service).

[onthecushions]

The role of privatised operators is to take the flak that the micromanaging DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) deserves. In exchange they have some freedom to squeeze the customer and staff.

Most of the work is done by the same staff as would be/were on BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)). All companies like FGW^▸ (First Great Western) do is manage the books and the most senior staff on behalf of the government. Most operators now do a good job within the confines of the franchises (IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion)).

My preference is service management agreements with Dft having commercial risk (i.e marketing, liveries, ticketing service level, stock etc etc). This unifies the system, with a single mind i/c.

Snow in August?

OTC

[Chris from Nailsea]

From The Times:

Lord Adonis threatens First Capital Connect with loss of contract

First Capital Connect, the operator of one of the country^s busiest commuter routes, remains under scrutiny and could yet be stripped of its franchise, the Transport Secretary told The Times last night.

Lord Adonis also slammed as ^inadequate^ FirstGroup^s offer to pay compensation to commuters of 5 per cent of the cost of season tickets for three months of disruption. He intended to use the powers available to him if improvement on the Thameslink service was not forthcoming.

He made his comments as it emerged that civil servants have been writing to passengers to tell them that there were no grounds to take back the franchise.

Lord Adonis said: ^The Thameslink service being provided by First Capital Connect continues to be unacceptable in terms of cancellations, punctuality, passenger service and information. I am, therefore, considering all options open to the Government.^

A letter seen by The Times appears to suggest that there is no legal basis for the Department for Transport (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) to take control of the service, which has been hit by industrial action in a row over pay and Sunday working. Railway experts have also questioned whether the DfT could carry out its threat to strip the rail operator, owned by First Group, of its franchise and have suggested that politicians, in the run-up to the general election, are simply talking tough with private sector operators of public services.

More than 200,000 commuters a day have suffered almost three months of severe disruption on the line, which runs between Bedford and Brighton, after drivers refused to work voluntary overtime in a row over pay.

Last year, the Transport Secretary took control of National Express^s East Coast franchise, when it became clear that the company intended to default on the franchise because it could not make it pay. In 2003 the DfT cut short the Southeastern rail franchise, then operated by Connex, the French group, because of poor service.

[12hoursunday]

Don't forget it was written by Andrew Gilligan and he aint got a good word to say about anyone in my view!

[broadgage]

Although FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services are not that bad, I would certainly consider FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) to be the worst in the country.
They have not run a full service for months, and apparently can do this without penalty since these are not "cancellations" but an "emergency timetable"

In recent weeks, many rush hour trains on the Thameslink route have been half length, I wonder why ? other than management incompetance.
At a time when a large percentage of services are withdrawn due to shortage of drivers, they can hardly claim lack of rolling stock.

The overcrowding on some trains is so bad that passengers are routinely unable to board trains.
I would certainly support the campaign to strip First Group of the Thameslink/FCC franchise, since they have demonstrated that over an extended period they can not run it properly.

[ChrisB]

I'm quoting a couple of elements from that story "for critical review" ...

In 2007, it was First Great Western's branch lines that got the treatment. Despite rising passenger numbers, trains were deliberately shortened to save money  ... or even cancelled altogether ...

Technically, they got the treatment in December 2006 rather than in 2007 - we saw the effects in 2007.  60% of trains withdrawn, and 40% + of the remaining ones cancelled in January 2007.   For the first 20 days of 2010, the cancellation rate on the remaining services (we're still down 60%) was about 25%, and by the end of this month I thnk the whole January figure will only show a 15% to 20% cancellation rate overall.

We must note that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) only ever followed the requirements of the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) in running the DfT-specified timetable with DfT specified stock that was all contained in the franchise contract with the DfT.

But I note that Andrew Gilligan fails conspicuously to mention all that.

Having said that, I'm somewhat amazed to discover First going through the same thing with FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect)....don't they ever learn?

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) debate First Capital Connect and Thameslink failure

The poor performance of rail services in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Sussex is to be debated in Parliament.
St Albans MP Anne Main is leading a debate on train operator First Capital Connect at Westminster.
The firm relied on drivers working days off and longer shifts to provide a full service and the system failed after a pay dispute came to a head last year.
First Capital Connect (FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect)) has said it is working to improve services.
FCC managers are planning a fact-finding tour at St Albans railway station on Friday to meet commuters.
MPs taking part in the debate at Westminster will discuss services between London, Bedford, King's Lynn and Brighton.
Ms Main said she did not believe taking the franchise back into public ownership was the right option, but she was looking for ways to persuade the operator to take improvements more seriously.
Disruption began in November last year when members of train drivers' union Aslef chose not to work overtime in a dispute over pay.
Additional industrial action caused delays or cancellations, and a petition was set up on Downing Street's website.
The petition has now gathered nearly 6,000 signatures from travellers who are calling for FCC to be stripped of its franchise due to a "gross lack of competence".
The dispute was resolved in January but many trains subsequently went out of service when snow and ice caused power problems.
Luton North MP Kelvin Hopkins has already asked transport minister Sadiq Khan to consider nationalising the franchise.
Mr Khan has said that all options are on the table.

... and a video report, again from the BBC:

Commuters criticise service from First Capital Connect

Commuters criticised First Capital Connect's service as MP Nadine Dorries called for the company to be penalised.
First Capital Connect (FCC) has said it is working to improve services.
FCC managers are planning a fact-finding tour at St Albans railway station on Friday to meet commuters.

[Timmer]

FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) managers are planning a fact-finding tour at St Albans railway station on Friday to meet commuters.

Gosh they are brave. Don't they already know what the problems are? If they don't they soon will after talking to a few of their commuters.

[JayMac]

Can we expect representatives of ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) to be there as well, putting their side of the story across?