Doorstep the Rail Minister Lord Adonis

[whole diary]

[vacman]

he joined the 1000 Pnz-Pad at Par which was full and standing and he had to stand apparently! he was on the late running 1018 nqy par for which they held the London service for 8 mins, that wouldn't have happened normally! 

[Don]

Note that the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) story says that he is traveling STANDARD class.  A typo? or this man is a hero. 

One late running and then he has to stand, excellent.

[inspector_blakey]

He is indeed travelling standard class. I think this week's excursion reflects very well on Adonis - can anyone else recall a rail minister doing anything similar in living memory?

He's also writing a series of articles as he goes which are on the Times website: latest instalment at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article6098034.ece.

[devon_metro]

he joined the 1000 Pnz-Pad at Par which was full and standing and he had to stand apparently! he was on the late running 1018 nqy par for which they held the London service for 8 mins, that wouldn't have happened normally! 

Apparently the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) arrived 4 minutes late and the unit only 2 minutes late?

[r james]

Lets be honest though..... will anything change??  EVen though hes had to change.... is there really that much money for any more extra carriages?!

[willc]

Lets be honest though..... will anything change??  EVen though hes had to change.... is there really that much money for any more extra carriages?!

Well what you rather have? Someone who sits in an office at Westminster and relies on what he's told by the civil servants? People who clearly never get out outside London, judging by some of the brilliant ideas they have come up with for the railways in recent years.

[Btline]

Well, the clear thing is - it's a "Cameron-esque" publicity stunt!

But I think it is a good idea, even if it just removes some barriers, and gets peoples' attention.

And you never know - it may bring benefits.

[IndustryInsider]

I don't think David Cameron was the first politician to use publicity stunts...

[Andy W]

Well what you rather have? Someone who sits in an office at Westminster and relies on what he's told by the civil servants? People who clearly never get out outside London, judging by some of the brilliant ideas they have come up with for the railways in recent years.

At last we agree on something, pass the smelling salts !!!!

[eightf48544]

Well, of course the taxpayer is picking up the (very moderate) bill.

Very moderate train fare bill, although I just can't believe he is doing this on his own - at the very least there are almost bound to be civil service PR^▸ (Public Relations) minders along, they can't allow him to accidentally announce 1300 carriages when he meant 1000 for instance...

Heard him on the today programme this am after he got back. Said he enjoyed the trip good percentage of trains on time. They interviewed passengers on a train on which he travelled from Birmingham New Street to Chester Arriva train Wales. most people liked the unit (170?)

Thought weeks freedom ticket good value at ^234?.

In answer to Lib Dems spokesman he did repeat 1300 new carriges! So he got away from his minders.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thought weeks freedom ticket good value at ^234?.

From The Times:

When Lord Adonis, the transport minister, travelled round the country by rail last month, he praised his Rover pass for being cost-effective at ^375 for the week. The rail companies immediately put the price up to ^430. The fat controller has been replaced by the thin accountant; soon only your local MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) will be letting the train take the strain.