Trains always a mess

Jeff_Bridges_hair

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Press-Releases/SEPTEMBER-SEES-ALMOST-94-OF-TRAINS-ON-TIME-1591.aspx

And this trend has continued like this for a few years now. Given that before privatisation less then 90% of trains ran on time so is that not an improvement or are the trains still 'ALWAYS LATE'?

pjjafc

Thats all well and good but if the service you pay well over the odds for is very poor and on a regular basis then I want some of my money back.

Cardelia

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Press-Releases/SEPTEMBER-SEES-ALMOST-94-OF-TRAINS-ON-TIME-1591.aspx

And this trend has continued like this for a few years now. Given that before privatisation less then 90% of trains ran on time so is that not an improvement or are the trains still 'ALWAYS LATE'?

"On time" is a very subjective term when used to describe the railways. To me, a train arriving "on time" is one which reaches the platform at its scheduled arrival time. Arriving early is acceptable, arriving late is not.

The definition of "on time" the TOCs use is somewhat different. To the TOCs, a train is on time if it arrives less than 10 minutes late.* That's not on time, that's late. So what those figures actually show is that 93% of trains in this country arrive at their destination anything up to 10 minutes late - which, of course, is utterly meaningless when trying to compile punctuality figures.

Added to that, over time, train timetables have slipped. To use the London-Brighton Thameslink service as an example, when I first started getting this train (2 or 3 years ago) it was timetabled to take 1 hour 24 minutes during the height of the evening peak. For various reasons, it quickly slipped by 6 minutes to 1:30, and now takes 1:36. And do you know what the best bit is? Punctuality figures have actually gone down! And those are the official punctuality figures, so heaven knows how many trains actually arrive at their scheduled arrival time.


* 5 minutes for local routes

rev_henry

Cardelia wrote: »

"On time" is a very subjective term when used to describe the railways. To me, a train arriving "on time" is one which reaches the platform at its scheduled arrival time. Arriving early is acceptable, arriving late is not.

The definition of "on time" the TOCs use is somewhat different. To the TOCs, a train is on time if it arrives less than 10 minutes late.* That's not on time, that's late. So what those figures actually show is that 93% of trains in this country arrive at their destination anything up to 10 minutes late - which, of course, is utterly meaningless when trying to compile punctuality figures.

Added to that, over time, train timetables have slipped. To use the London-Brighton Thameslink service as an example, when I first started getting this train (2 or 3 years ago) it was timetabled to take 1 hour 24 minutes during the height of the evening peak. For various reasons, it quickly slipped by 6 minutes to 1:30, and now takes 1:36. And do you know what the best bit is? Punctuality figures have actually gone down! And those are the official punctuality figures, so heaven knows how many trains actually arrive at their scheduled arrival time.


* 5 minutes for local routes

I quite agree with you and the comments about privatisation. I used to travel by (very packed, often late) train to school. I soon got shot of that when I passed my test, and now I'm at uni I have a lovely cycle commute.

GillsMan7

pjjafc wrote: »

Morning,

I commute into London everyday and am fed up of always being late thanks to the trains always being delayed.

I have heard some people claim money back off their season tickets from the operators. Anyone know how you go about doing this?? I heard they use an external company??

Thanks in advance.

I don't know who your train company is, but Southern have a Delay Repay scheme, which is simple enough to use. You get partial refunds if your train is more than 30 minutes delayed, this goes all the way up to a full refund if it's more than 2 hours delayed.

I submit several of these each month and usually get £30-60 each month to claim back. I'll admit that often when there's a delay, I simply hop onto a different train as I have a number of stations I can go to. I keep track of the delayed train via my iPhone.

I use the money to go towards my 1st class ticket so I don't have to sit cramped in the standard class (I'm studying for an OU degree, so having a table to put my books on is important for me). :cool:

dzug1

andygb wrote: »

Having travelled extensively in Europe the French, Belgians, Germans, Italians and Spanish all seem to get their trains to run on time. They also have more carriages and they are cleaner.

I really can't believe you have ever travelled in a belgian commuter train - run down carriages, slow, late, dirty........

And whilst I don't travel by train that frequently by train here, I can't remember the time I was last seriously delayed - or even delayed 10 minutes.

Simon11

In all honesty- privatisation has been a disaster. We used to have a network, which whilst not perfect did the job.

Now we have duplication everywhere, a fragmented network full of inertia that is saving the tax payer little but paying into the pockets of shareholders and private companies.

The old story goes that jobs that British Rail did with 300 people now take 1300. True or not you can believe it...,

Another person wanting BR back, instead of making assumptions, do you have any actually evidence to prove your points?

Very annoying when people say things were better in the olden days.

Good Example looking at PPM with East Coast now run by goverment and Virgin Trains.

30 May 2010 – 26 June 2010
East Coast 87.7%
Virgin Trains 90.4%

2008/09
National Express East Coast 86.9%
Virgin Trains 80.0%

Just found this Aug/Sept 2010
East Coast 85.2%

No evidence there of goverment running railways better than private companies

Stigy

dzug1 wrote: »

I really can't believe you have ever travelled in a belgian commuter train - run down carriages, slow, late, dirty........

And whilst I don't travel by train that frequently by train here, I can't remember the time I was last seriously delayed - or even delayed 10 minutes.

Sounds a bit like the days of black & white when all was nationalised! I for one would love to see how people react if all was re-nationalised. I bet the same people who moan about privatisation would moan about the Government taking the keys to all companies back! Also, in the old days, the staff, where loya, seemed unclean and rude!

Also, although not particularly well travelled, I have been on a commuter train in Spain, and it was hairy to say the least! The train stopped every five minutes (and not at stations!) and the driver appeared to randomly get out of his cab!

Livingthedream

Stigy wrote: »

Also, although not particularly well travelled, I have been on a commuter train in Spain, and it was hairy to say the least! The train stopped every five minutes (and not at stations!) and the driver appeared to randomly get out of his cab!

Lol, I remember travelling from Malaga to Torremolinos by train, that was one of the most hairiest train journeys I've undertaken.

Stigy

Livingthedream wrote: »

Lol, I remember travelling from Malaga to Torremolinos by train, that was one of the most hairiest train journeys I've undertaken.

At least there's no worry of the dreaded PF in Spain! I was terrified as I had to board the train as there was no ticket issuing facilities at the railway station and no sign of a Guard! When I alighted at Barcelona (santz?) I went straight to the excess fares window and boaught a rail ticket for my whole journey, whilst I watched all the other Brits crawl under the ticket barriers that appeared totally unstaffed! I was embarrassed! I thought I'd be arrested, and my lack of speaking Spanish lingo would deem communication a nightmare, lol!