Rant - train conductors/guards
attila_
Posts: 462 Forumite
I know this may be a contencious subject however I have recently started using a train to commute to work. I used to drive for several years.
My travel ticket is around £4500 per year which based on a day fee isn’t too bad. However its still painfull having to pay that amount every year in one go and it makes me reflect on the level of service.
My rant is with train guards. It may be just me but the length (and usefulness) of the announcements during the train journey is tedious, pointless, repetetive and frankly annoying. There is little information that the guards on my journey add in value to the journey, other than apologising for yet another delay or repetitive drivel read about see it say it sorted or equivalent useless info. They often have little information of what the delay is but feel obliged to repeatedly voice themselves over the tannoys to repeat how sorry they are. Very infrequently do they actually remind customers about delay repay either. I have used this many times and its worked and only know this because I travel frequently.
My journey is often packed in the morning so they can’t get through. Therefore there isn’t much they are doing in checking tickets.
I use the tube which amazingly has no conductors but probably transfers more passengers than normal trains. Yet it seems to work ok.
To be honest this has started to become more apparent to me since the news around strikes last year. I haven’t been affected by the strikes but I do feel for those who have.
Perhaps the train companies could invest in ticket barriers at either end to ensure tickets are purchased. Then be done with train conductors/guards all together and if there savings pass these on to the thousands of customers paying £000s for tickets.
My travel ticket is around £4500 per year which based on a day fee isn’t too bad. However its still painfull having to pay that amount every year in one go and it makes me reflect on the level of service.
My rant is with train guards. It may be just me but the length (and usefulness) of the announcements during the train journey is tedious, pointless, repetetive and frankly annoying. There is little information that the guards on my journey add in value to the journey, other than apologising for yet another delay or repetitive drivel read about see it say it sorted or equivalent useless info. They often have little information of what the delay is but feel obliged to repeatedly voice themselves over the tannoys to repeat how sorry they are. Very infrequently do they actually remind customers about delay repay either. I have used this many times and its worked and only know this because I travel frequently.
My journey is often packed in the morning so they can’t get through. Therefore there isn’t much they are doing in checking tickets.
I use the tube which amazingly has no conductors but probably transfers more passengers than normal trains. Yet it seems to work ok.
To be honest this has started to become more apparent to me since the news around strikes last year. I haven’t been affected by the strikes but I do feel for those who have.
Perhaps the train companies could invest in ticket barriers at either end to ensure tickets are purchased. Then be done with train conductors/guards all together and if there savings pass these on to the thousands of customers paying £000s for tickets.
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Comments
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Being a daily commuter I fully sympathise!
In fact I am convinced the Guards (or rather On Board Supervisors on my route) get paid per word.
My favourite is "Train is currently stopped and we will let you know when we start moving".0 -
Haha £4500, that has tickled me
Where I live the two public transport methods (full yearly coverage) are:
Bus = Around £750
Train = Around £1500
But that is offset by lower wages compared to the likes of London etc.
Personally, I don't mind train conductors/guards EVEN IF they are doing those silly messages you talk about. Why? Because, compared to some countries (Poland is a prime example; you can travel 30+ miles for about 30 zloty iirc), we pay through the nose already for our public transport services (well, people like YOU do and get mugged off especially when you're likely from London and MORE people are paying MORE money than people from my county) and I personally don't mind if some of that goes towards some fker who needs a job to put a loaf of bread on their table. Cut the guards and I'm not convinced that the consumers will see any real savings of their own; I think it will just line the pockets of the bosses.
Also because I've had the odd occasion where, for example, someone jumped on the track and stranded me for an hour between stations. The guard kept us updated as to when the ambulance arrived and when it left, not to mention guidance on compensation for the delay (though it was pretty bad claiming a few quid knowing that someone had committed suicide...).0 -
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Is this a SW Railway train? I sometimes travel on the line from Reading to Waterloo and the automated announcements telling passengers all of the stops (there are more than a dozen) after leaving each station plus the deafening door closing buzzer is exhausting.0
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Guards are sometimes also necessary on some services for safe dispatch of trains.0
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Yes SW Rail.0
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With the threat of guards being deleted from train services, it appears they’ve gone on a PR drive to demonstrate how much value they add, and presumbly the announcements are part of that. If it comes down to choosing between annoying announcements and the sort of edgy, anarchic environment that public transport becomes without oversight, pass me the noise-cancelling headphones.0
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I do not commute but I am an occasional user of trains on a GWR route.
It is many years since we have had guards on the trains, in each carriage there is an LED display showing where the train is going to and the next stop, and there is what sounds like an electronic announcement concerning the next station.
Guards are not necessary for the safe despatch of trains, they want to put more staff in stations, station staff can easily despatch trains, it is only a secondary check anyway as the doors are now automatic (at least round our way) and incapable of closing with someone blocking them, there just needs to be a quick check to make sure there are no idiots around.
I personally can't wait for driverless trains, then the unions will not have an excuse for their political strikes. Sean Hoyle is on record as saying the strikes are an attempt to bring down the government.What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare0 -
Is this a SW Railway train? I sometimes travel on the line from Reading to Waterloo and the automated announcements telling passengers all of the stops (there are more than a dozen) after leaving each station plus the deafening door closing buzzer is exhausting.
Please note that smoking is not permitted anywhere on our trains, including the vestibule areas.
You must have a first class ticket to travel in the first class section.
If you see something suspicious, report it...
You must have a ticket before travelling on one of our trains...
This is the service for London Waterloo, calling at (list of twenty stations).
Passengers for Littleville must travel in the first 6 coaches of this 8 car train.
Please remember to take all your belongings with you when you leave the train.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!
And that's after travelling one stop!
Aaaargh!0 -
This is true at larger stations, but most smaller stations are not staffed at all or have a booking office open for just a few hours a day.Enterprise_1701C wrote: »
Guards are not necessary for the safe despatch of trains, they want to put more staff in stations, station staff can easily despatch trains0
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