Barber On The Warpath Over Train Disruption, Doesn't Pull Any Punches!

[pearl]

Not so, he was on the case straight away. I got a personal reply at 18-10 on Saturday evening.

zero from GTR Southern!

 

[Soulman]

zero from GTR Southern!

Southern took a while to get back, about two weeks after the Wolves game, just a standard fob you off e mail.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Hard to see what more PB could have said in the press release. I do still think that the image chosen could have been more relevant than PB leaning on a lamppost (ok goal post); for example an image of a cold, disabled old man waiting on an empty platform in the dark - but the text of the release is as far as he could go. Whether it'll have any effect is an entirely different matter of course.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Govia are on the shortlist to get the west Midlands franchise, we should do all we can to ensure they don't.

The fact they are still being considered for franchises is appalling.

https://www.govia.info/west-midlands-franchise/

Absolutely this.

 

[Peter Grummit]

On today's Daily Politics, the shadow Transport Minister named Peter Wilkinson at the Department for Transport as the man responsible for this confrontation - and Claire Perry, who was also on, did not disagree - so maybe PB should send him the bill.

Wilkinson was brought in from the private sector in 2015 at a salary in the range £260,000 - £264,999 pa. This makes him the 13th highest paid civil servant in the country, earning more than 50% more than the DfT Permanent Secretary, Philip Rutnam, who is his boss's boss.

I will leave you all to judge whether this is value-for-money.

PG

 

[Gazwag]

The Sainsbury West Hove park and ride worked very well, and I've heard no complaints anywhere about the extra buses to Marine Parade.

Would those car parks be available for Saturday matches though? Also there is very few options for those of us to the east of the Amex who are quite often the fans who suffer most when the train are stopped from running.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Would those car parks be available for Saturday matches though? Also there is very few options for those of us to the east of the Amex who are quite often the fans who suffer most when the train are stopped from running.

Well perhaps not available, but since we get a not fit for purpose rail service to the Amex anyway, it has got to be a positive move to rip up the contract and spend the money on some considered alternatives, or simply on reducing the ticket prices as the travel subsidy would be less.

 

[Peter Grummit]

SASTA passenger service director Angie Doll was on BBC Sussex yesterday evening responding to Barber's statement. In a long interview, she admits:
1. There was a 50 minute gap between services
2. SASTA have instigated an internal management review about Friday night to see what "lessons can be learned"
3. At no point, does she mention staff sickness as a cause of the problems
4. She said that "not as many conductors are working their rest day as we would like..."
5. She admits communications with the club broke down and holds her hands up
6. She has offered to go and meet with Barber face-to-face
7. She said that they are reviewing the commitments they make to additional and strengthened (railway talk for longer trains) services for weekday evening matches, when they have "much less operational flexibility"

Re.3: can we put to bed the much claimed issue that staff sickness was a cause of Friday? The interviewer gave Doll the chance to claim that, and she didn't.
Re.7: I suspect we are going to have less services scheduled for weekday evening games

PG

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

SASTA passenger service director Angie Doll was on BBC Sussex yesterday evening responding to Barber's statement. In a long interview, she admits:
1. There was a 50 minute gap between services
2. SASTA have instigated an internal management review about Friday night to see what "lessons can be learned"
3. At no point, does she mention staff sickness as a cause of the problems
4. She said that "not as many conductors are working their rest day as we would like..."
5. She admits communications with the club broke down and holds her hands up
6. She has offered to go and meet with Barber face-to-face
7. She said that they are reviewing the commitments they make to additional and strengthened (railway talk for longer trains) services for weekday evening matches, when they have "much less operational flexibility"

Re.3: can we put to bed the much claimed issue that staff sickness was a cause of Friday? The interviewer gave Doll the chance to claim that, and she didn't.
Re.7: I suspect we are going to have less services scheduled for weekday evening games

PG

So for point 7, the club get a partial refund / discount if the terms are changed ?

Could the club insist on new punitive penalty clauses if the contract is being changed ?

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

I'm not sure extra trains are in the contract the club has with Southern. I have nothing to back this up with though as I, like all of us, have no idea to who and how much goes to different providers.

I'm pretty sure no one involved in Lewes bonfire pays Southern for a service, but they put on extra trains regardless.

 

[Beach Hut]

There's no accountability, there's no responsibility and there doesn't seem to be any pride in providing a service to the public."

Is this the catering he's talking about?

Brilliant

 

[Ernest]

The Albion & the supporters have now become collateral damage along with the commuters and everyone else who has been affected by the government's war on the railway unions. Peter Wilkinson said you would be and it would be 3 or 4 years before he starved the railway staff into submission so unless this is addressed anything else is a waste of time.

 

[Gazwag]

Well perhaps not available, but since we get a not fit for purpose rail service to the Amex anyway, it has got to be a positive move to rip up the contract and spend the money on some considered alternatives, or simply on reducing the ticket prices as the travel subsidy would be less.

I don't disagree with that, its just how viable the options are

 

[Gully Forever]

Good read. As Southern Rails biggest single customer, the Albion can hopefully put some much needed pressure on them to resolve the matter.

Maybe the club could work with the local council and bus companies to put on a much larger number of buses to and from the stadium and tell Southern Rail to go f*** themselves.

That would be helpful, But as the Go Ahead group who run southern Rail, ALSO own the largest Bus company in Brighton & hove!.
And believe me when I say, They take the same attitude with the buses. The only difference is, employees are choosing to leave then go on strike.

 

[Ernest]

This is what you're fighting , corruption at the highest levels

https://drpauldavies.wordpress.com/2016/11/22/holding-mr-philip-rutnam-permanent-secretary-department-for-transport-to-account-through-an-independent-disciplinary-process/

 

[Perkino]

Why don't they simply with-hold the large payment they make to Southern for the service, in the basis that there is no service on offer?

This, I'm shocked that anyone is paying for train tickets while all this fiasco is happening. I'm so glad I don't have to rely on them for work commitments

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Incompetence is one thing and I know that these strike situations can lead the finger to be pointed at all parties. But the sheer arrogance of a company that can't be bothered to call the club to warn them or offer an explanation afterwards is absolutely disgraceful.

What will change this though? The government clearly don't give a shit. The TOC obviously don't. The only option I see for change is civil disobedience and the public taking matters into their own hands. No one else will stand up for you.

 

[London Irish]

The Albion & the supporters have now become collateral damage along with the commuters and everyone else who has been affected by the government's war on the railway unions. Peter Wilkinson said you would be and it would be 3 or 4 years before he starved the railway staff into submission so unless this is addressed anything else is a waste of time.

Was a good letter from Barber - up until the last par when he got a bit plague on all your houses, which wasn't necessary as his opening par correctly said judging the industrial dispute was outside his remit

 

[Mr Banana]

There's no accountability, there's no responsibility and there doesn't seem to be any pride in providing a service to the public."

Is this the catering he's talking about?

Aside from the dodgy grammar, this is why I struggle to side with Barber. He can't run a service capable of providing customers with a beer within ten minutes. I was more miffed by that than the trains on Friday.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Barber's response. He is so angry and I LOVE it.

http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/paul-barber-southern-rail-3430894.aspx