Commuting - how BAD is LONDON Bridge this TIME?

[happypig]

This is, of course, what the train cos and Network Rail WANT you to do. Interesting that you're in the business

Back in the real world I need to commute Portslade to Canary Wharf and then walk 15 mins or Portslade to Crossharbour DLR and walk 5. My options to get to Victoria direct are the 5.53 (too early) or 7.17 (too late). My change options are go to Brighton (ok-ish if connections work) or East Croydon and stand in a cattle truck. My reward for this? 2.5% extra on my fare, mainly to pay for your boxes to away days.

Luckily, unlike modern football, there is an answer. On Jan 21st my company will be holding a vote on permanent remote working. I am on the board and will be voting yes. The only reason for this is the disgraceful service on the network across the South East that means that we constantly move 9am meetings to 10 and 4.00 meetings to 3.30. Why the f*** should these lazy, idiotic c***s get our money any more. Think this can't be done? Google sococo. Google Office365. Google how City firms make sure their traders WORK from home. Google Go to Meeting and Webex.

We are a small company of 50 people but half commute. A vote in favour will lose 25 x season tickets across the Southern / South Eastern network. Not many is it? At least not until my CEO and others like him get on the conference circuit and start telling the world of tech and finance how they increased productivity by going remote thanks to Network Rail being the singularly most useless, f*** up company in living memory.

Homeworking requires discipline, not just by you but by the rest of the household, knowing that when you're working you're not available to do other stuff.
I've been WFH part-time since 2001, at first over ISDN (that was challenging); It helps that the team I'm currently working with are spread all over the UK.
An example of why it's so good, I was on nights last week and sunday I felt really shite; if I'd had to go into an office I'd have gone sick but because I was at home, I battled through. You'll find people are more productive working from home.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I think people really mean "I like the nice house and holidays and the largely money-troubles-free existence I have, and I don't want to sacrifice that."

I pay my mortgate on my one bed flat, my Albion STH (cheap bracket) and my csa and bills. There isnt a lot left after that. I had one holiday in about ten years which was the trip so see Wilko in Kenya.

I would have to sacrifice my flat for the disparity of wages frankly.

 

[Simster]

I've moved office and now work right at Victoria station, so no more tube and more importantly, no more London Bridge. Yippee for me

This. Five mins from Victoria station for me these days. Marvellous.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

What's your twitter name?

Pm sent.

 

[piersa]

I earn less than many of you that commute to London every day, but my two meter commute to my office at my house is well worth the sacrifice. Proper work life balance imo. I await the onslaught.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Glad I'm out of the commuting game. London meetings are set for 10am for me, and aim to be out by 3-4. I drive a lot now including M25 & M3 before 8am, and it's less stressful than the trains

That's the most damning verdict on the trains of all IMHO. In an ideal world, you should be able to get on a train, read something or have a nap and got off at the other end while barely registering the process of getting from A to B. The reality is something else completely. Stopped doing it now, but used to commute for years to some pretty stressful contracts. Always maintained though that the commuting was more stressful than the actual job. It's just relentlessly bloody grim, a drain on the soul, and I'd always advise somebody who can afford to take the salary hit to take up a local job. Your life will improve immeasurably.

 

[Ernest]

The problem is profit over service and always has been since it was privatised, people who knew what they were doing, what would be the result of something happening and how to fix things quickly when they went wrong have been booted out to get 'commercially' minded people in and what happens when things go wrong is they hide in a cupboard instead of going out and fronting up and fixing it.

Most things that happen now on the railway that go wrong are predicted a long time in advance but nobody in power is interested in listening.

 

[Scoffers]

I earn less than many of you that commute to London every day, but my two meter commute to my office at my house is well worth the sacrifice. Proper work life balance imo. I await the onslaught.

Just out of interest, what do you do?

 

[Pinkie Brown]

The problem is profit over service and always has been since it was privatised, people who knew what they were doing, what would be the result of something happening and how to fix things quickly when they went wrong have been booted out to get 'commercially' minded people in and what happens when things go wrong is they hide in a cupboard instead of going out and fronting up and fixing it.

Most things that happen now on the railway that go wrong are predicted a long time in advance but nobody in power is interested in listening.

Yep. The same could be said of the airline industry which I worked in for 23 years. People with years of experience were replaced by so called whiz kids who were naive of the industry and its requirements but could talk the talk with flow charts, forecasts and assorted corporate 'can do' buzzwords. ie bullshit . Those forecasts and flows worked on paper but in live operational situations? Profits were always placed before the inconvenience of running a transportation service for the benefit of the travelling public.

Of course, when things went wrong (as they often did), there was never a manager to be found. It was left to frontline staff to clear up the debris.

 

[piersa]

Just out of interest, what do you do?

Chiropractor

 

[Since1982]

25 mins late into LB today. Shocked at how small the concourse is now and not looking forward to tonights trip home!

 

[maltaseagull]

We don't have trains in Malta! Just 300,000 cars in a population of 400000!

My 12KM commute to work takes up to an hour most days in school time.

Having seen the photos of London Bridge . I will never moan about the traffic here

 

[Papa Lazarou]

This I disagree with.

People only think it is necessary because they believe their way of life, and what it costs, is the only option available to them. Most people who live on the coast do NOT commute into London - think of the train carnage if they did!

I think people really mean "I like the nice house and holidays and the largely money-troubles-free existence I have, and I don't want to sacrifice that."

It can be more difficult for some - for example divorce meant I (willingly) gave up almost everything financially in my early 30s, a legal wrangling cost me many tens of thousands of pounds not long ago and I have paid, and will continue to pay, maintenance for many years. I don't begrudge those things, BTW, it's part of being a Dad. But even despite those things, there would be options that don't involve commuting - I've just not taken any of them. Yet.

You're probably right - it's about the life you and your family have become accustomed to. However, for somewhere as expensive as Brighton the salaries are poor compared to not just London, but other cities of similar stature.

You are lucky though that despite being based in London you never need to go there!

 

[Mattywerewolf]

This. Five mins from Victoria station for me these days. Marvellous.

me too And even commuting to Victoria is bad enough so feel sorry for the London Bridge brigade.

 

[Simster]

Of course, when things went wrong (as they often did), there was never a manager to be found. It was left to frontline staff to clear up the debris.

Oh my God this makes my blood boil so much with the trains. They have these wanky "meet the managers" meetings on the concourses at about 8am. Yeah right, like I'm going to waste my time paying them a visit. I'll tell you when I want to "meet the managers" - it's when there is fcking CHAOS on the concourses, and all the trains to my station get cancelled to appease the coastal customers who themselves have been screwed over with endless delays. Or when the a decision is made for a connecting train to feck off without waiting for original, all because it might affect their already perma-dreadful punctuality figures. Or the very DAY every year that the absolutely disgraceful price rises are announced. Or on the fifth day running my train is more than ten minutes late or turns up with 33% of carriages missing. Or on the day my train is cancelled because of a fault, as if not properly maintaining and testing the stock before rush hour is perfectly acceptable.

Where the fck are these CüNTS then?

 

[Ernest]

Yep. The same could be said of the airline industry which I worked in for 23 years. People with years of experience were replaced by so called whiz kids who were naive of the industry and its requirements but could talk the talk with flow charts, forecasts and assorted corporate 'can do' buzzwords. ie bullshit . Those forecasts and flows worked on paper but in live operational situations? Profits were always placed before the inconvenience of running a transportation service for the benefit of the travelling public.

Of course, when things went wrong (as they often did), there was never a manager to be found. It was left to frontline staff to clear up the debris.

Exactly, they want 'clear blue sky thinking' and other bollocks instead of having someone who knew what they were doing and went face to face with the punters. In the line of importance season ticket holders are seen as a captive market so nothing is done for them

 

[Badger]

Oh my God this makes my blood boil so much with the trains. They have these wanky "meet the managers" meetings on the concourses at about 8am. Yeah right, like I'm going to waste my time paying them a visit. I'll tell you when I want to "meet the managers" - it's when there is fcking CHAOS on the concourses, and all the trains to my station get cancelled to appease the coastal customers who themselves have been screwed over with endless delays. Or when the a decision is made for a connecting train to feck off without waiting for original, all because it might affect their already perma-dreadful punctuality figures. Or the very DAY every year that the absolutely disgraceful price rises are announced. Or on the fifth day running my train is more than ten minutes late or turns up with 33% of carriages missing. Or on the day my train is cancelled because of a fault, as if not properly maintaining and testing the stock before rush hour is perfectly acceptable.

Where the fck are these CüNTS then?

Remember Sim, that counts as ON TIME. I reckon a Brighton to London commuter loses at least an hour every week to these little 5-10 minute delays, but of course we can't claim for that, it's absolutely fine as long as all your journeys are delayed by less than 30 minutes. That's what really made me angry, I KNEW I wasn't going to make it back to Brighton at the scheduled time, even if I left London Bridge on time you could GUARANTEE it would CRAWL through Gatwick for no apparent reason

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Remember Sim, that counts as ON TIME. I reckon a Brighton to London commuter loses at least an hour every week to these little 5-10 minute delays, but of course we can't claim for that, it's absolutely fine as long as all your journeys are delayed by less than 30 minutes. That's what really made me angry, I KNEW I wasn't going to make it back to Brighton at the scheduled time, even if I left London Bridge on time you could GUARANTEE it would CRAWL through Gatwick for no apparent reason

This.

Lets take the scenario, which is true and lets set it before the LB carve up.

The 7.32 from Brighton was always due to arrive at LB at 8.44 (its now moved to 8.51 but to be fair its been announced and there was prior warning again before the LB carve up)

YEs it was ALWAYS late coming into LB so the 8.51 is a guideline. PLUS its one of the shitty express carriages. You know the always breaking down, one door at each end, uncomfortable shit. So not only is it ALWAYS late getting into LB, it also takes a bout TEN mins getting off the effing thing. So already thats a 15/20 delay. It used to be the green and white double doors carriages but they stop them. They changed the times Im sure to factor in the how long it takes to get on and off them. But its still LATE.

 

[beorhthelm]

That's the most damning verdict on the trains of all IMHO. In an ideal world, you should be able to get on a train, read something or have a nap and got off at the other end while barely registering the process of getting from A to B. The reality is something else completely.

this is my reality. other mileage may vary of course, but i have a dozen problem days a year. I don't rely on arrival bang on time (or even within 10 minutes) but made my peace with that. i chose to commute for a nicer house and surrounds so those are trade offs, and I'd venture that's the case for the vast majority of commuters. my biggest issue is when there is a problem there is naff all information, and when things are bad, staff disappear leaving the poor sods left on the gate line the thrust of hundreds of irate passengers.

what i do observe is most (not all) of the causes of problems seem to be from the publicly owned part, Network rail, but everyone blames the private companies which is odd.

 

[Arthur]

Oh my God this makes my blood boil so much with the trains. They have these wanky "meet the managers" meetings on the concourses at about 8am. Yeah right, like I'm going to waste my time paying them a visit. I'll tell you when I want to "meet the managers" - it's when there is fcking CHAOS on the concourses, and all the trains to my station get cancelled to appease the coastal customers who themselves have been screwed over with endless delays. Or when the a decision is made for a connecting train to feck off without waiting for original, all because it might affect their already perma-dreadful punctuality figures. Or the very DAY every year that the absolutely disgraceful price rises are announced. Or on the fifth day running my train is more than ten minutes late or turns up with 33% of carriages missing. Or on the day my train is cancelled because of a fault, as if not properly maintaining and testing the stock before rush hour is perfectly acceptable.

Where the fck are these CüNTS then?

Have a read of http://www.amazon.co.uk/Martin-Harbottles-Appreciation-Dominic-Utton/dp/1780743726 if you haven't already (won't win any literary prizes but a decent enough little read). It's fictional but the author has clearly commuted in his days as you can certainly draw comparisons with a lot of his gripes and the responses from the train company MD.

The "we don't recognise a train being late until it's more than 30 minutes" line he trots out every response is very much a bug bear of mine especially if the Evening Standard to be believed when they say the TOCs get compo when the train is > 5 mins late. Why do we the paying customer only get to claim > 30 mins??

I honestly can't remember the last time I got a train and it arrived on time either way on my daily commute. Usually it's only a few minutes but do that twice a day 5 days a week and you can easily lose a couple of hours of your life a week. From 3 journeys this week I've already wracked up 45 mins and the worrying thing is I don't see that as being too bad.

Oh and [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] We know......It wouldn't happen in Germany! Bore off!