Southern Rail STRIKE details

[AK74]

From the latest trading statement (April 2016) of the Go-Ahead Group:

A strong focus on improvement in train services and delivery of committed obligations and bid targets is being maintained at GTR. Management continues to work closely with industry partners on implementing the change programme to improve the customer experience, notwithstanding the prospect of industrial action.

Who are these industry partners? They're as useless as GTR.

 

[Ernest]

From the latest trading statement (April 2016) of the Go-Ahead Group:

A strong focus on improvement in train services and delivery of committed obligations and bid targets is being maintained at GTR. Management continues to work closely with industry partners on implementing the change programme to improve the customer experience, notwithstanding the prospect of industrial action.

Who are these industry partners? They're as useless as GTR.

Network Rail, nuff said

 

[AK74]

Network Rail, nuff said

NR for change management related to customer experience? Christ, talk about the blind leading the partially sighted!

 

[Arthur]

Sacking all the drivers and guards means that there won't be any trains on Southern for at least 2 years, would that help you [MENTION=314]Arthur[/MENTION] ?

Would probably barely notice to be honest. And I don't buy 2 years.....I got a Thameslink the other evening and I didn't feel any more or any less safe being on a train with a guard so we could do away with them. Then just stick the drivers on an intensive course. Can't be much to learn......That's one makes you go, that one makes you stop. You don't have to worry about going the wrong way you are on rails and someone else is controlling what direction they are pointed in. Learn what these signs means then job done. Week should probably just about cover it I would have thought. Train up a load of them and stick them all on zero hour contracts so you've always got enough cover to cover sickness, striking, general laziness, school holidays, Christmas slash up time.

Problem solved!

 

[albionite]

Would probably barely notice to be honest. And I don't buy 2 years.....I got a Thameslink the other evening and I didn't feel any more or any less safe being on a train with a guard so we could do away with them. Then just stick the drivers on an intensive course. Can't be much to learn......That's one makes you go, that one makes you stop. You don't have to worry about going the wrong way you are on rails and someone else is controlling what direction they are pointed in. Learn what these signs means then job done. Week should probably just about cover it I would have thought. Train up a load of them and stick them all on zero hour contracts so you've always got enough cover to cover sickness, striking, general laziness, school holidays, Christmas slash up time.

Problem solved!

perhaps you should apply for a gtr management role you would fit right in.

 

[Ernest]

perhaps you should apply for a gtr management role you would fit right in.

He is the type of idiot who is straight in your face if the train is late 'I pay your wages' blah, blah, blah. Sad really that people that stupid exist these days

 

[dazzer6666]

http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2015/09/21/meanwhile-at-london-bridge-station/

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Would probably barely notice to be honest. And I don't buy 2 years.....I got a Thameslink the other evening and I didn't feel any more or any less safe being on a train with a guard so we could do away with them. Then just stick the drivers on an intensive course. Can't be much to learn......That's one makes you go, that one makes you stop. You don't have to worry about going the wrong way you are on rails and someone else is controlling what direction they are pointed in. Learn what these signs means then job done. Week should probably just about cover it I would have thought. Train up a load of them and stick them all on zero hour contracts so you've always got enough cover to cover sickness, striking, general laziness, school holidays, Christmas slash up time.

Problem solved!

No need to pay attention to anything you post in future after that nonsense.

 

[Ernest]

No need to pay attention to anything you post in future after that nonsense.

He is just an ATTENTION seeking DULLARD

 

[dazzer6666]

Would probably barely notice to be honest. And I don't buy 2 years.....I got a Thameslink the other evening and I didn't feel any more or any less safe being on a train with a guard so we could do away with them. Then just stick the drivers on an intensive course. Can't be much to learn......That's one makes you go, that one makes you stop. You don't have to worry about going the wrong way you are on rails and someone else is controlling what direction they are pointed in. Learn what these signs means then job done. Week should probably just about cover it I would have thought. Train up a load of them and stick them all on zero hour contracts so you've always got enough cover to cover sickness, striking, general laziness, school holidays, Christmas slash up time.

Problem solved!

Yeah right, why not just get some students in part time as well as cover ? No mention of the safety of 800+ people they are responsible for in the metal tube moving at 90mph.........

 

[Surf's Up]

Innocent question: how much longer has the franchise got to run?

 

[albionite]

Innocent question: how much longer has the franchise got to run?

4/5 years then it will be broken up.gatwick and up will become part of tfl with the rest being split up by private firms. Why they are doing a hachet job on it now.

 

[Frutos]

Yeah right, why not just get some students in part time as well as cover ? No mention of the safety of 800+ people they are responsible for in the metal tube moving at 90mph.........

I totally agree with your views on Arthur's dribble, but 90mph? Most SASTA trains seem to struggle to get past about 19mph!

 

[Frutos]

Innocent question: how much longer has the franchise got to run?

Until September 2021 as it currently stands, and there will be probably be "high levels of staff and driver sickness" every day until then at the rate we seem to be going.

 

[beorhthelm]

4/5 years then it will be broken up.gatwick and up will become part of tfl with the rest being split up by private firms. Why they are doing a hachet job on it now.

Gatwick express was merged into Southern in the last decade and they only just merged Southern and Thameslink, they could easily have seperated Gatwick Express at the time. so why on earth would they be trying to engineer a split?

 

[pasty]

On a non-strike related note. Did the designer of those new GE trains actually sit it one of the seats for more than 10 minutes? Most uncomfortable train seat EVER.

 

[beorhthelm]

On a non-strike related note. Did the designer of those new GE trains actually sit it one of the seats for more than 10 minutes? Most uncomfortable train seat EVER.

i was reading some press guff from southern about their great new trains, how much room they have, the air conditioning, so much thought for the passengers comfort etc... it occured to me he'd never actually sat on the train. its just so hard, for short trips like 30 min i'd rather stand. what cost would an inch of foam have cost?

 

[Surf's Up]

Until September 2021 as it currently stands, and there will be probably be "high levels of staff and driver sickness" every day until then at the rate we seem to be going.

4/5 years still to run. Two things seem likely then -

1. The government will not intervene and the contract will be allowed to run down with the current management and
2. The current levels of service will continue to deteriorate and deteriorate because of the current management

On the face of it these points seem to be at odds with one another. is there a mechanism under the current franchise rules which allows for external intervention when a service reaches a tipping point? and if so what is the mechanism and how clearly described is the tipping point?

As an aside, I travelled on a Southern train from Brighton to Gatwick the other day. The train was a midday, off peak one. It was fairly busy but, and here's where I started to smell a rat, spotlessly clean inside and out. The driver was unbelievably communicative throughout the journey, informing passengers in detail about the cause of every delay, wishing them a wonderful day, welcoming new passengers on board after every stop etc etc etc. Also the train left on time and, according to the driver, arrived at every stop precisely on time. It was wonderful. And then ...........................................................................along came a very nice elderly but sprightly gentleman with exceptional people skills walking up the aisle, engaging with travellers in a thoroughly pleasant manner and .............handing out customer satisfaction questionairres!!!! The real rub was of course that these questionairres only related to the current journey - which of course was, completely, atypically, excellent!! I'm sure they will now use the results of said questionairre (which at no point invited comments about Southern's services in general) to point to their excellent customer satisfaction.

 

[Arthur]

perhaps you should apply for a gtr management role you would fit right in.

Good idea, I am in the market for a new job actually.

He is the type of idiot who is straight in your face if the train is late 'I pay your wages' blah, blah, blah. Sad really that people that stupid exist these days

He is just an ATTENTION seeking DULLARD

Good job I get irony isn't it. Seems it's lost on most.

No need to pay attention to anything you post in future after that nonsense.

Meh. Your loss.

Yeah right, why not just get some students in part time as well as cover ?.

Good idea, would save a fortune and they'd probably be more reliable than the current crop. Lets get some Poles in as well they are cheap right?

No mention of the safety of 800+ people they are responsible for in the metal tube moving at 90mph.........

When have you ever been on a Southern train that has gone 90mph?

 

[Deadly Danson]

i was reading some press guff from southern about their great new trains, how much room they have, the air conditioning, so much thought for the passengers comfort etc... it occured to me he'd never actually sat on the train. its just so hard, for short trips like 30 min i'd rather stand. what cost would an inch of foam have cost?

Welcome to your new premium service! Hard backed seats, no more luggage space, full if you get on a train that's arrived at Gatwick from Brighton and with no one onboard to assist any uncertain travellers or to help ensure their safety.
The only defence is that I believe the hard backed seats are a new safety regulation thing and all new trains have to have them but I'd like to know more details about that.