Rail group: Why isn’t Passenger Focus speaking out against barriers?


by Katie Silvester


A rail user group is calling into question Passenger Focus’s credibility, because the watchdog has remained almost silent on the issue of ticket barriers, which are almost universally unpopular with passengers. The Department for Transport has been


pressuring train operators to put ticket gates in at stations to help stem revenue loss from ticketless travel. But the measure remains unpopular with passengers, causing long queues, cutting ‘meeters and greeters’ off from station facilities and even causing injuries. Yet Passenger Focus has been quoted as saying


barriers are a ‘necessary evil’, despite there being no obvious benefits to passengers. Tyne Valley Rail Users’ Group has complained


that the barriers at Newcastle station are not working properly and have been causing all sorts of problems for passengers. Barriers were installed at the station in October 2009, but will accept all tickets whether valid or not.


There is also an issue at that station that


passengers getting on at some rural stations cannot buy a ticket before arriving at Newcastle – yet the excess fare window is on the other side of the barrier. Some Northern Rail stations are unstaffed and do not have ticket machines. On short journeys or busy services, conductors cannot get to everyone on the train to sell them a ticket before they arrive at Newcastle. The location of the barriers themselves are also inconvenient for many using the station. Malcolm Chainey of the Tyne Valley Rail


Users’ Group said: ‘They are badly staffed and badly designed. If you’re running for a train on Platform 1, which locals often are, you’ve got to


Train collides with tanker


A lorry driver has been charged with endangering safety on the railway, following a collision between a train and a tanker on a branch line in Suffolk. He was due to appear at Bury


St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court as Rail Professional went to press. The National Express East


Anglia 17:31 Sudbury to Marks Tey train service collided with a road tanker leaving a sewage works at Sewage Lane Crossing near Bures on 17 August. There were around 20 passengers on board, all of whom were injured, one seriously. The train driver was also injured.


The crossing is user-operated, with vehicle drivers being required to telephone the signaller before proceeding. Network Rail has stated that it did not receive a call prior to the accident.


Andrew Chivers, managing director of National Express East Anglia, said: ‘Our first priority is the welfare of our passengers and traincrew. Our thoughts are with those who are injured and their families.’ Replacement buses replaced services while an investigation was carried out. Repairs to the track were also required.


RMT to mount legal challenge over driver-only trains


n


The RMT has ruled out further industrial action in its row with ScotRail over driver-only trains.


But the company’s public


welcome of the end of the dispute was countered when the union insisted it would still mount a legal challenge. RMT members staged four strikes earlier this year in a bid to force ScotRail to deploy guards on its new Airdrie to Bathgate route. The operator managed to run 95 per cent of services during the action. Following talks through Acas


PAGE 8 SEPTEMBER 2010


last month, ScotRail managing director Steve Montgomery said: ‘I am pleased to say the RMT is no longer in dispute with the company over this issue.’ However, the union then


announced it was merely ‘refocusing’ its campaign. It said it had ‘concrete legal opinion’ that a 2001 agreement not to extend driver-only operations was binding. Some union members have been


unhappy at the union’s handling of the row, though. An open letter signed by more than 30 members criticised the RMT leadership.


walk a long way round. The only time passengers might have benefited from them is late at night and then they don’t staff them, they just keep them open. ‘It doesn’t take much argument to conclude


that, from the consumers’ point of view, they are unadulterated bad news. And where is the consumer watchdog in all of this? Nowhere to be seen.’ Chainey said that before the barriers were installed, he sent planning details to Passenger Focus, yet the watchdog failed to act. The situation with some Northern Rail passengers not being able to buy tickets before arrival was well known before the barriers were installed. ‘One would have thought any watchdog with teeth would have no difficulty in demonstrating


the absurdity of that situation,’ added Chainey. Guy Dangerfield, Passenger Focus manager,


said: ‘Passengers should not be unreasonably delayed leaving a station when, through no fault of their own, they have not been able to buy a ticket before boarding or get one on the train. Passenger Focus is in active discussion with the rail industry about how it will ensure that is the case at Newcastle.’ He said he believed many passengers object


to paying for others to travel without paying and that there had not been a lot of complaints about the Newcastle barriers. ‘Although the sample size was relatively low, it is worth noting that in the Spring 2010 National Passenger Survey 82 per cent of passengers found the gates at Newcastle very easy or fairly easy to use.’


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40