LETTERS
but he needs to go much further: in particular, he should require TOCs to compensate passengers for the difference between bus and train fares, and for the inconvenience of having to change between the two. Passengers with first class tickets should be compensated further still, as they also lose all of the ben- efits of their higher fare.
From: Robin Wickenden Subject: Rail replacement buses
At last, something appears to be go- ing to be done about the iniquitous practice of charging passengers a rail fare and then substituting an inferior product – a bus – for what the passenger has paid for (‘End of grants for ‘bustitution’ announced by Norman Baker’, February 15,
www.rtmjobs.com).
The concept in the ‘small print’ that the passenger has actually not paid to travel by train at all, but simply to be conveyed by some unspecified means, is just plain dishonest – the sort of fiction that is produced by crooked lawyers, but is patently un- true. I am amazed that it has never been legally challenged under the Unfair Contract Terms Act; per- haps this is because the TOCs could afford an eminent barrister while the unfortunate individual passen- ger could not.
Network Rail, for their part, are far too ready to take more, longer and more extensive possessions than they need. Over the years, millions of pounds have been spent on bidi- rectional signalling, supposedly to keep at least a limited train service running while one line is under possession, or during failures or obstructions, but in practice it is al- most never used, and buses are run instead – what a waste.
So now we see the truth: this whole racket was actually being subsi- dised by the taxpayer as well! I am pleased to see that the Minister is going to put a stop to this subsidy,
If there is one thing the entire in- dustry needs to learn, it is that it is unethical and dishonest – a form of theft, in fact – to charge for some- thing you do not provide. No other area of commerce or business gets away with it, and I suggest that it is mainly this that gets our entire industry the appalling reputation it has with the public. Train compa- nies get very upset with, and take draconian action against, passen- gers who do not pay their fares in full, yet they cheerfully defraud the public all the time. If the railway industry would correct this attitude (in all its forms – substitute buses are just one example of this wide- spread disease), its degree of good- will with the public would increase overnight.
From: Jon Smith Subject: Energlyn station
I just think that the proposal for a new station at Energlyn (‘Energlyn station plans showcased’, Febru- ary 10,
www.rtmjobs.com) would be a huge waste of money! Better money could be spent on serving the existing customers at the north end of the valley who already have an hour’s commute to Cardiff.
From: James Crossen Subject: Network Rail bonus ‘un- acceptable’
If we are not careful we will end up with a public sector run by people who can’t make it to the top in the private sector. For all publicly- owned companies we should be striving for the best calibre indi- viduals for the job. This means that
you have to compete against the private sector in attracting the high achievers and above all else, money is the number one motivator for 99% of people. Restrict his bonus, tell him to give it back, make a fuss in the House of Commons – he will leave just like Stephen Hester will – they should not be vilified by the public for being excellent at their job and climbing to the top of their chosen career ladder. Stop trying to win the votes of the masses by bashing business and capitalism – we will all live to regret it when we have a bankrupt RBS but with a cheap payroll, and a transport net- work that is stuck in the dark ages but again with a cheap payroll.
From: Peter van der Mark Subject: Pitfalls in closing ticket offices
In Britain, sending all people to the fast ticket machines instead of ticket windows simply is not much of an option as mistakes (advance versus walk-on, wrong date, wrong time of the day, single versus day- return versus period return) are far too easily made and can be very costly indeed. And where do all those mistakes end up? At the
nearest ticket window, as do all those other bits of misery caused by anything from simple misun- derstanding to sheer stupidity. You’ll need to offer assistance one way or another. Minors, lost with- out tickets and no money late in the evening?
I also look at the drive to close manned station ticket facilities as the beginning of a slow but certain commercial suicide. With the pres- ent dwindling financial resources that the majority of people have at their disposition, versus their uncertainty to obtain the best rail ticket prices under guidance of a decent ticket clerk, they’ll partially react with postponing or cancel- ling travel plans and for absolutely necessary travel they’ll go and look for cheaper alternatives, as they in- creasingly do already. If I ran a bus or coach company I’d be doing my sums to ensure I can obtain extra transport capacity rapidly if the time comes.
The full version of this letter can be found at
www.rtmjobs.com
From: Tim Johnson Subject: Camden homes ‘at risk’ from HS2 (17/02/2012, railtech-
nologymagazine.com)
Bringing HS2 to Euston is a waste of billions anyway. The London ter- minus should be at Old Common. With a Crossrail connection most people in central London will find it just as easy and quick to get to Old Common as to Euston, maybe easier. There would be interchange or through routing onto an HS1 extension from St Pancras through Old Common to Heathrow. Hav- ing the terminus in central London (sort of, Euston is not exactly Pic- cadilly Circus) is a throwback to Victorian transport principles. The whole Euston area could be left un- touched.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
opinion@railtechnologymagazine.com
rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 12 | 17
© Matt Davis
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