howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,166
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Yet another link that we can't read.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,166
Train drivers agree 28% pay rise to end Southern Rail strikes.
Crippling strikes on one of Britain’s busiest railway lines may finally be at an end after train drivers accepted a £14,000 pay rise.
Members of Aslef voted four to one in favour of a deal to end industrial action on Southern Rail, which has been hit by disruption for 18 months in a row over pay, working conditions and the introduction of driver-only operated trains.
Rail executives insisted that the move left the other main rail union — the RMT — “completely isolated” as it continues its dispute over driver-only control of carriage doors.
The RMT, which represents conductors, took strike action on five networks, including Southern, yesterday in the most widespread walkout of its kind in 20 years. However, fewer than one in ten Southern services were cancelled, whereas previous strikes by Aslef members have crippled the network.
Government sources said that the agreement with Aslef proved that driver-only operation could be safely implemented. It has been used on parts of the UK rail network for more than 30 years.
Under the Aslef deal, about 1,000 members will be given a 28.5 per cent pay rise over five years, taking their basic pay from £49,000 to £63,000 for a four-day week. Drivers had twice previously rejected lower offers made by the rail company, which carries 300,000 passengers a day between London and the south coast.
Aslef insisted it had secured fresh guarantees that trains would not run unless a second, safety-trained person was on board except in exceptional circumstances. These include a staff member calling in sick just before a shift or being taken ill during work.
Mick Whelan, Aslef general secretary, denied that it represented a full endorsement of driver-only operation. Mr Whelan, a vocal supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, who has pledged to guarantee a guard on all services, said: “After one and a half years of industrial strife we wanted to find a way forward for our members who work on the railway in this region, for the passengers who use Southern trains, and for the businesses which depend on the service, as well as for the company, too.
“This deal is a resolution to an 18-month-long dispute. It is not a template for Britain’s railway in the 21st century.”
Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: “This shoddy deal extends and institutionalises discrimination against disabled and older people.”
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Lucky they get free rail travel otherwise, on those wages, they couldn't afford to get to work - then where would be!
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,166
Just to get a few facts straight almost 97p in every £1 from fares goes back into running services (including salaries). I hardly look at a 3% return on investment being 'excessive profit'.
IF we wish to lower fares THEN it means low-waged shelf stackers in Hull subsidising Stock Brokers who commute into the city from Guildford.
The main problem with the railways relates to infrastructure which being run by Railtrack is in fact the only 'nationalised' bit of the system!
Incidentally RMT appear to be another group of tax-dodgers:- [B]The union made a
£5.1million profit from shares last year but its accounts show it paid zero corporation tax[/B]
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5248629/rmt-union-behind-new-year-railw-walkouts-paid-no-tax-on-5-1million-profit/ which is no doubt how they can afford to make donations to
Eight Shadow Cabinet Ministers
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Why on earth would a Transport Minister be in Qatar when the sparks are flying over here?
The Thanet Labour party have been outside stations in their area today campaigning for services to be taken back into public ownership, I am not aware of our local party doing the same.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/02/chris-grayling-accused-hiding-qatar-commuters-suffer-biggest/howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Guest 1395- Registered: 5 Nov 2014
- Posts: 463
That rather kills my habit of driving to Martin Mill to get a train. I wonder if they are trying to kill off business so they can close the station!
Lew Finnis
Guest 1997- Registered: 3 Mar 2017
- Posts: 148
Ah. The wisdom of the Sun reader. Just what this country needs more of.
howard mcsweeney1 likes this
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
There might not be so many complaints about the fare increase if commuters could always get a seat, no train cancellations and rely on the advertised times being met, also local stations being as new and clean as the major ones.
Brian Dixon likes this
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,166
More perspective for those too young to remember or with a selective memory.
Here's Hansard from 02 March 1976.
Labour in Government - Unions in charge!
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1976/mar/02/railway-fares
'The whole question of the seemingly ever-increasing rise of commuter fares has been put in focus by the Government's decision to place a cash ceiling upon the subsidy for British Rail. Already there have been three fare increases within a year, there is the prospect of a further increase this April of 17 per cent., and yet another is threatened for autumn 1976. The last is necessary to pay for the wage increases which are scheduled for later this year.
It appears that the heaviest increases in fares will fall upon the long- and middle-distance commuters rather than upon the inter-city services. The increase in this sector will come in spite of an 11 per cent, decrease in usage in 1975 and a further fall, estimated by British Rail at about 3 per cent., in 1976. One is forced to conclude that British Rail is leaning heavily on a sector of the market which is obliged to use its services—the commuter'.
Let's re-nationalise the railways! After all 'most' people want it. How could it possibly go wrong? Just how stupid does Jezza think the voters are?
(BTW. Just checked cost of my ticket Liverpool - Euston last Sunday. £11.20 for reserved seat in 'quiet' carriage. Bargain)
Reginald Barrington likes this
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Guest 2418- Registered: 14 Dec 2017
- Posts: 37
Captain Haddock wrote:
(BTW. Just checked cost of my ticket Liverpool - Euston last Sunday. £11.20 for reserved seat in 'quiet' carriage. Bargain)
BTW. Just checked cost of return ticket Dover - London tomorrow morning. £75.90.
However I opted for a flight to Tenerife which was slightly cheaper and had the additional benefit of a guaranteed seat and a modern waiting room.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,166
Pauline
Buy single up £44.70 (if you NEED to arrive before 11.00 - Later fares from £24.50 return)
Single back £13.60
Total £58.30
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Guest 1395- Registered: 5 Nov 2014
- Posts: 463
It does pay to play around with the booking engine - Advanced off-peak singles on HS1 can be fairly cheap but you have to use the booked train (not that I have ever seen them checked!) - and to Charing Cross even cheaper.
Lew Finnis
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,166
Train advice from the Man in Seat 61...
Does the UK really have Europe's most expensive train fares?
https://www.seat61.com/uk-europe-train-fares-comparison.htmlReginald Barrington likes this
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Guest 2418- Registered: 14 Dec 2017
- Posts: 37
"Always ask what the other 85-90% is"
Assuming the station is staffed otherwise you won't find these obscure fares on the ticket machine.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,166
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Guest 2418- Registered: 14 Dec 2017
- Posts: 37
Some key facts on how government rail franchises are not working.
howard mcsweeney1 likes this
howard mcsweeney1 likes this