Quote:
Originally Posted by 41225
Does buying a ticket give you a seat or just a space in a carriage?We cannot all book in advance and as an OAP I object to standing all the way from Reading(for example) to Plymouth.Have Health and safety no input on this?I mean a carriage full of standing passengers and an emergency stop would be a catastrophe,
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No I'm afraid the passenger gets a very raw deal. Very old bylaws state that unless you have made a reservation you have no right to expect to get a seat, or even to travel on a particular train.
Many TOCs have placed stickers which state that some seats are "Priority Seats". In principle people in these seats should give them up for pregnant women, people with mobility issues, and elderly people. However with the current government-lead drive to remove on-train staff, in many instances you won't have any traincrew onboard to appeal to if the seat occupants won't do the 'decent thing'.
With regard to crush loading - it's more bad news. Unlike a bus where there IS a stated maximum of people who are allowed to be standing, on the railway there's no limit. If you can force your way onto a train you're allowed to travel.
HTH, BW