Railways condemned

[locojoe]

24.12.07

Railways condemned for leaving Britain stranded on Boxing Day
Ben Webster: Transport Correspondent


Rail companies will be closing their networks until Thursday morning from about 8pm tonight after rejecting demands for at least a basic service on Boxing Day.

Britain is the only major European country that will be without a rail service on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, despite huge growth in demand. The quarter of British households without access to a car will struggle to get to Boxing Day sports fixtures. The sales will be under way – but only those with cars are likely to benefit: trains do not resume until after 6am on the 27th.

A cross-party group of 28 MPs has signed an early day motion condemning the Department for Transport and rail companies for leaving people stranded. The motion, tabled by John Grogan, the Labour MP for Selby, “ex-presses deep disappointment that once again during this festive season the UK’s railways will undergo a 58-hour shutdown with no services being provided on the overwhelming majority of lines and that in most areas there will be no buses running,” noting, “this is in stark contrast to the rest of Europe”.
It calls on the department and train companies “to ensure that from 2008 an adequate rail and bus service is provided on Boxing Day at least”.

A year ago the Association of Train Operating Companies acknowledged the rise in demand for Christmas travel and promised to consider providing services on Boxing Day. George Muir, the director-general, said: “We will have to look at this again because people are now more mobile on Boxing Day.”

Yesterday the association dismissed the idea, saying that its members would run services only if they received extra subsidy. A spokesman said: “Train companies are not in the business of running services they know will lose money. Undoubtedly there would be some demand, but not enough to justify a commercial service.”
Asked what message the association had for those dependent on trains, he said: “I suppose we would say, ‘Sorry’.”
Mr Grogan said: “It’s completely inconsistent for the Department for Transport to say you should use public transport and then shut down the system for 58 hours. Companies should be obliged, in their franchise agreements, to run services over Christmas.

“If you want to see your relatives and you don’t have a car, you are forced to spend three nights with them. For many people, 24 hours is quite enough.”
In London, a limited Underground and bus service will operate on Boxing Day. Most other cities have only a few services.

On Christmas Eve – the big day for much of the Continent – France, Germany and the Netherlands will run normal services, although these will end early. On Christmas Day most European countries have a Sunday service; there will be three trains an hour between Berlin and Frankfurt.
Until the early 1960s British Rail operated services on Christmas Day from many stations. Having grown by 42 per cent in the past decade, rail passenger numbers are higher than at any time since 1946, when the network was twice as large.

The train drivers’ union Aslef would be willing to discuss Christmas working, but would want twice the normal rate of pay plus an extra day off.
Network Rail has claimed that it would be difficult to run trains on Christmas Day and Boxing Day because it does so much engineering work on those days. Yet the company is reducing the time it needs for this.

A Network Rail spokesman said that it would be relatively simple to accommodate passenger trains on Christmas Day and Boxing Day because most signal boxes would be manned to serve engineering trains.
A senior rail industry source said: “We will run trains if the Government funds them. They already subsidise the railway for 363 days a year so why not the remaining two?”

The Department for Transport to-day begins an “Act on CO2 ” campaign encouraging motorists to reduce vehicle emissions over Christmas. It does not suggest catching the train instead.

[locojoe]

Hello All Christmas is here again and on that subject I'd like to tell you about Christmas working on British Railways.

During the 1950s at Enfield sometimes we had to work on Christmas day.We were given double time and a day in lieu, not many people liked working on Christmas day but some did'nt mind.

The first train of the day left Enfield about 7am and the last train of the day arrived at Enfield about 4pm.Probably only four or five crews would have to work out of a total of forty.I worked Christmas day only once. It was an easy days work just two trips to Liverpool St.(that's only 40 miles total)

[Trev]

The railways should be seen as an essential part of the infrastructure of the state, and as such a service should be offered over the Christmas period. Volunteers should be asked for and be paid at the very least double time with with a day in lieu.

[Foghut]

Well it's the only time of the year that a continuous 48 Hr possession can be obtained in many places. On my line we've waited at least 5 years for the "Temporary" speed restrictions at Carlton Road Junction to be lifted. The only way this can be done is to pull out all the ballast and complex trackwork and replace it. At 20:00 on Chrismas eve as I was finishing they were just gearing up to start lifting the track.

You can't have it both ways - If we're going to improve the infrastructure we have to shut it it down from time to time. I do wonder about the lack of co-ordination though. There doesn't seem to be any attempt to increase trains on adjacent services when a particular line is closed. Also the tube network in London is often closed at the same time as the main lines.

But if we're going to have a transport supremo PLEASE don't put the govrnment in charge....give it to someone who works for a living

[swisstrains]

I don't think those concerned have any real desire to provide a train service over the Christmas period. Although privatisation is partly responsible, it can't be blamed entirely as for many years negotiated work arrangements have strived to eliminate Christmas working wherever possible. I know, to some, that it sounds heartless but a public transport system for the masses can only be provided by inconveniencing those that work in it. This has long been accepted in many parts of Europe and travelling at Christmas (and on Sundays for that matter) is no different than at any other time.
The fact that major engineering work is often carried out over the Christmas period is irrelevant. Engineering work in some parts of the country is no reason to stop Christmas services nationwide. If passenger flows indicate that Christmas is genuinely the best time to do a certain engineering job, then by all means do it but if not, do it some other time.

[Foghut]

Originally Posted by swisstrains

I don't think those concerned have any real desire to provide a train service over the Christmas period. Although privatisation is partly responsible, it can't be blamed entirely as for many years negotiated work arrangements have strived to eliminate Christmas working wherever possible

Where does this come from ? I don't know of any TOC in my (London) area which is prevented by local agreement from bringing in its workforce on Christmas Day. The series of Drivers Restructuring Initiative agreements in the mid 1990s enabled most companies to persuade their staff to give up the old working practices of the BR regime in return for pay settlements.

I worked lateshift on Christmas Eve (for unenhanced rate contrary to beliefs in another thread). I would have been quite happy to continue into Xmas day if it had been necessary.

As LesG had already said (and taken flak for !!) he may well have had to work Xmas day, and whilst we moan about these things at the time we still willingly do it because it's always been swings and roundabouts in this job.

We're paid silly money for Christmas and I reckon you'd see drivers fighting to be given the longest turns ! We certainly wouldn't object to working Christmas day - Bring it on !!

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by swisstrains

I don't think those concerned have any real desire to provide a train service over the Christmas period. Although privatisation is partly responsible, it can't be blamed entirely as for many years negotiated work arrangements have strived to eliminate Christmas working wherever possible. ..........................

Originally Posted by Foghut

Where does this come from ? I don't know of any TOC in my (London) area which is prevented by local agreement from bringing in its workforce on Christmas Day. The series of Drivers Restructuring Initiative agreements in the mid 1990s enabled most companies to persuade their staff to give up the old working practices of the BR regime in return for pay settlements.

Originally Posted by Foghut

We're paid silly money for Christmas and I reckon you'd see drivers fighting to be given the longest turns ! We certainly wouldn't object to working Christmas day - Bring it on !!

You misunderstand me Foghut
The negotiated working arrangements to which I refer have been established over many decades and apply not just to the railway industry. I agree that the Drivers Restructuring Initiative agreements of the mid 1990's did reverse many of the old agreements and that a TOC can bring in it's workforce on Christmas Day but at what cost?
You admit to getting paid "silly money" for Christmas but railway staff need to be willing to work for a sensible rate if they are going to provide a service that is economically viable in the eyes of the TOC's and I don't think that many of them would. Hence the reason why I said that I didn't think those concerned (TOC's and Staff) had any real desire to provide a train service over the Christmas period.

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by Foghut

We're paid silly money for Christmas and I reckon you'd see drivers fighting to be given the longest turns ! We certainly wouldn't object to working Christmas day - Bring it on !!

Once it's an accepted practice to run a proper service on Christmas Day then you won't be paid 'silly' money (how many shop workers are still paid double-time to work on Sundays, for instance).

And, of course, it's not just the drivers - you'd need the whole staff to be working to provide a proper service.

[Foghut]

Originally Posted by Adey Baker

Once it's an accepted practice to run a proper service on Christmas Day then you won't be paid 'silly' money (how many shop workers are still paid double-time to work on Sundays, for instance).

So where exactly are all these passengers going ? And what sort of a service do you propose, and over how much of the network ?

I can see an argument for a decent Boxing Day service....but Christmas day ?

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by Foghut

So where exactly are all these passengers going ?

To the same sort of places that passengers in Mainland Europe go to. I assume many of them are visiting friends and family.

Originally Posted by Foghut

And what sort of a service do you propose, and over how much of the network ?

I suppose a nationwide Sunday service would be a reasonable starting point but as the Sunday service in some areas is pathetic it would probably need adjusting to be of any use to day trippers.

Originally Posted by Foghut

I can see an argument for a decent Boxing Day service....but Christmas day ?

We will never know unless we give it a try but personally, for reasons that I have already stated, I can't see it happening in the near future. I don't think there's enough money in it for the TOC's and the Government are hardly likely to contribute very much.