Arriva Rail North DOO

[Starmill]

No-one seems concerned about Arriva buses

I generally agree. Bus travel is generally expensive, unreliable, slow and uncomfortable. Even the so-called premium services Arriva operates are still all of these things. The bus being too full to board on one occasion will not cause the standard of service to decline such that people will not use it who currently do.

 

[Starmill]

Interestingly, and I'm not sure why, lots of TOCs are allowing travel for Northern passengers on Sunday or Tuesday instead of Monday. EMT are specifically stated on Northern's page to have refused this request - I'd be intrigued to know why

EMT accepted connecting Southern passengers on different days when their drivers were on strike. I think it's madness. I wonder if Northern have done something to make XC and EM unhappy with them?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I generally agree. Bus travel is generally expensive, unreliable, slow and uncomfortable. Even the so-called premium services Arriva operates are still all of these things. The bus being too full to board on one occasion will not cause the standard of service to decline such that people will not use it who currently do.

When it is the option of "no train" or a bus, you would be surprised to see how many would choose to use the bus, which will be much less expensive than the option of hiring a taxi, which in cases such as strike days, will see taxi firms having their available fleets soon fully booked up well in advance.

 

[XDM]

Presumably the circular states that ASLEF drivers should cross picket lines.

Yes, I am told.

 

[northwichcat]

At my TOC at least guards are meant to know about every station on the line they sign, not just the stations that they regularly call at. I would be very surprised if I ever get asked to stop at Duddeston for example, but if I'm asked to do so I'm qualified to operate the doors there.

Could be useful if there's a major problem on the line and passengers need to be transferred to replacement buses.

 

[northwichcat]

I generally agree. Bus travel is generally expensive, unreliable, slow and uncomfortable. Even the so-called premium services Arriva operates are still all of these things. The bus being too full to board on one occasion will not cause the standard of service to decline such that people will not use it who currently do.

I don't agree about bus travel being expensive (unless you make a lot of very short journeys.) A weekly season for Altrincham to Stretford on Metrolink costs £18.00. A weekly ticket for all Arriva buses in Greater Manchester (including buses between Altrincham and Stretford) costs £14.50.

 

[muz379]

Are guards cleared to handle the PTI at stations with which they are unfamiliar?

if you sign a route you can operate doors at any station along that route . Your route knowledge means that you know everything required to safely operate doors at stations on the route including ones you dont regularly stop at . All the regular stuff like knowing what train lengths will fit , starting signals , large gaps or steps , disabled access etc etc .

Perhaps the bigger consideration would be drivers stopping at stations they dont usually stop at especially if they are used to passing them at speed all the time . Although again they are supposed to know locations of all stations on the route .

 

[YorkshireBear]

Apologies for bringing up old news (well two days ago).

But seeing sprawled all over facebook the headline including 'Scab Timetable' I instantly disregarded the rest of the article as utter bull. It might have all been true and correct but for me using that sort of headline is purposefully divisive and aggressive and instantly loses them credibility with most of the travelling public. The RMT seriously need to get there act together if they are going to stand any chance of winning this dispute. Most passengers would respond to that headline exactly the same as I did.

Infact every single person i have spoken to about the strike think it is about pay, when explained they support the guards striking. But if nobody knows why you will not get the support. All you people who pay your subscriptions to the RMT I would really hope you are pushing this upwards because I personally think if you win it will be a miracle and you'll need every bit of help/luck you can get to do so. And also not act like a union which just shouts.

 

[northwichcat]

Infact every single person i have spoken to about the strike think it is about pay, when explained they support the guards striking.

Even some of the people who do know the underlying reason for the strikes think Merseyrail, Northern and Southern all plan to do exactly the same thing. I'm sure if they understood that most Merseyrail services will run with only a driver on board and all Northern services will run with two members of staff on board, even if it doesn't include a traditional guard, they'll be more concerned about their safety on Merseyrail services than Northern services.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Could be useful if there's a major problem on the line and passengers need to be transferred to replacement buses.

The general approach on the south WCML is that if there is severe disruption trains should, where safe and feasible, be held at stations and doors released such that passengers may abandon their journey or arrange a taxi if they wish. This is very sensible, as it gets them out of the way - once they have done this that's one fewer problem for the railway to solve.

I have, along these lines, seen VTs stopped with doors released at Tring, for example.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Spotted at Mirfield:

For the benefit of those unable to view images: someone has scrawled the following on a poster about the strike action:

SACK BOSSES, NOT GUARDS!
- A Passenger.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

But seeing sprawled all over facebook the headline including 'Scab Timetable' I instantly disregarded the rest of the article as utter bull.

In my very much younger days, when I played contact sports, you could always guarantee some minor skin abrasions, but being fortunate in having the ability to heal quickly, my "scab timetable" was a few days at most...

 

[HH]

Spotted at Mirfield:

For the benefit of those unable to view images: someone has scrawled the following on a poster about the strike action:

A passenger who dare not speak his name?

 

[Bletchleyite]

delete

 

[Andyh82]

The whole dispute isn't understood

As said above, people assume it's about pay

Then you might think it's about going DOO and having no second member of staff

Then you might think it's Arriva doing it for profit and they should sack them and get someone else in.

The number of people who know it's about DCO and laid down by the government regardless of who operates the franchise it's probably very few.

 

[craigybagel]

Confirmation now on the Northern rail website. All ATW North Wales - Manchester Piccadilly / Manchester Airport services will call additionally at Patricroft. All South Wales - Manchester Piccadilly services will call additionally at Sandbach, Holmes Chapel and Alderley Edge.

 

[158756]

Timings on the bus between Burnley and Hebden Bridge/Todmorden look rather ambitious, as do those on Burnley-Accrington-Blackburn at peak times. I very much doubt many passengers will bother with the RRB though.

Rather surprised there's a train as far as Burnley Central. Is it something to do with running a service to as many places as possible, even if the staff would be far better used providing a more frequent service somewhere busier?

 

[howittpie]

It appears that the majority of EMT services are now calling at Langley Mill on Monday.

 

[northwichcat]

Tony Miles says he's under the impression only a small number of guards voted. He suggests most probably felt they had insufficient information to vote.

 

[sandyravage]

Tony Miles says he's under the impression only a small number of guards voted. He suggests most probably felt they had insufficient information to vote.

In which ballot ? The ARN ballot had something like a 75% turn out with an 83% yes vote.
__________________

 

[craigybagel]

Tony Miles says he's under the impression only a small number of guards voted. He suggests most probably felt they had insufficient information to vote.

In which ballot ? The ARN ballot had something like a 75% turn out with an 83% yes vote.
__________________

Not too surprising. Modern Railways seems to be very pro DOO

Confirmation now on the Northern rail website. All ATW North Wales - Manchester Piccadilly / Manchester Airport services will call additionally at Patricroft. All South Wales - Manchester Piccadilly services will call additionally at Sandbach, Holmes Chapel and Alderley Edge.

Now changed slightly, the services formed of loco and stock won't be calling at Patricroft.

 

[northwichcat]

In which ballot ? The ARN ballot had something like a 75% turn out with an 83% yes vote.

The RMT didn't report turnout in their press release, which is unusual. With the Southern dispute they reported turnout and made it clear that the ballot result would have been valid even if the Tories had got their strike reform laws through. Maybe the ARN ballot would not have met the threshold had the strike reform laws got through so they're not officially saying?

It's interesting the RMT claim the Merseyrail dispute saw 81.8% voting in favour of a strike despite them saying the guard role will be made redundant, yet Northern they say it was 83.6%, despite Northern currently recruiting additional guards and having no plans to get rid of guards on all services.

 

[northwichcat]

Now changed slightly, the services formed of loco and stock won't be calling at Patricroft.

Also they've changed Metrolink acceptance again. It's now only for passengers holding monthly or longer season tickets on the below routes:
Altrincham – Manchester
Ashton-under-Lyne – Manchester
Eccles – Manchester
East Didsbury – Manchester
Rochdale – Manchester

Previously they said any valid rail ticket would be accepted on the above routes and that monthly or longer season ticket holders can use any suitable Metrolink route (so would have included to/from the Airport.)

 

[sandyravage]

The result was 697 for strike and 137 against. The current Conductor poulation at Northern is around 1200. The result would have very very easy complied with the new thresholds.

 

[northwichcat]

The result was 697 for strike and 137 against. The current Conductor poulation at Northern is around 1200. The result would have very very easy complied with the new thresholds.

RMT balloted guard and driver members according to their press release on 28 Feb. In 2015 they claimed that was over 1400 members and that was before the TPE North West crews transferred so while I can't say what percentage of eligible members voted for a strike it is under 50% of eligible members if only 697 voted in favour, unless a lot of train crews have left the RMT in the last couple of years.

 

[sandyravage]

It was reported that 66% of all Conductors voted to strike. This is even when you account for the people who never voted one way or another.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

The figures I saw were:

Eligible to Vote / Ballot Papers sent out : 1254.

Ballot papers returned : 837 ( 66.7% )

Voting in favour of a strike : 696 ( 83% of those who actually voted. 55.5% of those who were eligible to vote)

Voting NOT in favour of a strike : 137

Spoilt papers : 4

So the actual margin in favour of a strike is slim, only 55% of the RMT Guard members voted for a strike. There will of course be some who are not in the RMT too.

But the figures still pass the new legislation, but probably not by as far as the RMT would have liked.

 

[175001]

Tony Miles says he's under the impression only a small number of guards voted. He suggests most probably felt they had insufficient information to vote.

Absolute tripe

 

[Starmill]

No train service at Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden and Slaithewaite? New Mills Central (there is a service from Newtown), Chinley, and stations to Grindleford? No replacement bus service? No alternative service? Go home? Is this the best they could do?

One service each way at Congleton (XC). Three services each way at Dronfield (EM). And again no replacement bus service?

Pathetic.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Better than many other TOCs do on traincrew strike days, which is "nothing, go away".

I'd say they have tried quite hard - some slightly illogical decisions (like two round trip Ormskirk-Preston buses that *only just* aren't useful for going to/from work) but overall not bad.

Certainly it won't prevent my planned journey tomorrow.