What travel restrictions change from the 29th March?

[nlogax]

Driving back from Scotland this Easter weekend, pretty much every matrix sign on the A1M and M1 read 'Minimise Travel'. The further south I got, the more I thought 'nope, think I'll maximise it'.

 

[JakeMurphy]

Another guard on this train saying essential travel only do these people want people back or not?

 

[bengley]

Another guard on this train saying essential travel only do these people want people back or not?

No, they don't. I've spoken to guard colleagues who would prefer things stay as they are. Many of them will retire in the next few years so they don't seem to be that bothered about job security

 

[greyman42]

No, they don't. I've spoken to guard colleagues who would prefer things stay as they are. Many of them will retire in the next few years so they don't seem to be that bothered about job security

It sounds to me as if some of them are in the wrong job.

 

[bengley]

It sounds to me as if some of them are in the wrong job.

I mean, in fairness, their job is much easier at the moment, but yes, I agree with you.

 

[trainophile]

Another guard on this train saying essential travel only do these people want people back or not?

Which TOC is that?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Which TOC is that?

I think the poster uses TfW. Who haven't had the best rep during the past year. Maybe their guards should stick to the back cab aa they did prior to a few weeks ago.

 

[JakeMurphy]

Which TOC is that?

London NorthWestern

 

[trainophile]

Oh right, thanks. Funny that - I'm using LNWR next Monday and TfW on Friday. Wish me luck .

 

[Jamesrob637]

London NorthWestern

You have full right to challenge them since the 29th. Before that, they were in their legal rights to challenge you.

 

[birchesgreen]

I've travelled on 9 LNWR trains over the last couple of weeks and not heard that to be honest.

 

[Butts]

Driving back from Scotland this Easter weekend, pretty much every matrix sign on the A1M and M1 read 'Minimise Travel'. The further south I got, the more I thought 'nope, think I'll maximise it'.

Your speed or the travel ?

 

[MalaiseForever]

I have travelled on TfW numerous times in the past few weeks, albeit within England, and not once have I heard or seen a member of staff.

 

[nlogax]

Your speed or the travel ?

I'm sayin' nowt

 

[LowLevel]

London NorthWestern

To be fair COVID has killed several drivers and guards at their West Midlands depots in the last few months so emotions are probably quite high compared to many locations on the railway. They will chill out eventually.

 

[trainophile]

To be fair COVID has killed several drivers and guards at their West Midlands depots in the last few months so emotions are probably quite high compared to many locations on the railway. They will chill out eventually.

Really? I hadn't read anything about that. How very sad.

 

[chris11256]

At what point does the minimise travel advice disappear? It’s almost stuck on repeat at my local station.

 

[Butts]

Travel restrictions are easing for me next week as I am heading South for a Beer

Booked Berwick upon Tweed on Thursday 15th with possible additional forays from Falkirk in the pipeline.

Newcastle and Carlisle spring to mind - plenty of cheap 1st Class Advances available with a CD Railcard.

 

[221129]

To be fair COVID has killed several drivers and guards at their West Midlands depots in the last few months so emotions are probably quite high compared to many locations on the railway. They will chill out eventually.

They still shouldn't be spouting rubbish to their passengers though.

 

[LowLevel]

They still shouldn't be spouting rubbish to their passengers though.

I'm not judging. Life on board has at times been incredibly frustrating at times over the last year, especially having to deal with people who blatantly don't give a toss with little backup. I'm not talking about people quietly getting on with their personal business - those continuing to turn up drunk and vomit everywhere, or spitting at traincrew or being aggressive have taken their toll on morale especially when cases were spiking and in the case of this particular TOC your mates are actually dying. The Government's "be afraid" message has equally rubbed off on people like traincrews.

It is clear that they shouldn't be coming out with this stuff on the PA, but hopefully that sort of thing will be a thing of the past shortly. Dropping a polite word on Twitter with the details is something I would unusually for me suggest to the passenger - the guard in question is far more likely than in many cases to be given some polite advice than dragged over the coals.

 

[Segedunum]

The guard on the 1048 Paddington to Swansea just gave us all the very convoluted message of "You should be staying local or travelling for essential purposes only" with Paddington also full of signage about travelling only for "legally permitted" reasons.

Considering that it's first stop Reading then Swindon and that coaches A/B/C looked to be about 50-60% full with a fair few family groups, I don't think he's preaching to the right crowd!

Granted, travel to Wales is still "essential purposes only" (with the departure board making this distinction) but there was no distinction made on board.

 

[bengley]

The guard on the 1048 Paddington to Swansea just gave us all the very convoluted message of "You should be staying local or travelling for essential purposes only" with Paddington also full of signage about travelling only for "legally permitted" reasons.

Considering that it's first stop Reading then Swindon and that coaches A/B/C looked to be about 50-60% full with a fair few family groups, I don't think he's preaching to the right crowd!

Granted, travel to Wales is still "essential purposes only" (with the departure board making this distinction) but there was no distinction made on board.

And in a GWR Facebook post yesterday they were still announcing essential travel only.

 

[Class 33]

The guard on the 1048 Paddington to Swansea just gave us all the very convoluted message of "You should be staying local or travelling for essential purposes only" with Paddington also full of signage about travelling only for "legally permitted" reasons.

Considering that it's first stop Reading then Swindon and that coaches A/B/C looked to be about 50-60% full with a fair few family groups, I don't think he's preaching to the right crowd!

Granted, travel to Wales is still "essential purposes only" (with the departure board making this distinction) but there was no distinction made on board.

What absolute nonsense from that guard. As we know, the Stay At Home and Essential Travel Only nonsense was dropped on 29th March! All the staff at GWR(and other operators) need to be briefed, that both of these rules no longer exist now! And in England, there isn't even a "Stay Local" rule anyway! Although it doesn't help that it's been incorrectly mentioned in the press and media a number of times that from 29th March there has been a "Stay Local" rule.

On a bus I was on yesterday there was a large poster saying "Think before you travel. Our services are for essential journeys only.". And also on the visual display screen, there was a message of similar wording. And also a pre-recorded PA announcement going off every few minutes saying "Due to the current lockdown, our services are for essential journeys only.". Dear oh dear. They really need to take these posters down, the pages with these messages removed from their visual display screens, and these pre-recorded PA announcements also removed! These are all out of date and redundant now!

Also yesterday I passed a bus shelter large poster/advert saying "Due to COVID-19 our NHS is under extreme pressure."!!! What nonsense. The NHS is no longer under extreme pressure due to COVID-19, and hasn't been for several weeks! Another example of messaging that is (long) out of date and redundant now, and really needs to be taken down.

 

[trainophile]

Funny how quickly they can ramp these things up, and how it takes so long to get rid of them again. A cynic might say they are collectively enjoying the power trip.

 

[northernchris]

Whilst using Leeds station earlier today I noticed the signs around only travel for legally permitted reasons have gone and have been replaced by welcome back notices which is great to see

 

[Huntergreed]

Whilst using Leeds station earlier today I noticed the signs around only travel for legally permitted reasons have gone and have been replaced by welcome back notices which is great to see

Yes I noticed these in Leeds today as well, a positive step absolutely in the right direction!!

Plenty of “minimise travel” still about sadly though.

 

[northernchris]

Yes I noticed these in Leeds today as well, a positive step absolutely in the right direction!!

Plenty of “minimise travel” still about sadly though.

Didn't even notice the minimise travel ones! Hopefully a sign they are blending in with the usual advertising which I tend to ignore

 

[Huntergreed]

Didn't even notice the minimise travel ones! Hopefully a sign they are blending in with the usual advertising which I tend to ignore

Seems to mostly be on departure boards at certain stations from what I’ve seen. “Minimise travel in line with latest government guidance” or some other nonsense like that.

 

[trainophile]

Considering they have said we can now leave our local area (or at least haven't said we can't), and re-opening self-catering accommodation from next week, it's a bit contrary to still maintain that we should avoid travel unless it's absolutely necessary.

I don't think they mean to try to enforce it, probably just hopeful that the signs will act as a deterrent to anyone still in two minds.

 

[birchesgreen]

How do you "enforce" minimising travel? What does it even mean?