Benefits of an integrated network in disruption

[JonathanH]

From https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...o-disruption-26-09.274558/page-2#post-6961856

This sorry tale is a great illustration of why TOCs need to vanish and be replaced with an integrated network, that operates as a grown up rather than petulant children.

In what ways is an 'integrated network' better able to deal with unplanned disruption than one where different operators co-operate?

Let's not forget that Inter City West Coast, ScotRail and the North West part of Regional Railways were separate operations under British Rail, and that incompatible trains have run for over 30 years.

Essentially, in the topic under discussion, Avanti couldn't operate from London to Glasgow and the only route that could operate from Carlisle to Glasgow has a few trains each day. In the 1980s, I am sure that some freight locomotive could have been found to drag a InterCity set via Dumfries to maintain capacity, but how is that meant to work today? Is it really a case of the trains being run by 'petulant children'?

Interested in what you think would have happened in an 'integrated network'? The TOCs are vanishing in the near future. What change will happen the next time the line via Beattock is suddenly unavailable for the day?

 

[DanNCL]

From https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...o-disruption-26-09.274558/page-2#post-6961856

In what ways is an 'integrated network' better able to deal with unplanned disruption than one where different operators co-operate?

Let's not forget that Inter City West Coast, ScotRail and the North West part of Regional Railways were separate operations under British Rail, and that incompatible trains have run for over 30 years.

Essentially, in the topic under discussion, Avanti couldn't operate from London to Glasgow and the only route that could operate from Carlisle to Glasgow has a few trains each day. In the 1980s, I am sure that some freight locomotive could have been found to drag a InterCity set via Dumfries to maintain capacity, but how is that meant to work today? Is it really a case of the trains being run by 'petulant children'?

Interested in what you think would have happened in an 'integrated network'? The TOCs are vanishing in the near future. What change will happen the next time the line via Beattock is suddenly unavailable for the day?

Because different operators often don’t coordinate, as was the case in the very situation you’re replying to. An integrated network would remove that problem, there’d be no need to coordinate as there’d be nobody to coordinate with, it would allow passengers to automatically travel via any reasonable route during disruption without hinderances like operators not cooperating with each other.

 

[JonathanH]

An integrated network would remove that problem, there’d be no need to coordinate as there’d be nobody to coordinate with, it would allow passengers to automatically travel via any reasonable route during disruption without hinderances like operators not cooperating with each other.

Yes, but the integration doesn't automatically provide more capacity on the diversionary route.

The example we are referring to is somewhat unusual in seemingly not permitting travel on a reasonable route without payment of a further fare, but that could happen in an integrated railway if the operator makes a unilateral decision not to allow that route to be used over a concern about capacity.

There was, of course, no issue about people with interavailable tickets using the train via Dumfries. In an integrated network there would still be people with train specific tickets even if no longer operator restricted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Using Deutsche Bahn as an example, a cancellation, missed connection or I think delay above a certain threshold converts your Advance style ticket to fully flexible. This is by far the best policy. It might cause pinch points, but it maximises the number of people able to reach their destination.

 

[Irascible]

Interested in what you think would have happened in an 'integrated network'? The TOCs are vanishing in the near future. What change will happen the next time the line via Beattock is suddenly unavailable for the day?

I guess it might be easier to find ways around trouble if drivers were a pool with wider route knowledge, but there are a lot of other restrictions there to consider too ( which I guess hasn't been helped by TOCs/DfT speccing & buying stock for certain routes only. )

Are you also proposing keeping ticketing bound tightly to routes & not permitting an alternative at all without some special arrangement? that sounds unnecessarily beaurocratic.

 

[JonathanH]

Are you also proposing keeping ticketing bound tightly to routes & not permitting an alternative at all without some special arrangement? that sounds unnecessarily beaurocratic.

I'm not proposing anything. I am observing that there are occasions even in an 'integrated network' where for reasons of capacity, passengers with advance tickets for a specific train may be directed to a particular alternative route, rather than the one which first comes to their mind.