Go and stand in the door way for your entire journey and come back and talk about this.
I have travelled on Cross Country services where I have had to stand in a crowded vestibule area. I would still not want first class to be removed as it provides an option for a more comfortable journey, which I sometimes pay for on services I know will be especially busy.
Get rid of first class, put more seats in and give more people a seat. I am sick of standing. Time for the first class passengers to find out what it is really like.
I am sure some first class passengers have experienced standing as I have spoken with other passengers multiple times who have stated they have paid for first class this time because had to stand last time they travelled.
It is a disgrace that the train is ram packed in 3 carriages while first has a handful of people in it. An absolute disgrace.
I have been on many services where first class has been fully occupied, and even some instances where first class passengers, who have paid for first class, have not been able to get a first class seat.
It is also a disgrace that people defend this nonsense!
Btw explain to me how an extra carriage of seats for all passengers on every train ( 2 on a double set) would NOT help with overcrowding!
Removing first class alone would not likely increase demand so it would be the same passengers spreading out more.
Like I previously mentioned if Standard is dangerously overcrowded and/or passengers are genuinely struggling to board I would understand first class being declassified on that service, as most train operators will do.
On double sets they will rarely be overcrowded so there would be no need to remove first class as the double set itself provides the extra capacity. I do accept that to many times the second set is locked out of use and this needs sorting.
If its just that you have to stand in standard, but not in an unsafe way, then you could pay for first class. Many passengers across the country have to stand.
To clarify I do not think its acceptable for Cross Country to operate with such short 4/5 carriage trains, but until something is done about it removing first class is not the answer.
I would stop that to. If we have to have first class then you should pay an proper price. No discounts, no Railcards, no upgrades!
On services where first class usually has high occupancy I agree on fewer discounted advance fares. But if a service usually has spare seats in first class there is no reason not to offer them at a reduced price through advances, seatfrog...
Some railcards already do not give first class discounts on flexible fares.
However, I do not agree railcards should be excluded from first class as by that logic they should not allow them in standard as fewer people may travel, working towards solving overcrowding.
