GTR Summer Holiday Cancellations

[izvor]

Next week, and the week after as well which neatly fits in with when the train changes are.

No, according to the press release linked above, it's only for one w/c 24 October.

 

[OneOfThe48]

No, according to the press release linked above, it's only for one w/c 24 October.

I know

Your original message expressed concern that Surreys half term is next week, whereas the timetable changes are the week after

I was saying that Surrey has a two week half term - next week and the week after that

 

[izvor]

I was saying that Surrey has a two week half term - next week and the week after that

Ah, I see. Apologies, I had just looked at the start date for SCC and assumed one week as usual.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I know

Your original message expressed concern that Surreys half term is next week, whereas the timetable changes are the week after

I was saying that Surrey has a two week half term - next week and the week after that

Only Surrey has a two week half term which is the first time they've ever done that the other education areas serviced by GTR are just the week.

 

[Magdalia]

Only Surrey has a two week half term which is the first time they've ever done that the other education areas serviced by GTR are just the week.

BBC has an article about two week half term see here:

Two-week half terms - the school holiday no-one can agree on

Parents are divided, with some struggling to arrange childcare while others eye cheaper holidays.

www.bbc.co.uk

Samantha Buckland is bracing herself for a tough fortnight. The single mum lives in Reigate, Surrey, and her seven-year-old son goes to a state school that has just introduced a two-week half term.

Buckland has two jobs: teaching medical students at a hospital in Brighton and working at a vintage shop in her home town. The 45-year-old receives universal credit and is worried about the cost of looking after her son while school is closed.

Bromley is also doing two week half term:

Most councils in England still favour the traditional one-week half term, according to the website School Term Dates, but several local authorities have opted for a fortnight in 2026/27 - including Nottinghamshire, Bromley and the Isle of Wight.

 

[Failed Unit]

This is just an early example. The DfT is asking all TOCs to look at this to save some cost. There will be more next year in other areas. Likely to be some Fridays excepted trains too…

I know you state ”some areas” but on many of the regional railways routes demand actually increases in the half terms. This going back a long way but Central Trians needed to supplement the trains with coaches in half terms (which probably didn’t cover the costs)

However in GTR -I suspect it is more to do with reducing cancellations rather then lack of demand. Drivers take holidays as well and the simply do not have enough of them. Better then recently, but still frequent shortages.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I know you state ”some areas” but on many of the regional railways routes demand actually increases in the half terms. This going back a long way but Central Trians needed to supplement the trains with coaches in half terms (which probably didn’t cover the costs)

However in GTR -I suspect it is more to do with reducing cancellations rather then lack of demand. Drivers take holidays as well and the simply do not have enough of them. Better then recently, but still frequent shortages.

Removing the rush hour extras over and above the base route schedule is a reasonable approach which is what Southern are doing. Thameslink though are taking more random action which results in a loss of capacity during the morning peak when demand is still high yet leaves services in during the day when demand is much reduced. In the case of Thameslink its clearly a money saving operation. They dont even advertise at my local station that they are doing this mind we dont even have a timetable poster anymore..