ATW Lack of Information

[PHILIPE]

This Sunday,February 12th Wales play Scotland in Cardiff in the 6 Nations Championship. The only information publicised by ATW is on their Website which states extra capacity is being provided. For people travelling to the game for train times you are directed to ATW Website (Timetablex) where details of the normal service is provided, Or contact National Rail Enquiries for details. You can obtain this info only if you are have access to the Internet or computer literate. There are no posters at stations giving any details.
However, via Journey Planner I have discovered additional services in the Cardiff Valleys, Ebbw Vale, Bridgend, Pencoed and Newport but it appears that ATW don't want customers to know this.
I have discovered that in the event of major Engineering Work at weekends, there may be details posted at stations but these contains only replacement bus timetable details. I have taken this up with ATW in the past and they have stated they quote the Enquiries number and Web details so these should be consulted.
The attitiude seems to be that you find info through the forementioned channels and it is not their job to inform intending passengers, even when just a summary could be condensed, perhaps, into just a couple of lines.

 

[Michael.Y]

You don't have to have the internet to contact NRE, or even ATW. You just have to have one of these old fashioned speaky tube things:

and punch into it:

0845 606 1660

or

08457 48 49 50

both of which numbers are advertised not just on posters, but also on timetables and trains on the network.

Customer service is not about doing everything FOR you. It's not you turning up at a station and expecting everything to be given to you without any effort made on your part. You're travelling, it's your journey, take some responsibility for it and make the effort to find out. This is a one-off event. If you want ATW to spend money printing posters, leaflets or taking out adverts in newspapers, they won't be able to spend it on, oh, say, cleaning trains?

 

[PHILIPE]

I'm afraid I find your reply rather offensive. Yes, you can telephone but are you going to speak to India. ATW should make the information available without having to telephone. If they can put a brief remark on their Website, surely they can just add a couple of lines. When there are changes they can and should give out more info but Enquiry Numbers are not usually for regular travellers over their own local route. If people do not not have access to the Website how are they expected to know that the service is amended.
It is not about spoonfeeding people at all, merely dissemination of information. If we take your attitude we may as well not have timetables published either hard copies or on line.

 

[Michael.Y]

You accuse me of being offensive when you spout rubbish like "yes you can call but you are going to speak to India". Just what is wrong with that? Last I checked, they spoke English and had access to the timetable. That's pretty much all they need to do. Also the ATW call centre is not in India, it's in Cardiff.

Basically I believe you're complaining for the sake of complaining. Do you really believe there are people who don't (or can't)
1) use the website?
2) phone the enquiries line?
3) speak to station staff?
4) ask a conductor?
yet ARE capable of reading a few lines on an information poster?

As for your complete overreaction in your final splurge - no timetables? What leap of illogic did you make to reach that conclusion? Regular services over a period of months deserve a coherent printed guide. One-off services for a sporting event don't.

 

[Minilad]

You accuse me of being offensive when you spout rubbish like "yes you can call but you are going to speak to India". Just what is wrong with that? Last I checked, they spoke English and had access to the timetable. That's pretty much all they need to do. Also the ATW call centre is not in India, it's in Cardiff.

Basically I believe you're complaining for the sake of complaining. Do you really believe there are people who don't (or can't)
1) use the website?
2) phone the enquiries line?
3) speak to station staff?
4) ask a conductor?
yet ARE capable of reading a few lines on an information poster?

As for your complete overreaction in your final splurge - no timetables? What leap of illogic did you make to reach that conclusion? Regular services over a period of months deserve a coherent printed guide. One-off services for a sporting event don't.

Not sure which is worse

 

[175001]

Saw an update about these extra trains on their Facebook page this morning.

 

[Michael.Y]

Not sure which is worse

You read between the lines

I guess you could, at a pinch, get a decent curry in India. And they drive a lot safer on their roads.

 

[trainophile]

I'm a regular ATW user, and I noticed the scant "information" on their website too, but failed to find any further details. Have to say I agree with the OP. Some people only have mobile phones, which charge for 0845 calls. Some people just want to weigh up their options without having to ask someone on the end of a phone to list each outward and return service over a 3-day period (if they want to make a weekend of it, or in my case if they want to avoid travelling on a rugby supporters special!).

Point taken about the cost of producing printed material, but surely the website could be a bit more helpful in this sort of situation.

 

[Minilad]

I'm a regular ATW user, and I noticed the scant "information" on their website too, but failed to find any further details. Have to say I agree with the OP. Some people only have mobile phones, which charge for 0845 calls. Some people just want to weigh up their options without having to ask someone on the end of a phone to list each outward and return service over a 3-day period (if they want to make a weekend of it, or in my case if they want to avoid travelling on a rugby supporters special!).

Point taken about the cost of producing printed material, but surely the website could be a bit more helpful in this sort of situation.

Or you could say not everyone has access to the internet or knows where to look for info. Surely all methods should be used not just concentrated on the internet

 

[Markdvdman]

Or you could say not everyone has access to the internet or knows where to look for info. Surely all methods should be used not just concentrated on the internet

The fact is 0845 numbers cost money and the rail service is expensive enough as it is - sorry that is NOT good enough!

Times are hard, people are being strangled for every penny they get and you think it is fine to phone 0845 numbers on top of what people have to pay (especially mobiles as it costs a bomb!)?

It is shocking, Arriva USED to advertise ALL extra services on the rugby, now you can only use a bit of clever thought and search - which is easy IF you have access to the internet AND are clever enough to know like us but what if you could not do this?

It is wrong and the way this country is going is pathetic - they should be 01 or 02 numbers for contact end of!!!

 

[Swr28]

I'm afraid I find your reply rather offensive. Yes, you can telephone but are you going to speak to India. ATW should make the information available without having to telephone. If they can put a brief remark on their Website, surely they can just add a couple of lines. When there are changes they can and should give out more info but Enquiry Numbers are not usually for regular travellers over their own local route. If people do not not have access to the Website how are they expected to know that the service is amended.
It is not about spoonfeeding people at all, merely dissemination of information. If we take your attitude we may as well not have timetables published either hard copies or on line.

I think they still may have the Welsh Language enquiries ring that

 

[anthony263]

The fact is 0845 numbers cost money and the rail service is expensive enough as it is - sorry that is NOT good enough!

Times are hard, people are being strangled for every penny they get and you think it is fine to phone 0845 numbers on top of what people have to pay (especially mobiles as it costs a bomb!)?

It is shocking, Arriva USED to advertise ALL extra services on the rugby, now you can only use a bit of clever thought and search - which is easy IF you have access to the internet AND are clever enough to know like us but what if you could not do this?

It is wrong and the way this country is going is pathetic - they should be 01 or 02 numbers for contact end of!!!

I do agree that Arriva trains wales shoulkd do more to publish the information about the additional services as a lot of fans may choose to travel on them instead of crowding onboard existing regular services.

Swansea station has had all new information screens added surely perhaps some information could be put on them

 

[Minilad]

The fact is 0845 numbers cost money and the rail service is expensive enough as it is - sorry that is NOT good enough!

Times are hard, people are being strangled for every penny they get and you think it is fine to phone 0845 numbers on top of what people have to pay (especially mobiles as it costs a bomb!)?

It is shocking, Arriva USED to advertise ALL extra services on the rugby, now you can only use a bit of clever thought and search - which is easy IF you have access to the internet AND are clever enough to know like us but what if you could not do this?

It is wrong and the way this country is going is pathetic - they should be 01 or 02 numbers for contact end of!!!

That is the point I was trying to make. All forms of contact should be used not just the internet.
I didn't say it was fine to use 0845 numbers at all. Just that a way of finding out info in other ways should be available. Its not just ATW wo use 0845 numbers you know. Most companies do

 

[TDK]

I have worked ATW Footex trains in the past and driven them down to Cardiff from Crewe almost empty because no body knew about them - there may ba a communication problem here however I agree with Michael - th OP is compaining about the lack of info but can post on this forum with no problem so I feel it is just a post to air his frustration with ATW

 

[Squaddie]

The OP is compaining about the lack of info but can post on this forum with no problem so I feel it is just a post to air his frustration with ATW

This makes no sense whatsoever.

I think the OP makes a perfectly valid point. If you go to ATW's website there is no specific information about additional services/capacity available this weekend - just general information (which is very hard to locate) about changes to services during big events.

I imagine that many people are going to be looking for details of train services to - and, more importantly, from - Cardiff tomorrow. And if they manage to find their way to the right page all they find is this:

How can I find out about train times?
A special events timetable, outside of the normal published timetable, is used to cater for increased numbers of passengers who wish to travel and a member of station staff will make regular announcements to passengers while waiting in the queue.

Would it really be so difficult to provide a clear link from their home page to a simple list of service alterations?

Once again, the TOC is happy to rake in the additional revenue but provide little in return other than a vague promise of a train at some time.

 

[Welshman]

I think Squaddie and the OP make very good points.

Other TOCs, eg East Coast, advertise additional services on their website, so why can't ATW?

In the past, I've only discovered additional ruggex services from N Wales to Cardiff by using the journey-finder. But if you already know the basic timetable, you're not going to look there. You simply need a list of altered/cancelled/additional services.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

I have a dislike for 0870 or 0845 numbers, they are much more expensive!
the saynoto0870.com site gives Arriva Trains geographical No. as 029 2072 0500
NRE have made changes to stop most of the cheap numbers.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

I have worked ATW Footex trains in the past and driven them down to Cardiff from Crewe almost empty because no body knew about them - there may ba a communication problem here however I agree with Michael - th OP is compaining about the lack of info but can post on this forum with no problem so I feel it is just a post to air his frustration with ATW

Agreed - Rugby fans in North Wales who are travelling down to Cardiff will have sensibly made their travel arrangements long before ATW announce the special train from Holyhead (Ruggex) - the last trian to run in November was almost empty.

 

[PHILIPE]

Last season the ATW Loco hauled was used to work a Ruggex from Holyhead to Cardiff which was almost empty because people didn't know about it. If people are regular travellers they are going to refer to a Normal Timetable and not ring up everytime they want to travel. They would only search further if they had been informed there were alterations. ATW publish posters for Engineering alterations.
As the OP I thank the posters who have come to my support especially in view of a particular abusive post. My complaint to this response was not so much about the contents themselves but what amounts to the abusive and offensive nature of it. Forums are for rational debate and for slagging people off.
I am now retired after 45 years service in various rail offices and have much experience in the world of information.

 

[Penmorfa]

Tomorrow, sunday, there is an 06.50 Holyhead - Cardiff and 19.55 return. Top and tailed by 57313 and 315 but the average passenger will have to dig very deeply to find it, so it will run virtually empty.

 

[Eagle]

If people are regular travellers they are going to refer to a Normal Timetable and not ring up everytime they want to travel.

Unless, of course, they were taking a non-regular service. Like a rugby special... :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Tomorrow, sunday, there is an 06.50 Holyhead - Cardiff and 19.55 return. Top and tailed by 57313 and 315 but the average passenger will have to dig very deeply to find it, so it will run virtually empty.

It shows up in journey planners, which is how many non-commuter passengers find out what trains to take.

The normal reaction of someone from, say, Llandudno who wanted to travel one-off to the Millennium Stadium for the match would be to enter their stations and the date into an online journey planner (or to phone up, or ask in person, or however) and this special will pop up.

 

[PHILIPE]

I always thought if you were providing a product you would want to advertise it. ATW don't seem to want to realise this fact. I wonder what is their cut from using high rate telephone numbers so that's why they push them, perhaps.

 

[Eagle]

I wonder what is their cut from using high rate telephone numbers so that's why they push them, perhaps.

Subscribers get no money at all from 084x or 087x numbers. In fact they can be more expensive to maintain than an 01/02/03 number. (It's 090x numbers where the subscriber gets a cut.)

084x numbers aren't usually much more expensive than a geographic call (in fact my landline phone provider, Virgin, charges 6p/min for geo calls, and 084x numbers are usually 5p/min). The problem with them is that they're excluded from call plans such as the ubiquitous free evenings and weekends ones, or mobile minutes plans.

 

[Michael.Y]

I wonder if Philipe has been to EVERY ATW station on the network to see if there really are NO posters anywhere, or if he's just basing his assumptions on Caerphilly station?

 

[PHILIPE]

Cardiff Central. Caerphilly has additional services but of course not advertised.

 

[Michael.Y]

Cardiff Central. Caerphilly has additional services but of course not advertised.

Therein lies the flaw in your logic and therefore your argument. You've picked the one station that is unlikely to have any posters displaying information because it's the destination, rather than an origin. The return service is negligible because of the queuing system - you are unlikely to get a "scheduled" service, rather than being put onto the first train you can fit on.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

For NRE also try 0121 634 2040 (CT/LM number) option 1 for NRE.

 

[SprinterMan]

Also 0810 Holyhead-Cardiff is an additional running, probably a 175.

 

[TDK]

I always thought if you were providing a product you would want to advertise it. ATW don't seem to want to realise this fact. I wonder what is their cut from using high rate telephone numbers so that's why they push them, perhaps.

But do ATW actually pay for the extra service or does someone else? I think you may find it is funded elsewhere so even if run empty will make profit! Enough said :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I wonder if Philipe has been to EVERY ATW station on the network to see if there really are NO posters anywhere, or if he's just basing his assumptions on Caerphilly station?

To be honest Michael it is natural for you to defent the company you work for but if there are additionals planned all the stations these trains will be stopping at should advertise the service - if the footex does not stop at the station then there should be at least some information at major stations

 

[Welshman]

But do ATW actually pay for the extra service or does someone else? I think you may find it is funded elsewhere so even if run empty will make profit! Enough said :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So who actually does fund these empty trains?