Commuting Staff

[anthony263]

When I first joined LUL back in 89 there was a Chief Booking Clerk who lived on the IOW. Apparently he was occasionally delayed due to issues with tides and ferry operations. I just wonder how many staff could use that as an excuse now. I also knew of the signalman who lived in Neath. He was brought in one Boxing Day by Taxi so I heard.

As a matter of interest I have a PTAC. Yes I and my partner get 75% discount of ANYTIME tkts so sometimes it is cheaper for us to get advance tkts but with the subsequent loss of flexibility.

That Taxi fare must have cost a bit especially since I know a few Taxi drivers in Bridgend who have said they do get some people get off at Bridgend because they fell asleep on the train so had to get a taxi back to Swindon/Didcot

 

[NSE]

I'm not surprised by people travelling in from Peterborough-style distances, its often quicker than living in Oyster Zones. It's all relative, for example if one was to live opposite Peterborough, the EC services take 53 minutes, with a 2 minute walk to the station you can be in London in less than an hour after leaving your house. Should you live say a 15 minute walk from Tattenham Corner Station, the train to London there is only 3 minutes quicker, should you want it's destination of London Bridge that is, should you change at East Croydon to a Victoria train, the guy from Peterborough is already in London. The speed of the East Coast service and the lack of changes mean its easy enough to live other places. Of course this doesn't factor in people living far away from a Peterborough station and vice versa and connections they may need on the tube, but it begins to illustrate the point.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

I'm not surprised by people travelling in from Peterborough-style distances, its often quicker than living in Oyster Zones. It's all relative, for example if one was to live opposite Peterborough, the EC services take 53 minutes, with a 2 minute walk to the station you can be in London in less than an hour after leaving your house. Should you live say a 15 minute walk from Tattenham Corner Station, the train to London there is only 3 minutes quicker, should you want it's destination of London Bridge that is, should you change at East Croydon to a Victoria train, the guy from Peterborough is already in London. The speed of the East Coast service and the lack of changes mean its easy enough to live other places. Of course this doesn't factor in people living far away from a Peterborough station and vice versa and connections they may need on the tube, but it begins to illustrate the point.

There were instances of people coming in from Swindon and Reading who would leave later in the mornings than those who lived South of the river.
The problems occured when major changes to the timetable came in and the Night Riveria omitted Swindon as a stop making it impossible for people West of Reading to get in to London for most of the early turns.
Similarly when the Manchester/Liverpool overnight service was stopped. That made all early turns impossible for our colleague from Crewe as well as most of the dead late turns.

 

[Lrd]

I see a fair few commuters come from the IoW who are all mostly London bound. The early morning Red Jets are generally quite full and an extra double decker bus is used on the free shuttle to the railway station.

 

[Deerfold]

I know of TfL staff who live in these areas:

Keighley (2)

Sheffield (but probably moving to north Leeds this year, previously lived in Nottingham)

March, Cambridgeshire

Grantham

 

[Surreytraveller]

I'm not surprised by people travelling in from Peterborough-style distances, its often quicker than living in Oyster Zones.

Quicker as long as everything's running as booked. Its all very well living miles away when the trains are running, but if the line's shut, you're screwed! At least in the zones if your usual route is shut you tend to have other alternatives - even if its a not too expensive taxi fare!

 

[BuhSnarf]

If anything surely this just shows that LU workers clearly earn an above average wage as so many of them can live so far from work and afford to commute - even given the difference in house prices.

There's no way I could in my job commute from so far away and still afford the petrol or season ticket prices!

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[notadriver]

If anything surely this just shows that LU workers clearly earn an above average wage as so many of them can live so far from work and afford to commute - even given the difference in house prices.

There's no way I could in my job commute from so far away and still afford the petrol or season ticket prices!

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It's not just that LU workers earn above average wages, it's the 75% discount they get which makes it financially viable. But there's a price to pay. Spending 2 or more hours travelling each way is very tiring and gets depressing. Believe me, I know

 

[455driver]

If anything surely this just shows that LU workers clearly earn an above average wage as so many of them can live so far from work and afford to commute - even given the difference in house prices.

Yes they do earn above average wage, the problem with that is?

There's no way I could in my job commute from so far away and still afford the petrol or season ticket prices!

Get another job then, remember the old saying "if you cant beat them, join them".

 

[DavyCrocket]

Yes they do earn above average wage, the problem with that is?

Get another job then, remember the old saying "if you cant beat them, join them".

Exactly.

I live 44 miles from where I work. Roughly a three hour round trip each day. When I still lived in London I would spend the same time travelling as I changed modes more than I do now.

I'm paid to do the job I do. Other people could apply and do the same if they ever advertised!

 

[Deerfold]

It's not just that LU workers earn above average wages, it's the 75% discount they get which makes it financially viable. But there's a price to pay. Spending 2 or more hours travelling each way is very tiring and gets depressing. Believe me, I know

There's an above average number living in Watford, Amersham and Chesham.

If you're not sure why, think "free travel".

Travelling from Leeds costs TfL staff a similar amount as it might cost most people to travel from, say, Bedford - and that's not including the complimentary underground and bus travel within the London zones (sadly not most rail lines though).

 

[telstarbox]

If you commute from somewhere like Leeds that's four hours travel per day that you're in London (assuming no overnight stay). Does time spent working on the train count towards the working week?

 

[DavyCrocket]

Travelling from Leeds costs TfL staff a similar amount as it might cost most people to travel from, say, Bedford - and that's not including the complimentary underground and bus travel within the London zones (sadly not most rail lines though).

For those that don't have a PRIV it'll cost around £7.5k as a guesstimate for someone that is a Higher Rate taxpayer. That's more than a Bedford to London

 

[Mojo]

For those that don't have a PRIV it'll cost around £7.5k as a guesstimate for someone that is a Higher Rate taxpayer. That's more than a Bedford to London

Leeds to London is an East Coast season, therefore tax is not payable and the employee is entitled to the full 75% off.

 

[DavyCrocket]

Leeds to London is an East Coast season, therefore tax is not payable and the employee is entitled to the full 75% off.

Very jammy!
I wasn't sure if the route was to Kings Cross or St Pancras (where only FCC have this deal)

 

[Mutant Lemming]

LU staff never used to get free travel between Euston and Queens Park until a deal was struck with Silverlink that allowed their staff free travel between Queens Park and Paddington on the Bakerloo. Now that the Euston - Watford service is TfL do the former Silverlink staff who are now with London Midland still retain the privilege of free travel on the Bakerloo between Queens Park and Paddington?

 

[Mojo]

I've not seen anything which states staff of any Tocs are entitled to free travel on LUL services, except for safeguarded staff on routes with joint availability (referred to as interavailable routes by BR), or those with status passes which have some very strange validities on LUL services.

 

[Deerfold]

Very jammy!

Why thank you.

There are extra restrictions compared to a normal season ticket - it's not a Gold Card, it's only valid on EC (rather than via Sheffield/MML, Cambridge etc).

Staff are also expected to stand if there are not sufficient seats, even if this occurs after they boarded. Fortunately this rarely happens on EC except when there is disruption or on Christams Eve which I avoid like the plague.

I actually take an hour to get to Leeds before I use this ticket, but I do not travel both ways every day.

My colleague who lives in Sheffield does travel via Doncaster to London every day.

 

[BuhSnarf]

Yes they do earn above average wage, the problem with that is?

Get another job then, remember the old saying "if you cant beat them, join them".

You misunderstand me. I have no problem that they get an above average wage. My problem is the amount of striking that goes on because they feel that they're hard done to and this just emphasises this. Not only are they well paid they also get a great stack of benefits above what others do.

And I don't wish to become a tube driver - apart from the childhood dream of course as I'm happy in the career I'm in and enjoy the work that I do. And I know all about the commute. Before this job I was commuting four hours a day to get 10 miles via good old Arriva bus!

My point was not to say anything wrong with earning a good wage. If youre paid it then you wouldn't complain. Its more to say how astonished I am that they do complain - the minority obviously.

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[455driver]

My problem is the amount of striking that goes on because they feel that they're hard done to and this just emphasises this.

I agree these weekly strikes are really annoying!

Do you actually look into why the staff are actually striking or do you believe what is written in the papers?

Most strikes which are supposedly about the pay-rise being too small are actually about the conditions the staff are expected to give up (such as when "spare" you can currently be moved 2 hours but management want to be able to move you 4 hours) to get that rise, the money is not the issue but that is how it is made to sound in the papers.

 

[BuhSnarf]

I agree these weekly strikes are really annoying!

Do you actually look into why the staff are actually striking or do you believe what is written in the papers?

Most strikes which are supposedly about the pay-rise being too small are actually about the conditions the staff are expected to give up (such as when "spare" you can currently be moved 2 hours but management want to be able to move you 4 hours) to get that rise, the money is not the issue but that is how it is made to sound in the papers.

Of course I read in to it, otherwise I would not comment on it. Again, however I would stress that the conditions compared to salary are still better than other roles and yet Mr Crowe would have you believe that they are being treated like employees of Mr Scrooge.

Changing conditions for spare days often happens in other roles without ANY pay increase!

In fact, I remember rolling out briefings to my staff that their contract was now being changed and that they were required to work 1/2 of all bank holidays per year due to needs of the business. There was no pay rise, no extra benefits and apart from the odd grumble most were just happy that they'd still got a job in these times. And this was for a large multi national with approx 20,000 UK employees. And yes it had all been ran by the union.

Again, don't get me wrong - I'm not saying they should give up their wage and excellent benefits. More it just surprises me how they honestly don't believe that they are very well rewarded for what they do. Ans id bet most of them love being a driver too! If it was me I'd be thinking ive got a job doing something I enjoy, getting paid well, getting good benefits when most of country is worried whether they'll have a job or are taking jobs cleaning toilets or stuck in poor paid jobs that they hate because they have to put food on the table because there's little out there.

I do something I enjoy and I get a half decent wage, so I treat myself as very lucky. They should too.

But hey ho!

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[Clip]

Maybe your staff didn't have a strong back bone to fight for a pay increase for having to work bank holidays?

A good strong union only does what its membership asks of it and notice how its normally the rail based ones who get what they want yet without mass marches through cities?

And that's coming from someone who is mainly right wing and think Mr crow is a bit of a gob****e at times but yet can see that they get the job done in most cases and are not full of hot air like a few unions around the country who dont.

Why is that do you think?

 

[notadriver]

Of course I read in to it, otherwise I would not comment on it. Again, however I would stress that the conditions compared to salary are still better than other roles and yet Mr Crowe would have you believe that they are being treated like employees of Mr Scrooge.

Changing conditions for spare days often happens in other roles without ANY pay increase!

In fact, I remember rolling out briefings to my staff that their contract was now being changed and that they were required to work 1/2 of all bank holidays per year due to needs of the business. There was no pay rise, no extra benefits and apart from the odd grumble most were just happy that they'd still got a job in these times. And this was for a large multi national with approx 20,000 UK employees. And yes it had all been ran by the union.

Again, don't get me wrong - I'm not saying they should give up their wage and excellent benefits. More it just surprises me how they honestly don't believe that they are very well rewarded for what they do. Ans id bet most of them love being a driver too! If it was me I'd be thinking ive got a job doing something I enjoy, getting paid well, getting good benefits when most of country is worried whether they'll have a job or are taking jobs cleaning toilets or stuck in poor paid jobs that they hate because they have to put food on the table because there's little out there.

I do something I enjoy and I get a half decent wage, so I treat myself as very lucky. They should too.

But hey ho!

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Just to add my thoughts : i don't think driving a tube train is the most satisfying job in the world. Being stuck underground on your own whilst still maintaining concentration isn't my cup of tea. At the same time just because they are better paid and have better conditions than other jobs it doesn't mean they should give up their terms and conditions.

This is what's happened to my previous full time career - bus/coach driving. They are paid less than £10 an hour and often only paid for the time they are actually driving. They don't get paid when off sick for the first few days etc etc. I can't help that my lot is better than theirs and I will fight to keep the conditions the unions have helped us get.

 

[BuhSnarf]

Maybe your staff didn't have a strong back bone to fight for a pay increase for having to work bank holidays?

A good strong union only does what its membership asks of it and notice how its normally the rail based ones who get what they want yet without mass marches through cities?

Not at all, they realised that if this wasn't done that essentially there would be job losses and loss to the customer to compensate for the extra expense from the company. Sadly in most sectors you can't do what the transport sector does and just raise prices as most areas are under stiff competition and so if we offer a service for more we'd merely lose custom due to others who wouldnt raise the price or offer it for less.

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[Mutant Lemming]

Not at all, they realised that if this wasn't done that essentially there would be job losses and loss to the customer to compensate for the extra expense from the company. Sadly in most sectors you can't do what the transport sector does and just raise prices as most areas are under stiff competition and so if we offer a service for more we'd merely lose custom due to others who wouldnt raise the price or offer it for less.

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A situation engineered over the past decades whereby opening the local market to the world pushes down costs/wages while ever increasing the profits of the real big businesses - all at our expense one way or another.

 

[ssray]

I travel between New street and Euston daily and work on lul, I know of two others who do the same, the only other long distance i know of is a supervisor who drives from just past boston in lincs to peterborough and takes the train to kings cross
Ray

 

[1018509]

For the last 9 months of working for Tube Lines after it was taken over by TfL as a separate company I commuted from the New Forest to Ealing at a favourable 75% discount on the yearly season you have you buy for staff home to work travel. I had a manager who travelled up from Cornwall and a colleague who lived in Devon.

As regards being paid above the national average true and I put this down to a strong union.

I appreciate the union more since my retirement when I realize what a good pension scheme the TfL one is and as a final salary scheme may it long continue although I am sure Boris and his successors will succeed in closing it one day despite union protests.

Long live the RMT.

 

[londonboi]

i work on LU and a colleague of mine travels from portsmouth every day

also know a driver who commutes from Birmingham and one from swansea

 

[TheVicLine]

For the last 9 months of working for Tube Lines after it was taken over by TfL as a separate company I commuted from the New Forest to Ealing at a favourable 75% discount on the yearly season you have you buy for staff home to work travel. I had a manager who travelled up from Cornwall and a colleague who lived in Devon.

As regards being paid above the national average true and I put this down to a strong union.

I appreciate the union more since my retirement when I realize what a good pension scheme the TfL one is and as a final salary scheme may it long continue although I am sure Boris and his successors will succeed in closing it one day despite union protests.

Long live the RMT.

The RMT are so strong on LU that they seem to get pretty much whatever they want.
I worked there for 10 years until Feb this year and even LU workers complain about how militant the RMT are on LU, but with the ecomomy the way it is they managed to get us a pay rise of over 4% for the last 2 years running, the complaints soon stopped then.

 

[GodAtum]

Do LUL staff get free travel on the tube itself?