As would the people already on that train that you want held - so they arrive late too. Or do they not come into this because its all about you?
No need to get tetchy! :roll:
Of course it's not all about me. There were several passengers affected by the fact who ended up incurring a delay of over one hour as a result.
Anyway, had you bothered to read my earlier post (which you obviously haven't - not for the first time) you would have seen I had pointed out that the train in question arrived two minutes early into its next stop (as was the case for that train every day that week and the week previous), so there's clearly scope for a 2 minute hold in this particular case - no one else would have been delayed.
When I said I expect to arrive at my destination on time I was speaking in much broader terms (I had thought this was clear but evidently not - maybe it would help if you substituted the word "I'd" with "passengers would"). Rather than setting up unrealistic connections which fall through with the slightest delay, is there scope for TOCs to work together when planning their timetables to make sure enough padding in put in place? Or to make sure there is scope in place to hold trains for a couple of minutes if necessary? An analysis of ticket sales on the 0541 Skipton to Lancaster will show that most people boarding that train require a connection onto the 0658, so have Virgin and Northern worked together by jointly analysing that data and jointly developing a real combined service to offer those customers? Or do Virgin simply not care about their customers coming from non Virgin stations, despite those customers still paying Virgin for the service?
Unfortunately the only real conclusion I am able to draw from last week's (admittedly very minor) incident is that despite the fantastic efforts of the guard to make arrangements to minimise the impact of our delay, the system fell down because TOCs do not co-operate with each other, are unable to consider the wider picture, and only care about their own services rather than thinking about providing something integrated. Rather than hold the train for two minutes Virgin decided not to. As a result Northern will now how to compensate several passengers (a bill that will no doubt cross the £1,000 mark) and Virgin have earned my dissatisfaction (which is something they apparently care about).
More broadly, incidents like this put people off using rail travel, which can only be bad for the industry as a whole. I accept there are pathing constraints and you don't want to inconvenience customers on other trains. However most reasonable people understand delays happen. Indeed, I think had a minor 2 minute delay (which would have been made up) incurred as a result of holding the train, the overwhelming majority would be understanding had the situation been clearly communicated and explained, and if anything Virgin would be lauded for going out of their way to provide a good service. I'm sure developing an integrated approach is possible with co-operation and adequate planning, but perhaps there is some truth to the speculation that the way our railways have been privatized means TOCs are only interested in their own service, and not the service provided by the industry as a whole.
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The problem is the two different compensation schemes- the internal one (oodles of cash for all the fat cats) and the external one (whistle for it).
If SWT hold a train they get clobbered for the internal delay compensation, but if they don't then it is GWR who have to dole out the (much smaller) compensation payments to passengers. Of course SWT aren't going to hold the train.
Meanwhile, the TSSA thinks that the TOCs make the thick end of £200m a year profit from delays.
Which is the root of the problem. The system is not set up to encourage inter-TOC co-operation on these matters.
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I'm all in favour of comsumer rights but in such a situation I am afraid I would say start earlier!
Can you suggest a departure before the 0556 from Hellifield to Lancaster (or any other of the intermediate stations along that route) which would permit me to catch the 0658, leaving enough time to account for unexpected delays en route?
If a train is held for you to make your connection how can you guarantee that I will still make my later connection? If you can't who decides which is the most important? Certainly you and I will have different views!
This comes back to having a sensible policy and TOCs co-operating with each other to work out these issues.
