Failure to get information about major disruption (FGW area) broadcast?

[Envoy]

This morning (6 October 2014), the Great Western Railway is virtually shutdown as only about 25% of services are running. This is due to engineering work damaging signalling equipment between Reading & London. The disruption has spread far & wide with, for example, many HST's carrying commuters across south Wales also being cancelled or running late. (Presumably passengers are cramming onto 2 & 3 coach ATW services)?

I have been checking the Bristol & Cardiff inserts into Breakfast TV programmes this morning for coverage of this disruption - which would of course be very helpful as many commuters could switch to car transport.
Full marks must go to BBC Bristol who have made it headline news in all of their 'Breakfast' inserts from 6.25am.
BBC Wales (Cardiff) failed to mention it at 6.55 and only started to mention the disruption at 7.25am.
Both ITV Wales & ITV West (Bristol) have failed to mention this major disruption at all during their inserts into 'Good Morning Britain'. In fact, ITV Bristol were warning motorists about flooding on the A417 at Birdlip Hill (near Gloucester) as that was obviously more important than the fact that the Great Western Railway had a major crises.

So, who is at fault for failing to get this major disruption mentioned on ITV?
Are the ITV companies failing to report the fact?
Do rail companies such as FGW just simply put the disruption on their websites & expect the broadcasters to respond accordingly?
Is Network Rail responsible for contacting the broadcasters on the behalf of all rail companies?
Surely, we need a regional 'commander' who has all the phone numbers of all the relevant TV & radio broadcasters in affected areas to actually ring them up on the behalf of all TOC's that are suffering from disruption?

 

[theblackwatch]

So, who is at fault for failing to get this major disruption mentioned on ITV?
Are the ITV companies failing to report the fact?
Do rail companies such as FGW just simply put the disruption on their websites & expect the broadcasters to respond accordingly?
Is Network Rail responsible for contacting the broadcasters on the behalf of all rail companies?
Surely, we need a regional 'commander' who has all the phone numbers of all the relevant TV & radio broadcasters in affected areas to actually ring them up on the behalf of all TOC's that are suffering from disruption?

Even if NR (or a TOC) provides information to the media, it cannot force it to broadcast it. One would have thought that, if ITV was interested in providing information on travel disruption, it would employ somebody to collate/research it or have a supplier of information. I'm not sure about rail disruption, but for road travel news, it seems some radio stations and the BBC use INRIX to provide them with updates - see the flyer at http://www.inrix.com/pdf/mediaradio_datasheet-0109.pdf

 

[DelayRepay]

INRIX do cover rail (and airline) delays as well as the roads - the travel presenters on many BBC local radio stations actually work for INRIX.

To be honest though I normally quickly check Twitter before leaving the house to find out if there are delays rather than wait for the traffic news on the radio - I would expect most people do the same. It's only if delays develop between me leaving the house and arriving at the station that the radio would help me.

 

[Envoy]

To be honest though I normally quickly check Twitter before leaving the house to find out if there are delays rather than wait for the traffic news on the radio - I would expect most people do the same. It's only if delays develop between me leaving the house and arriving at the station that the radio would help me.

Clearly, members of the public do not check Twitter or the National Rail/TOC websites before leaving the house. Had they checked yesterday for the FGW HST services, then surely many would not have proceeded to their stations?

 

[bussnapperwm]

I know BBC Radio Kent work with SET to provide information on that station, or they did a few years ago...

 

[berneyarms]

Clearly, members of the public do not check Twitter or the National Rail/TOC websites before leaving the house. Had they checked yesterday for the FGW HST services, then surely many would not have proceeded to their stations?

Increasing numbers of people do check online either via the website or twitter. It is the fastest and most direct way of communicating delays/disruption these days, but not everyone uses online media.

But as others have pointed out the railway companies cannot force the various media to broadcast disruption updates. That's down to the broadcast companies themselves.

 

[Saint66]

As mentioned previously, BBC Radio will normally cover any transport issues involving trains, and even the local BBC News bulletins during breakfast sometimes will (I know BBC London do, or at least use to, mention train delays)

Basically, it's down to the broadcaster... And it's very rare to hear train services mentioned on ITV broadcasts, be them local or national.

Modern technology, eg twitter, is the way forward I'm afraid.

 

[starrymarkb]

I suspect an email is sent to BBC and ITV, but if ITV chose to run it is something out of FGW/NRs control.

Similarly BBC local radio mention trains, Heart rarely do. (as well as occasionally pushing the TA button during adverts meaning my car stereo records an adbreak and overwrites the existing Traffic report)

 

[wiltshirebloke]

Many of the commercial radio stations along the route were also mentioning the delays, so I suspect it to totally be itv's decision not to mention it.

In my recollection, when I was living in the area, HTV/itv west never mentioned anything rail wise in any travel bulletins.

 

[Envoy]

Problems on the GWML this morning due to signalling issue at Twyford. Many services cancelled or delayed yet both BBC & ITV Wales have failed to say anything about it in their inserts into breakfast TV programmes. BBC Wales have also failed to say anything about the industrial action by ATW crews in north Wales from noon today - though ITV Wales have mentioned this.

Both BBC & ITV West (Bristol) have mentioned the problems on the GWML.

 

[starrymarkb]

It's something you'd have to raise with the broadcasters. They have access to the info through INRIX (and I would be surprised if FGW/NR haven't dropped them an email) but the local inserts only have a limited time so may prefer to do other news over rail disruption affecting a few long distances services - The Strike I would have thought worthy of mention, though it may appear on later bulletins

 

[berneyarms]

To be honest I don't see the point in banging on about this here - this is a broadcasting issue to be honest, your beef would be with them rather than the rail companies.

 

[Llanigraham]

Problems on the GWML this morning due to signalling issue at Twyford. Many services cancelled or delayed yet both BBC & ITV Wales have failed to say anything about it in their inserts into breakfast TV programmes. BBC Wales have also failed to say anything about the industrial action by ATW crews in north Wales from noon today - though ITV Wales have mentioned this.

Both BBC & ITV West (Bristol) have mentioned the problems on the GWML.

And?
The railway can issue as many press releases about delays or strikes that it wants but it cannot force any of the broadcasters to pass them on, so why are people blaming the Railway?
I suggest you all write strong letters to all the broadcasters and then tell us their excuses when (IF) they bother to reply.