Is it time for Southeastern to abolish 1st class on their services?

[lancededcena]

I do hope that the government will copy Northern Rail lack of first class in to the Southeastern franchise when they get it. Time to get rid of pointless "first class" on commuter trains..

 

[Horizon22]

I do hope that the government will copy Northern Rail lack of first class in to the Southeastern franchise when they get it. Time to get rid of pointless "first class" on commuter trains..

Southeastern run trains that can take over 2 hours. Sure get rid of it on the metro stock where it's not required, but there's still a bit of a place on it on mainline trains. So long as its more than a headrest of course.

 

[JonathanH]

I do hope that the government will copy Northern Rail lack of first class in to the Southeastern franchise when they get it. Time to get rid of pointless "first class" on commuter trains..

Those 16 seats really don't make much difference either way. If it brings in a bit more revenue as first class it might as well be kept.

It can't really be compared to Northern as that franchise has never really set out to have a first class offering whereas the South East operators have offered it.

 

[lancededcena]

It can't really be compared to Northern as that franchise has never really set out to have a first class offering whereas the South East operators have offered it.

In my opinion SE First Class is HS1 and its premium. All other SE routes are just commuter routes that should be done away with the first class like GA has done with all of their commuter routes.

I could be very wrong though, first class should provide more than a seat tag imo!

 

[Horizon22]

In my opinion SE First Class is HS1 and its premium. All other SE routes are just commuter routes that should be done away with the first class like GA has done with all of their commuter routes.

I could be very wrong though, first class should provide more than a seat tag imo!

You'd like to tell me how London - Margate or London - Hastings is a "commuter route"? Maybe a few hardcore, but not the majority.

 

[Andrew S]

I didn't think first class fares were available on the Metro routes. The occasional 4659xx with declassified first class are quite a welcome novelty on the North Kent Line.

 

[Mag_seven]

The topic of "should first class be abolished entirely or on TOC XXX" has been done to death in many threads before.

Whilst my own view is that it probably should be abolished where all it is is nothing more than an antimacassar and a greater chance of a seat, as long as it brings in additional revenue for the TOCs concerned then it won't happen.

 

[yorksrob]

Instead of saying "Let's abolish first class", why not rebuild those seating bays into a more comfortable, recognisable 1st class environment with twelve seats that people more generally are willing to pay a premium for. Comfy 1+2 seating, tables, reading lamps and partitioning into its own saloon for example.

Really something more akin to the 1st area on TPE is more suited to journeys on Southern coastal routes.

 

[zwk500]

You'd like to tell me how London - Margate or London - Hastings is a "commuter route"? Maybe a few hardcore, but not the majority.

The London-Hastings route also serves Tunbridge Wells, and towns lile Battle, Wadhurst and Frant that up until Covid were very popular for people working in the city of London. Hastings less so, but still a sizeable number of people. Its of course nothing compared to the North Kent Rounders or Brighton loadings, but that doesn't mean it isn't a commuter route.
I've got no idea about Margate

 

[swt_passenger]

The DfT proposed removal of first class from Southeastern some years ago, didn’t they? In one of the abandoned ITTs?

 

[py_megapixel]

Honestly if people are willing to pay extra for antimacassars then let them. I'm perfectly happy for them to subsidise my Standard ticket!

 

[Paul Jones 88]

I stopped using first class on southeastern when the slam door stock was retired as the 375 first class is a joke in comparison, I can't see why a decent first-class couldn't be fitted, like the similar 379s which is excellent.

 

[yorksrob]

I stopped using first class on southeastern when the slam door stock was retired as the 375 first class is a joke in comparison, I can't see why a decent first-class couldn't be fitted, like the similar 379s which is excellent.

I have to agree with you there (although my forays into first were rare in those days).

 

[bramling]

Instead of saying "Let's abolish first class", why not rebuild those seating bays into a more comfortable, recognisable 1st class environment with twelve seats that people more generally are willing to pay a premium for. Comfy 1+2 seating, tables, reading lamps and partitioning into its own saloon for example.

Really something more akin to the 1st area on TPE is more suited to journeys on Southern coastal routes.

Agreed it should be all or nothing.

Having said that, as we all know much of the London commuter first is more to do with increasing the chance of getting a seat, or perhaps in some cases not having to sit next to someone.