London Midland Cancellations Retribution

[LNW-GW Joint]

The DfT has announced extra benefits to passengers on LM services, to compensate for the recent cancellations disruption.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-secures-free-travel-for-london-midland-passengers
It covers free days for season-ticket holders and more cheap advance tickets.
Also some unspecified infrastructure investment.

Originally posted by DfT
1.The government is taking this action because London Midland were responsible for the cancellation of a high number of services, particularly at weekends and during the half-term period, due to a shortage of drivers.
2.The free 5-day passes will enable annual and monthly season ticket holders to make additional journeys outside of their regular commute, or as an extension to existing season tickets.
3.The 500,000 additional cheaper advance tickets will be issued over and above those issued in the last year and will be for travel during 2013 and 2014. The tickets will be available on key routes including London-Birmingham, London-Crewe, London-Northampton and Birmingham-Liverpool

Nothing on LM's website yet.

 

[sprinterguy]

Also note that the extension of London Midland’s franchise until September 2015 has now been officially confirmed, even though it was already a pretty much forgone conclusion, as otherwise the refranchising process would have had to have been started by now.

 

[Jatos]

Well, I expect the government are not in any rush to retender franchises at the moment!

 

[calc7]

Is 2.The free 5-day passes will enable annual and monthly season ticket holders to make additional journeys outside of their regular commute, or as an extension to existing season tickets. on London Midland trains only?

 

[Greeby]

Is 2.The free 5-day passes will enable annual and monthly season ticket holders to make additional journeys outside of their regular commute, or as an extension to existing season tickets. on London Midland trains only?

I'm hoping they just mean regular old void days.

 

[Roverman]

It should be really. In order to guarantee actually being able to use it?

 

[northwichcat]

Is 2.The free 5-day passes will enable annual and monthly season ticket holders to make additional journeys outside of their regular commute, or as an extension to existing season tickets. on London Midland trains only?

Interesting question. If you take a Runcorn-Liverpool* season ticket, the following options are available:
* LM (am) and Virgin (pm)
* Reverse of above
* LM (am and pm)
* Virgin (am and pm)

How would you distinguish between the people who use Virgin only and those who use LM? Or would the argument be that because some of the usual LM passengers might have overcrowded Virgin services due to cancellations that the Virgin regulars also suffered?

Then the advance tickets can probably be snapped up by anyone. Even the people who haven't used a train in years.

* Would be the same or similar for many other routes.

 

[Roverman]

Is this in addition to LM's 25% off sale?

 

[aylesbury]

Apart from the driver problems LM run a pretty good service over an extremely busy network.Glad they have franchise till 2015 ,at least we know were we stand.

 

[DarloRich]

I am very pleased to see something coming back to us season ticket holders who have been messed about by LM on a regualr basis over the last 12 months.

I intend to rinse the free passes as much as possible!

 

[dvboy]

The way I understand it, they're for anyone who holds a season ticket valid on a route London Midland operate on (whether you use LM or not). Their website states this includes London Travelcards and Network West Midlands nNetwork and nTrain season tickets of a week validity or longer (there are many holders of all of these who would never use LM, but would be eligible). Presumably the ticket has to have been valid on any date within a certain period of time (perhaps September-December) so keep your expired tickets! The free tickets will be all-LM network day tickets, like Great Escape tickets, valid until April 2014, so you can use these to extend your season ticket, or for other journeys only on the LM network.

 

[infobleep]

I normally buy my season ticket from South West Trains and I hVe work colleague who use other companies. Yet we travel via London Midland every day from Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone Wealdstone? Would we be covered or is it just those who buy their season tickets through London Midland.

I wo der how many people have thrown out their existing season tickets. Fortunately I still have mine for last few months. What's more they haven't faded yet either.

 

[Ascot]

I'm looking forward to my free passes. Now do 1ST season holders get 1ST passes?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I intend to rinse the free passes as much as possible!

Be careful that they don't get water-damaged...

 

[Robsignals]

Hmm, so how many people who have suffered delayed and cancelled journeys will be delighted by the offer of even more delayed and cancelled journeys?

 

[williamus]

Hmm, so how many people who have suffered delayed and cancelled journeys will be delighted by the offer of even more delayed and cancelled journeys?

Pretty much all trains on the Cross City Line to Longbridge and Redditch have been cancelled tonight due to "a member of the crain crew not being available".

No point in comment, is there?

 

[Pumbaa]

Not to mention the peak extras to Hemel on WCML south this evening. Farce.

 

[Robsignals]

Not to mention the peak extras to Hemel on WCML south this evening. Farce.

Probably expecting many commuters to go home during the afternoon, were off-peak trains strengthened? 25+ years ago the Brighton Line advertised some London Bridge to south coast trains running in the afternoon instead of the evening.

 

[Pumbaa]

Probably expecting many commuters to go home during the afternoon, were off-peak trains strengthened? 25+ years ago the Brighton Line advertised some London Bridge to south coast trains running in the afternoon instead of the evening.

Apart from the peak AM extras Euston - Hemel, the entire service was run by 8 car 350s throughout the day 2tph all shacks. My train this morning was rammed, the return uncomfortably busy. Relatively poor show I thought - they only needed another 4 350s to strengthen the 4 trains to 12 each. There were that many sitting idle in Coventry sidings.

 

[island]

The way I understand it, they're for anyone who holds a season ticket valid on a route London Midland operate on (whether you use LM or not). Their website states this includes London Travelcards and Network West Midlands nNetwork and nTrain season tickets of a week validity or longer (there are many holders of all of these who would never use LM, but would be eligible). Presumably the ticket has to have been valid on any date within a certain period of time (perhaps September-December) so keep your expired tickets! The free tickets will be all-LM network day tickets, like Great Escape tickets, valid until April 2014, so you can use these to extend your season ticket, or for other journeys only on the LM network.

Do you know if this includes Travelcards which aren't valid on their own on LM? (I believe you would need a 1-5 for Harrow & Wealdstone to have validity.)

 

[oversteer]

Apart from the peak AM extras Euston - Hemel, the entire service was run by 8 car 350s throughout the day 2tph all shacks. My train this morning was rammed, the return uncomfortably busy. Relatively poor show I thought - they only needed another 4 350s to strengthen the 4 trains to 12 each. There were that many sitting idle in Coventry sidings.

Aren't they limited by platform lengths to 8-car by one of the stations? Apsley IIRC?

 

[island]

They can just SDO at that station I assume.

 

[Pumbaa]

No. All stations Hemel southwards are 12 car all platforms.

Now the Bletchley upgrade is complete, all platforms Northampton southwards are 12 car

 

[oversteer]

No. All stations Hemel southwards are 12 car all platforms.

Except for Bushey on the down fast, much to the chagrin of the users of one recent LM evening peak train which got switched to the fast line at harrow then ran fast to Watford!

 

[Pumbaa]

I don't think it's open yet? Problems with the stairs? Even then, they'll be able to UDS.

But yes. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[williamus]

LM services on the Cross City line to Redditch & Longbridge have effectively closed an hour early tonight with the last two trains being cancelled.

Having had their franchise extended, I'm so glad LM management is taking the warning from David Cameron seriously.

 

[the sniper]

LM services on the Cross City line to Redditch & Longbridge have effectively closed an hour early tonight with the last two trains being cancelled.

Having had their franchise extended, I'm so glad LM management is taking the warning from David Cameron seriously.

What do you realistically expect them to do at this stage? Force the drivers they've got left to work their rest days?! I suppose they could offer double or triple time for working overtime or rest days...

There are few short term solutions to their problems. The current franchising system leaves them with little reason to use any kind of expensive solution, so I can't really blame the money men at the top for not jumping to a drastic solution.

 

[Roverman]

Not just Mr Cameron, Centro too are unhappy with the 'effort' LM is making to deal with the situation.

West Midlands transport authority Centro is making an audacious bid to seize greater control over the running of the troubled London Midland rail franchise.

London Midland, which runs the key rail routes throughout the region including the busy Cross-City Line, has been struggling with delays and cancellations due to a driver shortage and has sparked controversy by leaving many stations with out ticket offices or staff at night.

Read More http://www.birminghampost.net/news/...-the-rail-chaos-65233-32287501/#ixzz2GIfKtCAK
/