Being operated by OLR hasn't helped at all and they don't even communicate to their passengers about what the underlying issues are and what they doing to sort it out. About time red wall Tories started putting pressure on Wendy Morton.
Handforth, Poynton and Knutsford are all areas of high car ownership (I live in the Handforth area) and there are quite a number of taxi firms in those areas that show no sign of going out of business.
Indeed, however it's not always that simple in practice. Buxton crews have an unusually large route card for a depot at the end of a 'branch', but they don't sign down to Stoke for example. So if there's a Piccadilly turn uncovered that involves a trip to Stoke, there's nothing to be gained by cancelling the last Buxtons, as they will be covered by Buxton crew.
I made my posting, as in your earlier posting, you were specifically referring to evening services and now you have "moved the goalposts" to now refer to mid-afternoon services, which are a totally "different kettle of fish".
Absolutely spot on. And not just the red wall Tories. The Labour strongholds (yes there are some still!) in South and West Yorkshire should be highlighting Johnson's levelling up policies are, well, non existent when it comes to transport.
Or even try to consider which routes are suffering from cancellations on the day. 5 Mid Cheshire services cancelled in one day is poor, and if these are crewed by Piccadilly then cancelling Rose Hills would be more logical, as it wasn't that long ago Northern's management were saying this route had lower passenger numbers and alternative rail/tram services nearby
It's down to reduced capacity at the south side of Sheffield station, due to engineering works. So some trains need to be removed to make it work.
If a delay of more than an hour is anticipated, they are obliged to help you get to the destination by the fastest means possible. Whether that's allowing you to go via an ordinarily non-permitted route, or allowing travel with another operator on a TOC-specific ticket, or arranging ticket acceptance with buses.
Thank you for the explanation. They were indeed replacing the track and sleepers in platforms 1 and 2 this afternoon.
Not heard that one before, unless it is part of some levelling up scheme.
I suggest the problems started with the new franchise commitments made by Arriva following their winning bid for the franchise starting 2016. Following a couple of decades of "non growth" they committed to running more trains on several routes. More trains = more staff. Some of these were recruited but, for various reasons, the May 2018 timetable was a disaster, particularly in the Manchester area. A lot of time and effort went into trying to sort out the "Manchester Mess" whilst (and this is my opinion) neglecting other parts of the network. Some of the changes originally proposed for May 2019 were postponed until December 2019 and additional trains were introduced on a number of routes. Then along came Covid.......
It's possible that they didn't have available crew who signed Leeds-Nottingham but did have a crew that signed Leeds-Man Vic. Pointless having a unit sat about when it could be used instead for another service which may well have been for what ever reason without a unit to operate it.
First of all a slight correction. 195020 worked the 17.44 Sheffield - Leeds (not Leeds to Sheffield). As you say the stock should have returned to Nottingham. I suspect it went to Manchester as the incoming train from Chester terminated at Man Vic (train fault?). Staff shortages on Leeds to Sheffield (all routes) services are rife so I suspect, on balance, it was actually staff shortage that caused the cancellation.
Covid has not gone away, and indeed the latest ONS, React and Zoe surveys show that prevalence has begun to increase again throughout the country. I understand that the level of staff sickness absence is still much higher than would normally be expected at this time of year. Also ASLEF terminated the Northern driver rest day working agreement in January, which has reduced rostering flexibility and made it more likely that cancellations will occur when a driver phones in sick on the day.
transportforthenorth.public-i.tv
Surely the train operating company would be in possession of relevant sick notes covering staff absences caused by illness, if asked by a national body.
What national body is this? Im sure sick notes would be confidential between employer and employee.
Marooned? There is a train in around 30 minutes. But don't miss that as the next train is a bus at 22.20.....
