Sandy 4 St Albans » Lord McNally

FCC Rail Agony Continues

sandy — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:16:27 +0000

The rail service just does not get any better. I think we are rapidly moving to the stage of asking whether First Capital Connect should be stripped of its franchise if it cannot run its advertised service.

Equally the drivers should be ashamed of wreaking disruption on a scale which far outweighs any strength of grievance they csan have – they run the risk of a tightening in union legislation particularly where it is a monopoly public service being delivered – see the wise words of Lord Tom McNally lower down this blog entry.

I have been e-mailed again this morning by travellers crammed into overcrowded, over hot and horribly delayed trains.

Here is a selection of what people have sent to me over recent days, the first one live by blackberry from the battlefront of Mill Hill Broadway:

On mill hill broadway. Train was so packed – could not get on. Someone actually fell out of the train as the doors opened

And a long and detailed description by two other St Albans residents of the complete collapse of any semblance of the advertised service:

Hello again,

Just to keep you updated on what is actually going on.

Exactly as you said ‘ Commuters pay for an advertised service ‘. Well 1. We aren’t getting the proper advertised service (as per their franchise) and now 2. We aren’t even getting the ‘revised timetable’ service either!

Friday 13th Nov:
J went into work late and got the 1034 which was formed of 4 coaches even though they claim that all services in the revised timetable will be 8. It was overcrowded with people standing in the aisles.
In the evening J went to Farringdon get the 1811 (from the revised timetable) and waited on the platform near two of FCC’s Customer Service staff. A slow train that was not on the revised timetable turned up to make an ‘1808 additional service’. The customer service staff were advising that the 1811 train would be fast to St Albans and passengers wanting St Albans and stations north of, should wait for that. The slow train departed and J, along with plenty of others, waited for the fast train. As the 1811 was pulling into the station, it was announced that this train was revised and would call at all stations to St Albans. At this point there was an announcement that the 1815 WOULD be (as timetabled) fast to St Albans and passengers wanting St Albans and stations north of, should wait for that.
This was also confirmed by the Customer Service staff who double checked on their radio that this would be a fast service. The 1815 arrived and J boarded the train and sat down, as more people were still boarding, the driver then announced that this service would also be calling all stations to St Albans!! J had no real chance of getting off the train and in any case, there would a good chance with this appallingly reduced timetable that she would not get on the next fast service whenever that might be and/or would be even later home and suffer yet more severe overcrowding. Having expected to arrive in St Albans around just after 1830, it was 1900 when she arrived. So about 28 minutes late on a 24 minute journey and still can’t claim compensation.

Monday 16th Nov
Whilst waiting for the delayed 1911 from Farringdon, we heard an announcement that the 1930 (fast) service would be revised and be calling at all stations to St Albans.

Wednesday 18th Nov
M went to get the 1930 from Farringdon and when it arrived it was announced that this was now all stations to St Albans and so he was 15 mins late (or 25mins from the proper timetable as he could have got the 1917).

We think this is happening to the 1930 because there is no slow all stations service between 1905 and 1952 (times from Farringdon) in the revised timetable. If it is going to be like this all the time, why don’t they publicise this?

The above are not the only alterations to the ‘revised timetable’ that are occurring, they are the ones that we have witnessed and can remember. We have both seen numerous other alterations, short formations and revised stopping patterns. We are mostly 20/25mins late on every journey we attempt to make unless we have drastically altered our desired plans and travelled much later.

There has been no further news from FCC about when they plan to revert back to running the normal timetable and we are becoming most concerned as this cannot continue much longer.

We haven’t had any response from FCC regarding our compensation requests (the five working days response time is up tomorrow) but are expecting the requests to be rejected, if/when they are, we will be going straight to Passenger Focus.

M & J

And here is what St Albans resident and regular commuter Lord (Tom) McNally said to the Secretary of State Lord Adonis in the House of Lords:

My Lords, I declare an interest in that just after 7 am this morning I was on St Albans station waiting to catch a train into London, as I do regularly, with several hundred other commuters who have either found those trains cancelled or found themselves packed like cattle into such trains as did arrive. I experienced the same earlier in the week trying to catch a train home.

I remind the Minister that these are people who have paid £3,280 for a season ticket for that right to travel. If I may use a phrase that may be familiar on the Benches opposite, these are not City fat cats; these are workers by hand and by brain, trying to get to work and get home from work. I hope that what I say conveys some of the anger and frustration of those commuters at the treatment that has been meted out to them.

As the Minister may know, I can show him a few scars from another period of industrial irresponsibility. My then mentor, Jim Callaghan, said in 1978, “This is not trade unionism as I knew it”. It certainly was not, but we did think that capricious and spiteful trade unionism which hurt the many out of all proportion to any dispute was a thing of the past. Such actions hurt fellow workers, the vulnerable, working mothers and children trying to get home from school. Certain trade unions seem to have learnt nothing from the experience of the 1970s. They have forgotten that their industrial militancy brought in a Conservative Government who trebled unemployment and brought in legislation that curbed trade union powers—some victory. As the noble Earl, Lord Attlee, indicated, does this clever way of seeming to cause damage without offending the Trade Union Act need to be looked at? Is there a need to tighten that Act as regards action taken by workers that is not proportionate in terms of the damage they do either to other workers or to the running of life in general?

I have to put it on record that there is in St Albans and elsewhere a lack of confidence in First Capital Connect. Is the Minister aware that we are now saying goodbye to the third managing director of First Capital Connect on this line in the past year? We have said goodbye to Elaine Holt and Karen Boswell, and Mr Jim Morgan will, apparently, leave his post on Friday. Does that indicate management continuity and a management steady hand? Does it explain why things have got so out of control?

I put to the Minister an old hobby-horse of mine: why do a Labour Government not end first-class travel on commuter trains until standard-class passengers are guaranteed a reasonable journey?

There is an alternative railfreight site

sandy — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:19:48 +0000

The key foundation of Helioslough’s resubmitted application to build the giant freight terminal at Park Street is their allegation that there is no alternative site for a so-called strategic freight terminal in this quadrant of London. We have to prove them wrong.

That is why local LibDem peer Tom McNally and I went with STRiFE campaigners Cathy Bolshaw and Chris Brown today jon a specially arranged visit to Sundon, north of Luton.

This is the site earmarked by giant logistics company ProLogis for a strategic railfreight terminal. The location, in an abandoned quarry and former landfill site, is adjacent to the Midland Main Line and the newly widened M1 motorway.

Lord McNally arranged the visit because much has already been spoken of the merits of the Sundon site as an alternative but nothing beats seeing somewhere on the ground.

Although we had to peer through this morning’s fog as we walked over the site, we could see quite enough to demonstrate that Helioslough is wrong in claiming there are no other viable sites in this region apart from the Radlett aerodrome. Not only is Sundon close to Luton, where there is a crying need for new employment with the steady shrinkage of Vauxhall Motors and other major employers, but there is almost no immediately adjacent residential development. Contrast this with the massive impact Helioslough’s proposals would have on residents of Park Street, Napsbury Park and the whole south of St Albans, and it is clear that Sundon is a far more satisfactory option for a major freight terminal.

It is interesting to note that unlike Helioslough ProLogis already has a serious track record of and expertise in developing freight terminals in the UK and is the world’s largest operator of industrial distribution units. In the UK they have existing railfreight depots at Daventry and Corby and are now proceeding with Dartford, with further plans for Warrington and Alconbury as well as the Sundon site in Luton. In short they know a thing or two about railfreight.

After the visit we drove back to St Albans at a steady 60 mph, the maximum pernitted for HGVs. It took a scant twenty minutes to reach the Park Street roundabout with a far better guarantee of journey-time after the recent M1 motorway improvements than there will ever be on the A414/A405. The Sundon site is clearly a viable and better alternative.

This further emphasises the importance of all the local political parties standing firm with St Albans District Council and STRiFE to continue to oppose any new Helioslough application. And if it again has to come to a Secretary of State decision on the Park Street site, then whoever the minister will be at the time, he or she will be derelict in their duty if they do not visit the Sundon site.

Whoever said LibDems are not practical?

sandy — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:14:05 +0000

My stomach is still appreciating the delicious LibDem constituency meal at the Greenwood Community Centre in Chiswell Green on Saturday. The hall was full to capacity with guests enjoying an entirely home-cooked meal – a duo of pates or cooked red peppers, followed by coq-au-vin or spinach and goats cheese tart, and brownies & ice cream or fruit salad to finish. They don’t do things by halves in St Stephens!

The main speaker was Lord McNally. But just as much excitement was generated by the table challenge. Each table was given a cardboard tube, a plastic cup, sellotape, sheets of card and paper, some lollipop sticks and a picture of what they had to model. In our case we had to make the Batmobile and you can see our rather nifty result here.

Tom McNally’s table had to make Thomas the Tank Engine and their model was voted best on the night – it’s amazing how people want to butter up a peer… Robert Donald’s table built the Regent’s Park Mosque, other tables had the challenge of everything from the Starship Enterprise to Sydney Opera House.

The ingenuity and determination shown by everyone was a wonder to behold. It made for a very entertaining evening. Whoever said LibDems weren’t practical?

PS This was one in a regular series of fun events for St Albans Liberal Democrats and friends and supporters combining good food, good conversation and a bit of politics. If any reader is interested in attending future occasions, just send me an e-mail and we will put you on the mailing list.