http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/8288947.html

Looks like it could become an annual tradition.

I haven't been around in London town for the past couple of Boxing Days
and never really caught up with how severe the disruption was from the
two previous strikes - just wondering if anyone can fill me in on how
things turned out in the end? Thanks.

On 07/11/2012 00:02, Paul Corfield wrote:

On Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:50:33 +0000, Mizter T
wrote:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/8288947.html

Looks like it could become an annual tradition.

I haven't been around in London town for the past couple of Boxing Days
and never really caught up with how severe the disruption was from the
two previous strikes - just wondering if anyone can fill me in on how
things turned out in the end? Thanks.

I haven't been around either but I did take a look at what happened.
From memory last year's dispute hit services badly with many lines
disrupted. Services to / from Heathrow were threadbare and I believe
HEX were not running either (no NR on Boxing Day). Buses were overrun
with people trying to get into town for the Sales.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16330372

I can only find this for Boxing Day 2010 but it shows a reasonably
high level of disruption.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...pping-day.html


Just to revisit this, as the ASLEF Boxing Day strike seems to be on...
http://www.aslef.org.uk/information/134561/boxing_day_strikes_announced/
and
http://www.aslef.org.uk/information/134567/why_we_are_striking_in_london_on_boxing_day/

I note what you (Paul C) say above about Tube services to/from Heathrow
being threadbare - the BBC article states they only ran "between
Heathrow Airport and Hammersmith, and Finsbury Park to Cockfosters" -
and there doesn't appear to have been any other onward District or
Circle line services from Hammersmith either.

I mention Heathrow specifically because in previous years when the
Heathrow Express wasn't running on Boxing Day (for example last year -
and I've just checked this), HEx has provided a coach service instead -
indeed HEx provided a coach service on Christmas Day too.

However, this year HEx is not running on Boxing Day (because of
Crossrail works), and it isn't providing a coach service on Boxing Day
or indeed on Christmas Day either.

So on Boxing Day, Heathrow travellers heading for central London or v.v.
will have to brave the disrupted Tube or find another way, e.g. National
Express to/from VCS or taxi / minicab / scrounge a lift etc. Not ideal.

(On Christmas Day itself, the Oxford Tube service does run an hourly
service via Heathrow instead of via Hillingdon - but not on Boxing Day.)

All in all, a rather unwelcome emerging new tradition seems to be taking
shape in the form of the Boxing Day Tube strike, though it might serve
to mute the rapacious consumerism of the Boxing Day sales, which
wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Paul Corfield wrote:

Given how busy the Overground network now is it is quite frankly
stupid that it does not run on Boxing Day. That has to be fixed
quickly. The DfT also need to grasp the issue of more Boxing Day
services on all routes into London (and other conurbations). The
current situation is just daft given the level of demand for rail
services at other holiday or off peak times.

While I accept there is next to no demand on Christmas Day, I would think
there is plenty of demand for the whole network on Boxing Day nationally.
The main reason I end up going by car to my parents each year is that I
can't go back by train on Boxing Day.

Meanwhile this year, the last train from Euston to north WCML destinations
(due to engineering) on 24th is a pathetic 1430 ish. That's similarly
useless.

Neil
--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK. Put first name before the at to reply.

On Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:58:50 +0000
Mizter T wrote:
All in all, a rather unwelcome emerging new tradition seems to be taking
shape in the form of the Boxing Day Tube strike, though it might serve
to mute the rapacious consumerism of the Boxing Day sales, which
wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Retailers need all the help they can get at the moment. I don't think causing
a drop in sales is anything to be happy about. I used to be against the idea
but I'm beginning to come round to the idea of driverless trains, at least
on the subsurface routes where evacuation would be fairly simple since the tube
drivers are just a bunch of lazy overpaid reactionaries who don't deserve a
basic of 20K , must less the exorbitant 46K before overtime that they currenty
enjoy.

It wouldn't surprise me to find out Aslef and the RMT have some under the table
agreement going to on alternate who calls strike action so neither one of them
cops all the flack.

B2003

On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 19:03:42 +0000
Steve Fitzgerald ] wrote:
In message , d
writes

basic of 20K , must less the exorbitant 46K before overtime that they currenty
enjoy.

Which for most drivers is nil as the agreement is no voluntary overtime.

Boo hoo, they must have to send their kids out on the street begging in
that case having to struggle along on 46K for pushing a lever backwards and
forwards. Tough life.

It wouldn't surprise me to find out Aslef and the RMT have some under the
table
agreement going to on alternate who calls strike action so neither one of them
cops all the flack.

I don't see that.

Well if its under the table you wouldn't would you.

B2003

On Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:07:54 +0000
Steve Fitzgerald ] wrote:
Boo hoo, they must have to send their kids out on the street begging in
that case having to struggle along on 46K for pushing a lever backwards and
forwards. Tough life.

They rather like it that way (well I do). It was you who inferred that
they earn overtime.

So just for clarification, the £46k before overtime is also £46k after
overtime so what was your point?

The point is that 46K is way too much for such a simple job (and don't argue
otherwise, a trained chimp could do it and judging by some of the journeys
I've had they already are) and I don't believe there is no overtime available
where they can earn more. Yet still they're not happy with their lot. I'm
afraid you and your colleagues need a harsh dose of reality to break into your
cosy little closed shop and while you might not think it'll ever happen you
might like to muse on the fact that neither did the miners.

B2003