On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 08:32:12 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

The workers are rail passengers too, and iirc outnumber the passengers.
Surely it's better to get them regularly using the train, than prising
the air passengers from their cars one at a time - especially as there
will be very few air passengers, compared to airport workers, starting
their journeys close to the places the Connect service will be calling.

Or perhaps *everyone* could pay the fair fare (sorry) for the journey,
which would be at a similar level to other similar rail journeys and
be included on Travelcard validity.

I do not get any form of special funding for my journey to work, nor
do most others. I don't see why the airport staff should be any
different. I'd far rather the service was available to all comers at
a reasonable price.

As I've posted elsewhere in the thread, I understand (but admittedly
dislike) the idea behind HEx itself being a premium product at a
premium price. Heathrow Connect is not - it is a local rail service,
and should be priced (and subsidised if necessary) on the basis that
that is what it is.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

I do not get any form of special funding for my journey to work, nor
do most others. I don't see why the airport staff should be any
different.

The difference presumably being that your employer didn't pay for the
railway to be built...

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 23:59:27 GMT, (Neil
Williams) wrote:

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 08:32:12 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

The workers are rail passengers too, and iirc outnumber the passengers.
Surely it's better to get them regularly using the train, than prising
the air passengers from their cars one at a time - especially as there
will be very few air passengers, compared to airport workers, starting
their journeys close to the places the Connect service will be calling.

Or perhaps *everyone* could pay the fair fare (sorry) for the journey,
which would be at a similar level to other similar rail journeys and
be included on Travelcard validity.

I do not get any form of special funding for my journey to work, nor
do most others.

Some people so get buses laid on. And HEx is the owner's own toy.

In Manchester airport staff are the main target for the propsed
tramway - they assume passengers will get a train to the airport, not
an all-stops tram.

I don't see why the airport staff should be any
different. I'd far rather the service was available to all comers at
a reasonable price.

Presumably because it would hit HEx, which is their own trainset so
they can do what they want. People like me can still get the
Piccadilly Line and the buses.

As I've posted elsewhere in the thread, I understand (but admittedly
dislike) the idea behind HEx itself being a premium product at a
premium price. Heathrow Connect is not - it is a local rail service,
and should be priced (and subsidised if necessary) on the basis that
that is what it is.

It will be, just not the final leg to the airport.
--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

"Arthur Figgis" ] wrote in message
...
On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 23:59:27 GMT, (Neil
Williams) wrote:

I don't see why the airport staff should be any
different. I'd far rather the service was available to all comers at
a reasonable price.

Presumably because it would hit HEx, which is their own trainset so
they can do what they want. People like me can still get the
Piccadilly Line and the buses.

As I've posted elsewhere in the thread, I understand (but admittedly
dislike) the idea behind HEx itself being a premium product at a
premium price. Heathrow Connect is not - it is a local rail service,
and should be priced (and subsidised if necessary) on the basis that
that is what it is.

It will be, just not the final leg to the airport.

AIUI as part of the planning consent for T5 BAA have obligations to ensure
that specific proportions of people employed at the airport (not just BAA
employees) and of airline passengers access the airport by public transport.
The fare levels on HEx and H Connect must therefore be set at levels which
contribute to meeting these targets, as well as giving BAA a fair return on
their investment. It is in this context that H Connect may well offer
concessionary fares for airport employees, while charging casual passengers,
and airline passengers, fares which will not abstract revenue from H Ex.

Peter

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005, Peter Masson wrote:

It is in this context that H Connect may well offer concessionary
fares for airport employees, while charging casual passengers, and
airline passengers, fares which will not abstract revenue from H Ex.

On the other hand if employees enjoy concessionary fares relative to
the general public, I suspect that the Revenue would consider it as
a taxable benefit. (IANAL).

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 08:02:35 +0100, Arthur Figgis
] wrote:

In Manchester airport staff are the main target for the propsed
tramway - they assume passengers will get a train to the airport, not
an all-stops tram.

They may be the main *target*, but I am not aware of any plan to
charge different *fares* to them from normal tram users.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

In message
Tony Polson wrote:

Arthur Figgis ] wrote:

[snip]
An awful lot of people work at big airports. Cheap season tickets but
expensive normal fares could be a way of getting the airport staff to
use the trains.

That surely has to be the intention.

One of the busiest stations on the Piccadilly Line is Hatton Cross,
which serves the maintenance area to the East of the airport, adjacent
to the A30. Huge numbers of people get on and off Piccadilly Line
services here, and the assumption must be that they are airport
workers.

[snip]

Heathrow has the working population of a small town who all have to commute
as there is no living accomodation within the 'town centre'.

--
Graeme Wall
This address is not read, substitute trains for rail.
Transport Miscellany at http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail/index.html

In message
(Neil Williams) wrote:

[snip]

I do not get any form of special funding for my journey to work, nor
do most others. I don't see why the airport staff should be any
different. I'd far rather the service was available to all comers at
a reasonable price.


You obviously don't commute to work on a subsidised season ticket on
subsidised transport.

--
Graeme Wall
This address is not read, substitute trains for rail.
Transport Miscellany at http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail/index.html

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 10:48:14 +0100, Graeme Wall
wrote:

Heathrow has the working population of a small town who all have to commute
as there is no living accomodation within the 'town centre'.

True. That statement can also be applied to large industrial estates
like Trafford Park, however.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

"Alan J. Flavell" wrote in message
. gla.ac.uk...
On Sat, 23 Apr 2005, Peter Masson wrote:

It is in this context that H Connect may well offer concessionary
fares for airport employees, while charging casual passengers, and
airline passengers, fares which will not abstract revenue from H Ex.

On the other hand if employees enjoy concessionary fares relative to
the general public, I suspect that the Revenue would consider it as
a taxable benefit. (IANAL)

I wonder if it could be done by offering, to the general public, season
ticket rates with a very deep discount over daily fares. Obviously these
would only really be of interest to people who work at the airport.

Peter.