Just as we were discussing the possible extension of the Bakerloo, with
fewer trains reversing at Queens Park in the future, along comes this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6896648.stm

Maybe that's the real reason for taking the trains all the way to Watford
Junction?

Paul

Paul Scott wrote:
Just as we were discussing the possible extension of the Bakerloo,
with fewer trains reversing at Queens Park in the future, along comes
this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6896648.stm

Maybe that's the real reason for taking the trains all the way to
Watford Junction?

Hardly, since extra drivers will be needed.

Why will the strike will only affect one line? What sort of a "union" is
that?

"John Rowland" wrote in message
...
Paul Scott wrote:
Just as we were discussing the possible extension of the Bakerloo,
with fewer trains reversing at Queens Park in the future, along comes
this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6896648.stm

Maybe that's the real reason for taking the trains all the way to
Watford Junction?

Hardly, since extra drivers will be needed.

And extra trains - if I was being serious...


Why will the strike will only affect one line? What sort of a "union" is
that?

Perhaps its the only line where passengers regularly get stroppy when a
train is timetabled to stop short of the end of the line?

Paul

John Rowland wrote:
Paul Scott wrote:
Just as we were discussing the possible extension of the Bakerloo,
with fewer trains reversing at Queens Park in the future, along
comes this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6896648.stm

Maybe that's the real reason for taking the trains all the way to
Watford Junction?

Hardly, since extra drivers will be needed.

Why will the strike will only affect one line? What sort of a
"union" is that?

Perhaps it's because the drivers on other lines are quite happy with
tipping out passengers with the help of just one station assistant.
I've often seen it done, and it doesn't seem to lead to any problems. It
looks like yet another campaign to retain unnecessary jobs under a
spurious 'safety' banner.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

On 13 Jul, 22:23, "Richard J." wrote:
Perhaps it's because the drivers on other lines are quite happy with
tipping out passengers with the help of just one station assistant.
I've often seen it done, and it doesn't seem to lead to any problems.It
looks like yet another campaign to retain unnecessary jobs under a
spurious 'safety' banner.

I suspect the issue is having lone staff on the platforms at places
like Queen's Park and Willesden Junction - where an altercation has a
good chance of turning in to a stabbing or worse. Maybe the issue
will resolve itself once security is improved when the stations become
controlled by LU.

The north-west of the Bakerloo Line "serves" some of the worst areas
of London for stabbings, shootings and gang/drug-related violence.
Frankly I'm only suprised they don't use 7 members of staff for
detraining duties - one for each car. I like to think that the
situation will improve when LU/LO take over their respective stations
come December 2007 but if the sort of ticket office staffing levels
follow what is being planned for the existing LU suburban system it
doesn't look too hopeful. In future years you'll still get mugged or
murdered it seems, but at least TfL will have a nice CCTV digital
image of the assailant...

On Jul 14, 8:44 pm, wrote:
I like to think that the
situation will improve when LU/LO take over their respective stations
come December 2007 but if the sort of ticket office staffing levels
follow what is being planned for the existing LU suburban system it
doesn't look too hopeful.

Eh? LU isn't un-staffing its stations, it's redeploying ticket office
staff to general customer service roles.

& I'm not sure a bloke selling tickets behind a security glass window
is much use if you're being mugged or stabbed either.

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org

On Jul 15, 10:42 am, John B wrote:
On Jul 14, 8:44 pm, wrote:

I like to think that the
situation will improve when LU/LO take over their respective stations
come December 2007 but if the sort of ticket office staffing levels
follow what is being planned for the existing LU suburban system it
doesn't look too hopeful.

Eh? LU isn't un-staffing its stations, it's redeploying ticket office
staff to general customer service roles.

& I'm not sure a bloke selling tickets behind a security glass window
is much use if you're being mugged or stabbed either.

--
John Band
john at johnband dot orgwww.johnband.org

They are reducing the total number of station staff though.
There are already a number of stations that are left un-staffed due to
staff shortages following the first part of the Shorter Working Week,
when Ticket Offices were closed and station staff numbers changed!

Is the former ticket seller at Bow Road walking up and down the
platform at night to "reassure" me and enforce the smoking ban? No -
because that duty/post no longer exists on the rota there. He or she
might be filling a vacancy at a busier station, or be in training for
driver, but the idea that LU have introduced some form of "reassurance
patrol" is just plain lies.

The ticket office was the one place passengers could expect to find
staff, not in often anonymous control rooms. And help points are a
great way of attracting attention to yourself, not ideal if you want
to 'covertly' draw staff's attention to something (you think you're
being followed, kids smoking dope, the muttering nutter with backpack
etc...).

wrote:
Is the former ticket seller at Bow Road walking up and down the
platform at night to "reassure" me and enforce the smoking ban? No -
because that duty/post no longer exists on the rota there. He or she
might be filling a vacancy at a busier station, or be in training
for driver, but the idea that LU have introduced some form of
"reassurance patrol" is just plain lies.

The ticket office was the one place passengers could expect to find
staff, not in often anonymous control rooms. And help points are a
great way of attracting attention to yourself, not ideal if you want
to 'covertly' draw staff's attention to something (you think you're
being followed, kids smoking dope, the muttering nutter with
backpack etc...).

Are you saying that Bow Road is now planned to be unstaffed at night, or
that it is unstaffed until a vacancy is filled? If the former, that
seems to be contrary to LU's stated policy.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)