STAR LETTERS
COVID19: Hostile and unwelcome messages preventing rail travel
IT IS with the greatest concern I believe both the national and heritage rail sectors are facing unprecedented crisis conditions as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic.
The loss of confidence by the travelling public in using rail, either for commuting or leisure, is catastrophic, and will possibly impact for years.
Changes to work habits, job losses and lifestyle choices have yet to ‘bottom out’.
There is a perception rail is seen as an unattractive transport mode because of the (necessary) rules in place, currently with no end in sight.
The Government message that using private cars is the safest form of travel, will convince any doubters over what to choose. All this is giving ammunition to the anti-rail lobby when it comes to future transport investment.
Those who “gave rail a go” in recent years are probably never going to return.
Personally, I last travelled by train in March and was a frequent user...
I now perceive rail as hostile and unwelcoming.
My friends and family have no intention of using the train again. It pains me to say, but I feel the damage to rail is long term and making it attractive, restoring public confidence is going to be an uphill battle.
Mr J P Morgan
By email
‘Worthless’ service for passengers
NOTWITHSTANDING the Government’s negative messages towards railways during the Covid-19 crisis, it seems the operators and National Rail (NR) have no interest in encouraging people back onto trains.
This is summed up by South Western Railway’s (SWR) website – it is so user-unfriendly; it is worthless.
I checked the NR journey planner a few days before my sister wanted to travel and it confirmed an hourly service from Waterloo to Exeter. However, I checked Real Time Trains on the day and no train times were shown.
Looking at the SWR website it now only gave trains from Paddington but, after about 15 minutes trawling their website, hidden very deeply, I eventually found there was a ‘special timetable’ with a two-hourly service, with customers having to change at Salisbury.
If the industry forces passengers to check trains three days before they want travel and it bears no relation to reality on the day, it is hardly likely to inspire confidence to use the train.
I did phone NR enquiries, where the operator clearly had no experience of giving accurate information, and took a long time to tell me there was a special timetable operating.
Nowhere was there any information to inform people about what would be running for the return journey the following week.
And the reason why my sister wanted the slow SWR service, was to avoid the Underground with her luggage – perfectly reasonable passenger expectation!
David Bowker By email
Greater Anglia are ‘discouraging’ everything bar essential travel
I WANTED to travel from Romford to Cromer for personal reasons but not for essential travel.
However, when I went onto Greater Anglia site they totally discourage anything but essential travel.
I looked at the GWR site too and while referring to the Government guidelines, it did not appear to actively discourage non-essential travel.
One would not wish to travel during peak times where people need to use services to get to work or for essential reasons, plus putting yourself at greater risk of catching the coronavirus.
It does seem ironic that we have Greater Anglia trains heading north from London during the day, which appear to have virtually no passengers on board.
Other organisations, such as the National Trust, control numbers to their sites by pre-booking timed entry and limiting the numbers.
A similar process for off-peak travel could perhaps be applied to rail tickets, particularly for longer journeys, by restricting the number of off-peak tickets to a specific train.
In the longer term those with open tickets or passes should be required to make a reservation, as in some European countries, where you have to make a reservation even on more local services.
It may be the franchise companies are receiving too much Government support during this Covid-19 period so there is little incentive to attract more passengers.
Airline companies that are receiving very little Government help seem much keener to get passengers back into their planes.
Tony Walker, Romford, Essex.
Re-introduce compartment coaches…
NOW we have moved into the next phase of lockdown and the social distancing reduced to one metre plus, should the rail industry consider the reintroduction of compartment coaches?
Trains are travelling with seats out of use and passengers having to wear face covering.
Removal of some seats in vehicles and the remaining seats re-spaced could allow for clear Perspex or glass partitions to be installed, allowing no more than six passengers to sit together.
The Chief Medical Officer suggested at the June 23 press conference the situation with Covid-19 could be with us for at least the next 12 months.
We need to encourage the use of trains. This may be a way forward?
Dave Mundy Cheltenham