To be fair, I've found Northern to be pretty good since they got took over and cheap. I usually pay about £9.50 return from Bradford to M/c. They also give a free amend option on advanced tickets which is handy with all the chaos lately.They still haven't refunded me for the strike day at the start of August either. Sadly the options are limited. A journey up the East Coast with LNER, who are pretty good, then brings you into contact with Transpennine Express or Northern, both of whom suck big donkey dangles almost as badly as Avanti
I’ll have to give them another chance. I normally change at Donny though onto Transpennine, whose penchant for never having any drivers is surely unique across the global rail network!To be fair, I've found Northern to be pretty good since they got took over and cheap. I usually pay about £9.50 return from Bradford to M/c. They also give a free amend option on advanced tickets which is handy with all the chaos lately.
Any other London-based Blues up for chucking in a few quid to try and buy Avanti and run a proper fucking rail line?
Timetables released half an hour before the day of travel, trains cancelled if a day has the letter 'D' in it, latest train back to London for midweek games leaves at 5pm, wifi onboard generated by gerbils, buffet car open only between Macclesfield and Stockport with and one stale sandwich on offer. Etc, etc, etc...and I am not even getting involved in the drivers pay thing too.
No trains for the game tomorrow - no return for the game in Saturday. M1 & M6 now on average 5 hours. I know I should live in god's greatest City and then just complain about the Metro - but I have had enough....
I’ll have to give them another chance. I normally change at Donny though onto Transpennine, whose penchant for never having any drivers is surely unique across the global rail network!
Avanti West Coast is part of the West Coast Partnership owned by FIRST TRENITALIA. A joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia. Still, not surprising.Not surprising as TPE and Avanti are both owned by First Group
Any company that runs a business like this is planning to fail. And that's exactly what is happening. How hard is it to employ the number of drivers needed to provide a service? You cannot do it tomorrow, obviously, but that is exactly what they should be working on right now. Two years max training. I mean they only push a handle don't they? :)The problem with drivers on the network is there are insufficient. Most companies including Avanti rely on drivers working their rest days… The government describe this as unofficial industrial action but that’s bollocks - everyone is entitled to a day off. The train companies need to hire and train more drivers but that’s expensive and time consuming. The question needs to be asked how train operating companies are developing timetables based on employee goodwill - and an expectation that employees will work 7 days a week !
Two years max training. I mean they only push a handle don't they? :)