Telegraph reporting 50-60% of services to be cut due to impact of covid

[higthomas]

Yeah, I think once things are back to normal, rail use will return ~80% of 2019 levels, so about 2010-2011 levels. Now I don't recall 2010 being some really sparse timetable on these sorts of routes.

And I for one am working from home and am thoroughly sick of it, as are most others at my company.

 

[YorksLad12]

I think it's a leak.

It's more likely they're reporting on a story they read in the Telegraph, but without any actual news of their own to add.

 

[Crossover]

Milk'n'Beans is also acceptable

But not if you're lactose intolerant, as one TM noted in their announcement

 

[Fred Dinenage]

I would hope it continues. With covid bubbles and regular testing the situation is significantly different from last time and with so much training outstanding I doubt the operators and unions will want to make the situation worse, if it can be avoided.

RICF meeting scheduled for Thursday...no doubt it’ll be discussed.

 

[bramling]

I'm a pro home-worker, but I am bored with not going into the office at all, and may well treat myself to a weekly season once things reopen. Though the novelty will no doubt die down and I'll return to once a week.



Yes, agreed. No point carting fresh air around.

It's a misnomer that trains have been running around empty, commuter-type services at any rate. Lightly loaded in times and places, but certainly not empty.

If we return to a Sunday service then I revert to driving, as that timetable doesn't suit my requirements, and on top of that there's the potential for social distancing issues (albeit not at the times I travel).

 

[snookertam]

ScotRail have already dropped down to a timetable running 60% of their daytime service and are likely to do so until May. Passenger numbers are exceptionally low and likely to remain so until after summer I think.

 

[Ben Bow]

Hull Trains are suspending services again from the 9th, ufn.

 

[Urobach]

Hull Trains are suspending services again from the 9th, ufn.

Likewise Grand Central

 

[dk1]

Training is still ongoing at my place and I've not yet heard of any stoppages.

And at mine. If anything it's better now than pre-Covid.

 

[AM9]

I'm a pro home-worker, but I am bored with not going into the office at all, and may well treat myself to a weekly season once things reopen. Though the novelty will no doubt die down and I'll return to once a week.



Yes, agreed. No point carting fresh air around.

I think that some of the tedium of continuously working from home arises from the current inability to go anywhere much in leisure hours. If it was practical to go out and mix in the evenings and at weekends, and have normal holidays with travel, I suspect that many more will see working at home as acceptable in the long term. Then there's the employer side where relief from the costs of premises, particularly in city centres willl be seen as a permanent gain for the business, allowing a more generous homeworking allowance. All this factored into the commuter's lot (be it by road or train), might become a somewhat more permanent change than many seem to think.

 

[MissPWay]

I’m intrigued by which industries get “bailouts,” and which get, “rescue packages.”

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think that some of the tedium of continuously working from home arises from the current inability to go anywhere much in leisure hours. If it was practical to go out and mix in the evenings and at weekends, and have normal holidays with travel, I suspect that many more will see working at home as acceptable in the long term.

That's quite possibly true. One thing I do find is that if I'm working from home I quite fancy travel at the weekend, but if I'm commuting I very much don't.

 

[startingaparty]

That's quite possibly true. One thing I do find is that if I'm working from home I quite fancy travel at the weekend, but if I'm commuting I very much don't.

I agree! When I was commuting every weekday morning and night on the train before covid. The last thing I felt like doing was getting on a train. I could only bring myself to do it if I was going out for the night and that was after several drinks!

With regards to the topic at hand, yes, I think this is the right decision. But there needs to be a timeline for services resuming in line with lifting of restrictions. I don't think there will be any appetite to be travelling in standing-room-only services after this.

When restrictions were lifted in August I used to meet a friend in central Manchester and travelled by train via Bolton. The 2200 service back home was chocablock and social distancing was impossible. Felt like the 0730 on a normal Monday morning. Yes, I'm aware I was contributing to the traffic but was still very unnerving.

 

[Greybeard33]

All over the BBC now.
Nothing from DfT yet.

BBC story:

Train services set to be reduced in lockdown

Some in the industry are anticipating reductions of between 50-60% of normal service in England.

www.bbc.co.uk

The extent of the cuts has not yet been confirmed, but some in the industry are anticipating reductions of between 50-60% of normal service.
As responsibility for railways is a devolved matter, these cuts will apply to services in England only.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said it will work with operators to assess the right level of services.
They added: "While we cannot predict the long-term effect of Covid-19 on travel patterns, it is critical that we ensure the railway can respond quickly to changes in passenger demand whilst supporting economic recovery."

One senior industry source has said that the changes could take between 10 days and two weeks to implement as the process of adjusting the timetable is a jigsaw-like complex process. Others anticipate it could take longer.
While services may be cut in some areas to as low as 50%, other services will not be reduced to this level.
Reports suggest that the reduced service will continue for three months. This will depend on the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
How quickly the new timetable will be implemented will also depend on the extent of the cuts and is likely to vary between operators.

This does say cuts of 50-60% of normal service, not to 50-60%.

 

[dk1]

Makes me laugh that the BBC uses the sensible headline 'Train services to be reduced in Lockdown' whereas other media outlets feel the need to grab your attention with words such as 'Slashed'. So dramatic.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This does say cuts of 50-60% of normal service, not to 50-60%.

That's the same thing. If you remove 50% of the service you have 50% of it left.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I think that some of the tedium of continuously working from home arises from the current inability to go anywhere much in leisure hours. If it was practical to go out and mix in the evenings and at weekends, and have normal holidays with travel, I suspect that many more will see working at home as acceptable in the long term. Then there's the employer side where relief from the costs of premises, particularly in city centres willl be seen as a permanent gain for the business, allowing a more generous homeworking allowance. All this factored into the commuter's lot (be it by road or train), might become a somewhat more permanent change than many seem to think.

That is part of the issue - daily commuting was a bind , but it could be leavened by doing something "personal" at the end of the day , - not just a pub , but a lecture , cinema, meal out book shopping and in the good weather some mooching around London with friends and a later train home.

Very hard when (those working - I do not any more) , but I feel sorry for those who have spent most of the day at home with a scanty meal break - it is pitch black and cold at 1700 and there is nothing open bar a local Tesco. Plus you cannot meet anyone and it is freezing cold. Tedious.

 

[Jamesrob637]

No doubt once again it'll take far too long for most operators to return to any sort of useful service after the restrictions begin to ease.

In which case you might as well just suck it up and keep the full or nearly full service. Plus in that way fewer staff will add to the still-large throng of furlough.

 

[21C101]

I can see long term a reduction in peak hour commuting and increase in off peak commuting as people work partly from home and go direct to and from meetings etc.

My guess is that home counties commuting will be hit far more than inner city commuting or inter city commuting for three reasons.

Home counties commuters more likely to be doing jobs that can be done at home. Fares are high so big incentive, and thirdly a slew of home counties commuters will move further out, as if only going in occasionally, can tolerate a longer commute when they do go in and get a much nicer house for the money.

This third one will be boosted also by HS2.

I don't think it has gone unnoticed either that with the reduced number of trains, things ran more smoothly.

The other vibe I get from the Telegraph article is that funding is at the root of it so you could see traincrew etc stood down/furloughed or whatever the equivalent is this time. For train drivers in particular furlough would bring a pay cut of ~60% due to the cap on the furlough pay of roughly 80% of £30k.

Also wonder if Bustitution will be deployed bearing in mind the above.

 

[miami]

I think it's a leak.

With this government?!

It's more likely they're reporting on a story they read in the Telegraph, but without any actual news of their own to add.

Both are possible.

If the railway had to cut about 50% of services, it doesn't necessarily mean that all cuts would be equal. With current loadings it would make far more sense to keep commuter trains running in cities (especially for key workers - like those working in Telehouse Docklands), but cut the intercity trains more.

Train lengths should be maximum in any case to allow distancing.

 

[yorksrob]

I think that some of the tedium of continuously working from home arises from the current inability to go anywhere much in leisure hours. If it was practical to go out and mix in the evenings and at weekends, and have normal holidays with travel, I suspect that many more will see working at home as acceptable in the long term. Then there's the employer side where relief from the costs of premises, particularly in city centres willl be seen as a permanent gain for the business, allowing a more generous homeworking allowance. All this factored into the commuter's lot (be it by road or train), might become a somewhat more permanent change than many seem to think.

This is certainly a factor. Homeworking was a lot more tolerable when you could dissappear off to a pub or restaurant of an evening.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is certainly a factor. Homeworking was a lot more tolerable when you could dissappear off to a pub or restaurant of an evening.

That too. Or watch a film, or go to the gym/for a swim.....

 

[221129]

For train drivers in particular furlough would bring a pay cut of ~60% due to the cap on the furlough pay of roughly 80% of £30k.

None of the franchised TOCs are allowed to furlough staff through the job retention scheme.

 

[MissPWay]

I think that some of the tedium of continuously working from home arises from the current inability to go anywhere much in leisure hours. If it was practical to go out and mix in the evenings and at weekends, and have normal holidays with travel, I suspect that many more will see working at home as acceptable in the long term. Then there's the employer side where relief from the costs of premises, particularly in city centres willl be seen as a permanent gain for the business, allowing a more generous homeworking allowance. All this factored into the commuter's lot (be it by road or train), might become a somewhat more permanent change than many seem to think.

But where does that stop from an employers point of view. If a job can be done entirely remotely then why not see if someone in Eastern Europe or India will do it for 1/4 of the price?

 

[21C101]

But where does that stop from an employers point of view. If a job can be done entirely remotely then why not see if someone in Eastern Europe or India will do it for 1/4 of the price?

I think those that can be done in those places already are.

Most jobs will still require visits to the office or to clients once or twice a week, and more during critical periods.

One thing doing that from Herefordshire, quite another from Bangalore.

None of the franchised TOCs are allowed to furlough staff through the job retention scheme.

That could be changed at the stroke of a pen. Although given tbe amount of crew shortages and consequent rest day working in some TOCs it woupd, I guess, see little actual furloughing.

 

[johntea]

I quite fancied going into work this week to get my head back in the game a bit after 3 weeks sat at home but now no more than 3 people are allowed in the office, strictly enforced now especially since the announcement yesterday evening

If the cuts are similar to the previous March levels then it made my commute jump from 1hr - 1hr 30mins each way to 2hr - 2hr 30min each way due to having a connection which is rather tight, not a problem when there are half hourly services but they dropped to hourly, even 2 hourly in some cases...not to mention the issue of there is nothing at all to do then for that hour or whatever in the station or the surrounding area as the vast majority of places were closed e.g. go for a pint!

Not quite sure the timetable should be biased towards 'peak time' services either when the advice is 'travel off peak if you can'! I suppose many people can't but for those like me that potentially can it became rather frustrating with the more limited service

At least I don't need to train for Dancing On Ice this year I suppose!

 

[Greybeard33]

That's the same thing. If you remove 50% of the service you have 50% of it left.

But if you remove 60% of the service you have only 40% left, not 60%! Although I suspect it was sloppy use of language in the BBC story, since later on it says

While services may be cut in some areas to as low as 50%, other services will not be reduced to this level.

Which implies they meant cuts of 40-50% not 50-60%.

 

[Deepgreen]

At the distant possible end of all this, perhaps a significant number of people will remain working from home such that the problem of the high peak periods can be reduced somewhat - i.e. a better deployment of rolling stock with less idle time in the off-peaks. Not everyone likes doing it, but it seems that a significant number of people do prefer it, and businesses have been forced to provide the option and the technical support that goes with it, such that it's now become a standard option.

 

[philosopher]

This is certainly a factor. Homeworking was a lot more tolerable when you could dissappear off to a pub or restaurant of an evening.

Better still if you could actually work from the pub!

 

[Boo_]

I am still waiting to see if I am getting cancelled as got a rail Block in 2 weeks' time. But I don`t know if they will put on Rail replacement transport from 2am Saturday / 5am on the Sunday and my hotel just cancelled