Commuting Staff

[O L Leigh]

Saw an LUL employee in full uniform getting onto a Chiltern service at Solihull. Anyone aware of LUL employees travelling further than this for work?

O L Leigh

 

[district]

Might not be a full time arrangement, could be visiting relatives etc. See some in Ashford (Kent) and Canterbury a bit though, but with <1hr commuting times, I can understand that.

 

[O L Leigh]

Maybe. Didn't look like it, though. He wasn't toting any luggage except a small day-pack.

O L Leigh

 

[trc666]

About a year ago I went down to Plymouth in my SWT uniform as I was going there for a weekend and had to go straight from work due to disruption with the trains (Waterloo was evacuated that day).

 

[Mojo]

I know of a Train Operator who lives in Lancashire (or Cumbria, I cannot remember). The person running the 'Mafia'[1] gives as many consecutive days of work as possible, and they spend their time in a studio flat somewhere. When they have their long periods off, they return home to their family up north.

[1] The 'Mafia' is a syndicate of many staff in a depot who all effectively put their rostered duties into a pool, and the organiser ("mafia man") attempts to reallocate the duties based on the preferences of his members

 

[Aictos]

I know one person commutes fom Southend to Stevenage daily, some commute....

 

[TheVicLine]

There are guys I work with who commute daily for LU from Southampton, Bristol, and Peterborough.
My ex boss flew in weekly from Edinburgh, as I live near Stansted I picked him up from the airport on a Monday morning and dropped him back Friday afternoon along with someone from Belfast. All were Depot/Office based though not T/ops.

 

[telstarbox]

Do LU drivers get discounted National Rail travel? If so it would make such long commutes worthwhile.

 

[notadriver]

Only if they are protected staff. (Before 1996)

 

[Clip]

I thought all staff got 75% off a season on tfl?

 

[notadriver]

Oh sorry I'm getting confused with the PTAC card which is the basically a priv card.

 

[Mojo]

I thought all staff got 75% off a season on tfl?

Yes, non-safeguarded staff are entitled to this on annual seasons, but with the exception of seasons for First Capital Connect and East Coast Trains (which are valid on the respective companies' trains only), this benefit is taxable so in reality works out at a bit less than 75% discount.

Safeguarded staff get a PTAC which offers the same 75% discount as the Staff Travel Card issued to safeguarded BR staff.

 

[anthony263]

I have seen one member of LUL staff get on a hst at Neath although I think he may have been visiting someone

 

[TheVicLine]

I believe pre 1996 staff are allowed to buy any national rail tickets at 75% discount (not sure if this is still applicable for first class tickets), post 1996 staff get 75% off an annual season ticket to travel to and from work, and of course all get free TfL travel too. Which is as Mojo has already said I think.

 

[Metrailway]

There are several who commute from Aylesbury and Milton Keynes. I've seen at least one from Coventry and one from Leamington Spa.

 

[DavyCrocket]

Lincolnshire, Brockenhurst, Bath, Denmark, Clacton, Hastings,

 

[ushawk]

I've seen a few down here in Brighton and Eastbourne.

 

[Daniel]

I know a supervisor at Baker St who comes in from Peterborough, and one of my signalling colleagues at Harrow comes from Southend, another from Gravesend.

 

[Julian G]

There is one of the Duty Managers who commutes from Waterbeach to Morden.

 

[317666]

I've seen staff in LU uniform both at Cambridge and Audley End before.

 

[DavyCrocket]

I've seen a few down here in Brighton and Eastbourne.

Yeah lots along the coast (including me!) some drive or use buses to get to NR stations. First trains often have lots of LU people, Met police (and Gatwick workers)

 

[Mojo]

There are several who commute from Aylesbury and Milton Keynes. I've seen at least one from Coventry and one from Leamington Spa.

Aylesbury isn't a bad place as you only have to pay as far as Amersham, and the staff taxi network even extends there!

Does anyone know the furthest place outside of Greater London that has staff taxis?

 

[Mutant Lemming]

There used to be a driver at Queens Park who came in from Crewe and one from Leicester another at the Elephant who came in from Doncaster, a signalman at Edgware Rd Hot & Cold who came in from Newport(Gwent), a duty manager from Wakefield and a car examiner at Stonebridge who travelled from the Isle of Wight. All of those commuted in daily though the drivers needed a great deal of 'mafia' assistance.

When Euston Northern Line depot was open most of the drivers there lived a good way out as the depot had all 'inside' turns.

There were also a number on the Circle at Baker Street (as then was) who came in from the likes of Swindon, Lewes, the Medway towns, Rugby, Nuneaton.... basically anywhere that had a train running in to London early.

 

[Vicpaul]

Plenty commute from bletchley in the morning and two I used to work with work ten days on 4 off and go home to Manchester and Newcastle

 

[Aictos]

Yes, non-safeguarded staff are entitled to this on annual seasons, but with the exception of seasons for First Capital Connect and East Coast Trains (which are valid on the respective companies' trains only), this benefit is taxable so in reality works out at a bit less than 75% discount.

Safeguarded staff get a PTAC which offers the same 75% discount as the Staff Travel Card issued to safeguarded BR staff.

Also note that all FCC staff no matter length of service also get a PTAC as well indeed they are currently the only TOC serving London that I'm aware of which has this agreement with TfL to do so.

I know a supervisor at Baker St who comes in from Peterborough.

Really, what part of Peterborough as it's my home town

 

[Dstock7080]

Does anyone know the furthest place outside of Greater London that has staff taxis?

Well, Aylesbury for one as you've said!
Also; Dartford, Grays, Purfleet, Cuffley, Merstham, Epsom, Staines, Walton-on-Thames, North Watford, Potters Bar, Elstree, Ongar seem to be the extremities of the system.

 

[david_VI]

What's PTAC? Out of curiosity if you work for a TOC do you get discounted travel nationwide?

 

[Daniel]

What's PTAC? Out of curiosity if you work for a TOC do you get discounted travel nationwide?

PTAC is a Privilege Travel Authority Card, LU's version of a PRIV. Only safeguarded LU staff get a PRIV, non-safeguarded get a 75% taxable re-imnursement scheme on season tickets only.

 

[Mojo]

Also note that all FCC staff no matter length of service also get a PTAC as well indeed they are currently the only TOC serving London that I'm aware of which has this agreement with TfL to do so.

I'm not sure what the relevance of this is in a thread about travel concessions that LU and TfL staff are entitled to, but East Coast staff are also now being issued with yellow 'TfL Rail Only' PTACs for Pay As You Go travel.

 

[pitdiver]

When I first joined LUL back in 89 there was a Chief Booking Clerk who lived on the IOW. Apparently he was occasionally delayed due to issues with tides and ferry operations. I just wonder how many staff could use that as an excuse now. I also knew of the signalman who lived in Neath. He was brought in one Boxing Day by Taxi so I heard.

As a matter of interest I have a PTAC. Yes I and my partner get 75% discount of ANYTIME tkts so sometimes it is cheaper for us to get advance tkts but with the subsequent loss of flexibility.