Reciprocal Staff Travel

[Deerfold]

LOROL staff get free travel on LOROL, Chiltern, Arriva Trains Wales, Cross Country, Grand Central, Tyne & Wear Metro and a full unrestricted staff Oyster card.

Be aware that, assuming it's the same as other TfL staff Oyster cards it is *not* valid on most London TOCs, but is valid on some routes with LUL ticket interavailability as well as LBSL (buses), LUL, DLR, Tramlink.

 

[bunnahabhain]

Agreed. I think it is very unfortunate that the only perk non-safeguarded Network Rail (NwR) staff get is an extremely limited, and taxable, discount off an annual season ticket (subject to certain limits). Even worse is how non-safeguarded staff who were previously employed by Tocs can find themselves overnight transferred to NwR and consequently lose all of their concessions.

Signallers, controllers, planners and P-Way staff employed by NwR are equally as involved in the operation of the railway as booking clerks, drivers, station staff, etc. and arguably some of them have to do the job under much worse conditions.

A bone of contention between me and a mate has been that I get a priv and Stagecoach group pass through my partner, but him being Network Rail gets naff all!

 

[Helvellyn]

There were some discussions a year or so back which got quite far at ATOC, some owning groups were been pushing for it others against it, some not too fussed. From what came back to our outfit, Virgin were very, very anti over percieved revenue loss, despite the PRIV fares on most of their services being so expensive most don't bother anyway and were the biggest opposition to any scheme.

That doesn't surprise me. South West Trains and East Midlands Trains have a reciprocal agreement in place, both being owned by Stagecoach. Yet despite Virgin Trains being 49% owned by Stagecoach there is no reciprocal agreement between VT and SWT/EMT. I know lots of SWT people who will head up North by EMT to travel free, even though the trips to Manchester or Liverpool take longer, rather than pay PRIV on VT.

 

[sarahj]

Here at Southern we get free travel on Southeastern and London Midland. A new thing thats just come in is that non safeguarded staff who retire now get a pass after they go, but thats only a southern thing and may go if we loose the franchise.

As for other rail staff on our services, what is nice to have is that they come up and ask, esp when out of uniform. Was esp miffed to come accross a northern rail pass holder sat down on a busy train. Some staff may have their own unofficial rules on who gets what, but the thing in the back of your mind is one may let you travel with a wink, but all it takes is one on a gate etc and it backfires.

As for the little boxes for safeguarded staff,

I wont say what my pass has got me on other services so not to drop anyone in the deep....but last time I was on northern I did pay, Metro Centre to Newcastle central, SDR 70p. I even gave the conductor some advice on how to stop his advantix jamming, which it had just done :roll:

 

[455driver]

Virgin were very, very anti over perceived revenue loss, despite the PRIV fares on most of their services being so expensive most don't bother anyway and were the biggest opposition to any scheme.

Dont forget Virgin Trains are "special" and saved the WCML which would have disappeared into a black hole if they didnt win it!

Oh and they dont want us dirty rail staff on their nice* shiny trains.

We are part of a TOC/NR alliance and there was much talk of the NR staff in our area being given staff passes for use on our trains but NR wouldnt go for it because of the tax implications.

* using the term very loosely!

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Tyne and Wear Metro get free, unlimited travel on Grand Central, Chiltern, ATW, LOROL and CrossCountry, the agreement has been in place since the back end of last year. Also get PRIV discount on Northern and Transpennine Express. Worth its weight in gold.

According to one of our rpo's tyne and wear get free travel on tpe, double check that one otherwise t+w owe me some comission!

 

[Skoodle]

Be aware that, assuming it's the same as other TfL staff Oyster cards it is *not* valid on most London TOCs, but is valid on some routes with LUL ticket interavailability as well as LBSL (buses), LUL, DLR, Tramlink.

You are correct yes, it doesn't work at New Cross or Clapham Junction for me, have to be let out by barrier staff when I need a fag on a turnaround.

 

[Deerfold]

You are correct yes, it doesn't work at New Cross or Clapham Junction for me, have to be let out by barrier staff when I need a fag on a turnaround.

Although of course barrier acceptance doesn't always relate to validity - it will operate the barriers at Liverpool Street despite not being valid on many of the services.

 

[142094]

According to one of our rpo's tyne and wear get free travel on tpe, double check that one otherwise t+w owe me some comission!

Supposed to be just PRIV discount

 

[barrykas]

Received confirmation today that Chiltern (and presumably other Arriva UK Trains) staff now officially get free travel on Grand Central (except between London and York on the 19:18 to Sunderland on a Friday) and Tyne & Wear Metro.

 

[142094]

Received confirmation today that Chiltern (and presumably other Arriva UK Trains) staff now officially get free travel on Grand Central (except between London and York on the 19:18 to Sunderland on a Friday) and Tyne & Wear Metro.

I haven't been told about the GC restriction, just the usual "offer a seat to those who have bought tickets and are standing".

 

[1D53]

The 19:18 is restricted on a Friday rather sensibly given that it is normally full and standing throughout first and standard class.

 

[spacehopper]

IIRC- on posters they put up around Northern only restrictions we have been advised of were on Sundays. AFAIK the Bradford service has no restrictions.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

For the Northern Staff Pass there is a restriction on a Sunderland bound train on a Friday (which is presumably the evening one but I can't recall for definite) and the Sunday lunchtime Sunderland-Kings Cross and Kings Cross-Sunderland services, though some guards are more relaxed about this than others. There are no restrictions on the west Riding services.

 

[1D53]

I think the Northern restrictions on the Sunday trains were relaxed at some point but the Friday restriction still applies.

 

[RPI]

In Cornwall FGW staff get free travel to/from work on First buses upon production of your staff pass and First bus (Devon and Cornwall) staff get free rail travel to/from work!

 

[142094]

The 19:18 is restricted on a Friday rather sensibly given that it is normally full and standing throughout first and standard class.

As I previously said, we haven't been told of this - where is it documented?