MP demands better train service amid rising passenger anger and frustration

Written by: Basil Clarke | Published: 31 July 2019

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bambos letter to gtr In response to a flood of tweets from angry and frustrated rail passengers, Enfield Southgate MP Bambos Charalambous has written to the managing director of Govia Thameslink Railway to complain about the continuing high incidence of cancellations due to driver unavailability on routes serving stations in his constituency.

In the letter, sent on 30th July, the MP says that "There can be no excuse for having insufficient drivers to run the trains that Great Northern have advertised", calling it "a fundamental breach of duty". He asks what steps are being taken to reduce cancellations due to no driver, adding: "We must see an improvement and that needs to happen fast."

Cancellations blamed on "staff availability" (in Govia-Speak "availability" actually means "unavailability") have been an almost daily fact of life for Great Northern passengers for more than a year. The past week has seen a particularly high number of cancelled trains. Admittedly, overhead line and track problems caused by extreme weather has been a significant factor, but there has also been a larger number than usual of cancellations due to driver unavailability - as always happens during the school holidays. Despite this, Govia's social media team have continued to tweet the claims of their management that the company has enough drivers.

Sadly they aren’t competent enough. The weekend service was riddled with cancellations because they are in capable of hiring enough drivers @grantshapps @cllranderson @PGCommunity @Nesil_Caliskan @BBCTravelAlert @BBCTomEdwards @BHORA_org
— adrian day (@adrianday1) July 29, 2019

@GNRailUK so many trains cancelled on the Moorgate line today due to shortage of train crew! This is unbelievably frequent! What is being done about the constant shortage of crew? I’ve been using this line 17 years & it’s getting worse each year yet more expensive!
— Cristina Sheppard (@Cerda85C) July 29, 2019

So, today's excuse then @GNRailUK Here is a tweet claiming you have enough drivers 2 months ago, and yet, I can't remember a day where you haven't cancelled trains due to lack of drivers.@PriskMark https://t.co/z5QkBVIB9R
— Peter Boyle (@pete_boyle) July 29, 2019

Someone intensely aware of the chronic cancellations problem is Joanne McCartney, who lives in PG and is the Assembly Member for Enfield and Haringey. She has been pressing the case for transferring the Moorgate services to Transport for London.

So am I!!! We deserve better. Let’s hope new Sec of State Transport hands line to TfL asap - I’m writing again. TfL are preparing bid for franchise. https://t.co/o8paJzo6nK
— Joanne McCartney (@JoanneMcCartney) July 29, 2019

Angry commuters have also sought assistance from Southgate Green councillor Daniel Anderson:

Adrian I have emailed our contact at GTR and asked for a response to this seemingly ongoing calamitous situation.
— Daniel Anderson (@cllranderson) July 29, 2019

Ok so I have had a holding response from GTR:
‘We are extremely sorry for the recent unacceptable level of service. We have been working on an emergency action plan, which we are aiming to sign off tomorrow. I will be in touch with further details’
— Daniel Anderson (@cllranderson) July 31, 2019

Letter from Bambos Charalambous MP to the managing director of Govia Thameslink Railway

Mr Tom Moran
Managing Director
Govia Tharneslink Railway,
2nd Floor, Monument Place,
24 Monument Street,
London,
EC3R 8AJ

Our Ref: BC14381
30 July 2019

Dear Tom Moran,

Re: Train cancellations due to lack of drivers

I have been contacted by a number of constituents who are rightly frustrated that their journeys to and from work have been delayed due to the cancellation of their train service because of lack of drivers. Yesterday was one of the worst days ever when five trains out of nine were cancelled between 17.03 and 18.03 from Highbury & Islington to stations in my constituency of Enfield Southgate and beyond.

This level of performance is totally unacceptable and although particularly bad on Fridays and at weekends it has deteriorated and is now affecting peak time journeys too.

There can be no excuse for having insufficient drivers to run the trains that Great Northern have advertised in their timetable on a daily basis. This is a fundamental breach of duty. My constituents and I rely on your train service to get us in and out of central London and we should not have to put up with a sub standard service.

Whilst the new trains are a welcome improvement the cancellations undermine trust and confidence in Great Nodhern.

Please can you advise me what steps you are taking to improve the local service and reduce the level of train cancellations due to no driver.

We must see an improvement and that needs to happen fast.

I would expect any responsible employer to provide decent terms and conditions for all their staff and to ensure that cover is provided where necessary.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely

Bambos Charalambous MP

Rail services

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Posts in discussion: MP demands better train service amid rising passenger anger and frustration

Darren Edgar posted a reply

#4714

31 Jul 2019 17:18

Given the eye-watering salary packages train drivers have blackmailed, making them some of the best paid people in the country for the least amount of hours worked, you'd think they could actually turn up for work.

Unsurprising really that the issues happen most on Fridays and weekends....

Neil Littman posted a reply

#4725

01 Aug 2019 11:24

Was there an auto spell error? The main article was headed:
Politicians pass on passengers' compliments to Govia Thameslink Railway

Think that should have read 'complaints'?

Basil Clarke posted a reply

#4726

01 Aug 2019 14:04

Neil Littman wrote:

Was there an auto spell error? The main article was headed:
Politicians pass on passengers' compliments to Govia Thameslink Railway

Think that should have read 'complaints'?

Sorry, a bit too cryptic. In my headline "compliments" is to "complaints" as "availability" is to "unavailability" in the train cancellation announcements made by Great Northern.

(In case anyone's wondering what this is all about, Neil was referring to the headline of an item in today's Weekly Newsletter.)

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