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Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4096		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  bobbdobbs [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
clicky
Quote:
Network Rail is transporting 200 staff by coach from Reading to Coventry for a conference because of the high cost of train tickets, it has emerged.

laugh or cry?

Quote:
The firm said it made no apologies for getting the "best value" for taxpayers.

Network Rail said it looks at cheaper options for journeys as part of cost-cutting, as its workers do not get free travel or discounts.

A spokesman added: "Whilst we have no role in setting train fares, we use rail for the overwhelming number of business journeys.

"Occasionally, if there is a cheaper alternative, we will use that."


and thus this is why the roads are congested. Public transport is no longer for the public but for some money grabbers who have fleeced a half witted government continuing with half baked transport policies, in herited from the previous mob but have decided that to do the right thing is far too great a task.
Author:  jonlumb [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
I thought Network Rail simply provided hardware / labour, they don't actually run any of the services...

It's still pretty funny though.
Author:  paulzolo [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
A 17 mile drive from here to my closest tube station saves me £10 per rail ticket, plus the £3+ bus fare from home to my local station. Even if you factor in the cost of parking (£1 weekends, £3 weekdays), that’s lunch easily covered.

Doing the maths a bit - a day out in London on a Saturday would cost the two of us £41+ in transport costs if we chose to travel from the local station. The same would cost £16 (plus petrol - bet that’s not more than about a couple of quid or so) from the tube station. That’s a difference of around £25.
Author:  EddArmitage [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
I'm really not looking forward to the day when my railcard is no longer valid. I'll have to buy a car, then. :(
Author:  Fogmeister [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
paulzolo wrote:
A 17 mile drive from here to my closest tube station saves me £10 per rail ticket, plus the £3+ bus fare from home to my local station. Even if you factor in the cost of parking (£1 weekends, £3 weekdays), that’s lunch easily covered.

Doing the maths a bit - a day out in London on a Saturday would cost the two of us £41+ in transport costs if we chose to travel from the local station. The same would cost £16 (plus petrol - bet that’s not more than about a couple of quid or so) from the tube station. That’s a difference of around £25.

This is something I have always said.

My dad lives 40 miles away. I can catch a train from Leeds City Centre to the station which is about 20 mins walk from my dad's house. It costs £19 per ticket for return.

If I went with my 2 sisters and one of my sister's boyfriends (we often go there on a weekend) then it would cost £76.

If I take them all in my car it costs around £10 - £15 in petrol (there and back) and that's it. I can come home whenever I like and that isn't including bus fare into Leeds.

Train prices are ridiculous.
Author:  cloaked_wolf [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
I can cite multiple examples too and again the bottom line is that it is cheaper and quicker by car than public transport.
Author:  davrosG5 [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
Not always cheaper by car but it certainly is in a lot of cases.

Going to London from Peterborough - £18 return at the weekend on the train (about 80 miles, less than a 1/4 of a tank of petrol each way but there would be parking as well). Train works out about the same as the car and is probably a bit cheaper if you have to pay to park the car.

Going from Peterborough to Glasgow with the cheapest advance ticket - £16 each way. It's about 320 miles so the train thrashes the car... unless two of you are going in which case it's about even.

Still, I never normally have to travel at commuter times in which case the car pretty much wins every time.
Author:  finlay666 [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
Reading to Newcastle was approx equal depending on time of day for the length of journey and cost in my car

Saying that, National Express (failure) have erected sh*tty ticket stiles in Newcastle train station, despite the fact that no one wants them, and they slow down everyone, and won't stop people travelling without tickets
Author:  paulzolo [ Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
davrosG5 wrote:
Not always cheaper by car but it certainly is in a lot of cases.

Going to London from Peterborough - £18 return at the weekend on the train (about 80 miles, less than a 1/4 of a tank of petrol each way but there would be parking as well). Train works out about the same as the car and is probably a bit cheaper if you have to pay to park the car.

Going from Peterborough to Glasgow with the cheapest advance ticket - £16 each way. It's about 320 miles so the train thrashes the car... unless two of you are going in which case it's about even.


That’s the thing - volume. It would be cheaper if we took the car into London if three or more were travelling. Any petrol and parking fees can be split by the number of people travelling, and this starts to reduce the over all cost. You only have to park one car, not four for example.

Maybe train companies need to look more at volume discounts...
Author:  Angelic [ Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
Uhm.

I work for a rail company (Formerly NXEC)

Network Rail DO get free rail travel...
Author:  AlunD [ Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
Angelic wrote:
Uhm.

I work for a rail company (Formerly NXEC)

Network Rail DO get free rail travel...


No they don't only if you started before, I think, 1989. Its also not allowed for business travel only personal travel and commuting. ( ex railtrack )
Author:  big_D [ Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
paulzolo wrote:
A 17 mile drive from here to my closest tube station saves me £10 per rail ticket, plus the £3+ bus fare from home to my local station. Even if you factor in the cost of parking (£1 weekends, £3 weekdays), that’s lunch easily covered.

You forgot the 16 quid for mileage (according to the AA) for driving the car to the station. ;)
Author:  RichardLucas [ Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains 'too costly' for rail firm
paulzolo wrote:
Maybe train companies need to look more at volume discounts...


Some do. There is a groupsave scheme where 4 passengers travel for the price of 2. It's only off-peak day returns though.

http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/group-save.aspx
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