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Post by londonstuff on Nov 13, 2010 17:07:40 GMT
Before I start my rant, I'm aware than there is a need for engineering closures to occur (although others on here might disagree) and I'm always positive about TfL. What I'm about to say isn't particularly directed at the people on the front line but more at the planners who decide what gets closed and when.
Today, just in Zone 1 alone the Victoria, Jubilee, Circle lines were closed, along with the Met from Baker Street onwards, the Acton Town area further out and as I write this, about two-thirds of the Piccadilly line.
Victoria station alone had hundreds of confused people, ticket booth queues had 50+ people in them with only 2 booths open and then to top it off, perhaps through no fault of TfL's, no credit or debit cards were being accepted. Getting anywhere was pretty hard work as it was the 'vertical' lines closed and took forever - people were waiting for several trains to go past before they were able to get on.
South Kensington, coming back was a similar situation, hundreds of people on the platform, no visible CSAs around except for one not particularly helpful person in his hut near the eastbound headwall. In fact, the only person I could see who was helping was one of the contracted cleaners who was literally left to direct people - even the signage at South Ken doesn't indicate that people can go to Earl's Court and then get on a Wimbleware to High Street Ken and beyond. Complete confusion all round.
Today, unfortunately, was the worst experience I've ever had on the tube although I was probably one of the fortunate ones who actually knew where he was going - one of the poor CSAs at Victoria was close to tears and there were literally hundreds of fed up and confused passengers around.
The fault, I'd suggest is with the planners who decide what gets closed and when - whoever decided to implement such severe closures simultaneously on a weekend when there's hundreds of thousands of extra people in London for Remembrance weekend, The Lord Mayor's Show (and fireworks more centrally tonight) and rugby further out in west London.
I really hate being negative about the workings of the Underground but several hours after making such a disgustingly horrible journey I'm still angry at how poorly TfL has treated both the passengers and staff.
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Nov 13, 2010 17:18:31 GMT
If you haven't done so already, can I encourage you to leave positive feedback about the staff you observed who were doing their best to help - including the cleaner. If you word it carefully you should be able to make it clear that while you are complementing the staff on the ground that you are disgusted that the should have been placed in this situation.
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SE13
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Post by SE13 on Nov 13, 2010 19:03:05 GMT
To clarify the credit/debit card problems, it was a network problem affecting quite a number of outlets linked to whichever bank was running that particular service. Absolutely nothing was working here aside from the RBS cashpoint at Tesco.
As for planning, well, you'd have thought some effort would go into knowing what's happening and when and where, but at the same time, it isn't always possible to have the right people at the right times in the right places, so a lot of juggling probably happens.
Hats off to frontline staff in situations like this, they take the brunt of the wrath for an entire shift, and still manage not to snap, and it's not even their fault, they are just the first people the public see.
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Post by citysig on Nov 13, 2010 19:16:30 GMT
I would normally rush to defend the works, and give several excuses for the works clashing. Not this time.
As far as the Lord Mayor's Show goes, this is organised and planned months in advance. It's also not that many weeks to Christmas, with many taking to do both the show and a spot of shopping.
Poor planning is all that can be said.
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Post by Chris M on Nov 14, 2010 14:05:04 GMT
As far as the Lord Mayor's Show goes, this is organised and planned months in advance. It has been held on the second Saturday in November since 1959, and before that the 9th of November since the change to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, so the planners should have had plenty of opportunity to be aware it was happening. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2010 16:16:32 GMT
I think the card issue is to do with the new ticket office at Victoria, all the windows were cash only and only coin/paper money passenger operated machines were in use.
TBH, I think that having a ticket office at street level is a better idea for Victoria.
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Post by Tomcakes on Nov 14, 2010 16:27:09 GMT
Do LU not have a backup system? BR guards have a carbon-paper impression thingy for if/when their chip & pin system breaks. Slightly awkward, but works.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2010 23:51:18 GMT
The planning of the engineering works was terrible. The District service on the central section Gloucester Road to Tower Hill was only half the normal combined District and Circle service, which is bad enough anyway, but throw in all the displaced Jubilee and Victoria line passengers and it was a total nightmare.
At one point on Saturday we had Monument closed due to overcrowding and Embankment was exit only for the same reason. So going east, after South Ken there were no more interchanges until Mile End!
We ended up with the District line running with delays just because of the sheer volume of passengers. And I saw no platform staff to help dispatching the trains from the overcrowded platforms.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2010 20:48:27 GMT
And I saw no platform staff to help dispatching the trains from the overcrowded platforms. Probably because few of the stations would have extra staff. Special Requirements Team (SRT) would be spread thinly due to the amount of engineering work and the union imposed overtime ban would prevent many station staff from working overtime even if it was offered. 2 weekends ago the engineering work that affected my location was not supported by SRT nor by overtime being offered. One can only hope that the new staffing arrangments that LU are imposing that will see booking office staff being re-distributed to customer facing roles will see a massive increase in staff available at weekends........  |
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Post by Chris M on Nov 15, 2010 21:25:39 GMT
One can only hope that the new staffing arrangments that LU are imposing that will see booking office staff being re-distributed to customer facing roles will see a massive increase in staff available at weekends........ I hope you can forgive me if I don't hold my breath |
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Post by ajamieson on Nov 15, 2010 22:15:07 GMT
I really hate being negative about the workings of the Underground but several hours after making such a disgustingly horrible journey I'm still angry at how poorly TfL has treated both the passengers and staff. Spot on. I was trying to get to work at 4.30pm on Saturday on the District line and it was a nightmare. Took almost an hour to get from Mile End to Victoria on a crushloaded train as almost every single station seemed to be rammed. Monument was close altogether due to the crowding, Tower Hill not far behind. Not helped by the fact the TfL thinks one District train every 10 minutes is an adequate weekend service even if there were not several major events taking place. Someone, somewhere gets a generous pay package, at the expense of users, for planning this stuff. They aren't doing a good enough job, and are putting front line colleagues in the firing line. |
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Post by superteacher on Nov 15, 2010 22:46:16 GMT
All in a city that thinks it can cope with the Olympics - I wonder if any members from the Olympic committee were in London to see this shambles . . .
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2010 3:45:30 GMT
All in a city that thinks it can cope with the Olympics - I wonder if any members from the Olympic committee were in London to see this shambles . . . Oh, how other cities like Guangzhou (Asian Games 2010), and even Kuala Lumpur (Commonwealth Games 1998) would laugh. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2010 6:08:41 GMT
All in a city that thinks it can cope with the Olympics - I wonder if any members from the Olympic committee were in London to see this shambles . . . Oh, how other cities like Guangzhou (Asian Games 2010), and even Kuala Lumpur (Commonwealth Games 1998) would laugh. When the IOC visited London, the service status had to be kept at Good Service. Just to create a good impression for them as sod the customers. I wonder if management also went round a bought every copy of. The Evening Standard? |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2010 12:30:52 GMT
I wonder if management also went round a bought every copy of. The Evening Standard?  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2010 15:30:06 GMT
When the IOC visited London, the service status had to be kept at Good Service. Just to create a good impression for them as sod the customers. The IOC are here again on one of their periodic inspection visits today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11773769I wonder if any of them came to London early for a shopping trip, and saw last weekend's chaos? Well, I presume chauffered limos which waited for them in bus lanes were sent for them even then, so they wouldn't see it. I note the trip is for 3 days, Wednesday through to Friday, so they will probably be gone before next weekend's shutdowns. |
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Post by cso on Nov 17, 2010 16:11:19 GMT
What does it matter if they see the travel chaos at weekends though...
Haven't TFL suspended all work for the duration of the olympics (and a few weeks either side IIRC)?
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Post by Tomcakes on Nov 17, 2010 16:25:17 GMT
What does it matter if they see the travel chaos at weekends though... Haven't TFL suspended all work for the duration of the olympics (and a few weeks either side IIRC)? Isn't it slightly symptomatic of the "those pesky passengers, I mean, wanting to travel at the weekend?!" view which TfL seem to take? |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2010 16:40:11 GMT
What does it matter if they see the travel chaos at weekends though... Haven't TFL suspended all work for the duration of the olympics (and a few weeks either side IIRC)? Isn't it slightly symptomatic of the "those pesky passengers, I mean, wanting to travel at the weekend?!" view which TfL seem to take? Oh, of course not! Why would passengers even cross the minds of those upstairs in T fL?  ;D |
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Post by SE13 on Nov 17, 2010 21:31:21 GMT
People forget that there is only three available hours overnight to do any work, so weekend closures will keep happening until such time as the work is complete. That said: - Take possession
- Tea break
- Move to working position
- Tea break
- Get set up for work
- Lunch break
- Start getting things ready to go home
- Tea break
- Pack up and return
- Hand possession back
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Post by rincew1nd on Nov 17, 2010 22:03:00 GMT
That said: - Take possession
- Tea break
- Move to working position
- Tea break
- Get set up for work
- Lunch break
- Start getting things ready to go home
- Tea break
- Pack up and return
- Hand possession back
;D ;D ;D ;D Sounds a bit like Outdoor Week |
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Post by mrfs42 on Nov 18, 2010 0:34:46 GMT
Blimey - have the electrified lands been learning from the 2'3"? ;D
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Post by Tomcakes on Nov 18, 2010 4:56:14 GMT
I think previous threads (which have discussed the issues in some detail) reveal frustrations not because of necessary work, but of poor service levels elsewhere, lack of staff, lack of railway replacement coaches and badly co-ordinated closures - all things which should be considered. I expect that those who plan the closures never have to travel of a weekend, and if they do they won't pay the fare.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2010 12:33:34 GMT
I think previous threads (which have discussed the issues in some detail) reveal frustrations not because of necessary work, but of poor service levels elsewhere, lack of staff, lack of railway replacement coaches and badly co-ordinated closures - all things which should be considered. I expect that those who plan the closures never have to travel of a weekend, and if they do they won't pay the fare. Indeed, and the most valuable Frustrated Passenger rants have come from the member Diana, I believe. Much needs to be done, and I mean more than tea breaks  ;D. |
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;D.
