new WTT47 16 May 2021

Does this mean a cut in the numbers of drivers on the Bakerloo Line ?

Hope this is only a temporary reduction. Hopefully, when we get all of the tourists back next year, we will need the off peak services to be increased again. I also detest the phrase "to improve service reliability." It's a financial cutback, pure and simple!

Unlikely as the peak requirement is unchanged at 31x7. It is the off-peaks that change - 24x7 MF (-4), 28x7 Sat (-1) and 24x7 Sun (-3).

They really need to have solved the problem of getting wheelchairs on/off trains north of Queens Park to make the work worthwhile. 

That's without the problem of stations with only stairs.

While more accessible stations is unquestionably a Good Thing, to say that making the trains accessible would not be worthwhile without more stations north of Queen's Park is not correct. Firstly access needs are more complicated than just level access (e.g. some people can use escalators but not stairs, or can slowly manage a short flight of stairs but not a large step to a train), and the tube map does a very poor job of indicating accessibility. As just one example, the same-direction interchanges at Baker Street, Oxford Circus and north of Queen's Park can all be done on the level and Paddington will become step-free when the Crossrail station opens. Basically as long as the modifications allow travel between at least one pair of stations for at least some people who couldn't otherwise do so it is worthwhile.

For those unfamiliar here's the timetable saga of the last few years on the Bakerloo Line.

Once upon a time there was LO EUS-WFJ every 20 mins, which melded perfectly well with LU's 6tph Harrow and 3tph to STP. Then someone decided the LO was going to increase the EUS-WFJ to 4tph, but that the LU service levels were to remain unchanged. You don't need to be a maths genius to figure out that doesn't work very well. And indeed it doesn't. The resulting timetable was a total compromise, the LO services were 13/17 instead of clockface 15's. The LU's to Harrow were every 10, but alternate trains were reversed on minimum allowed layover. As were about 40% of QUP trains. The STP trains all had massive layovers. All Elephant step-back's were 2 trains.
And the result of this timetable was 1. Line controllers complained that after disruption major or minor they couldn't get back on time. 2. Drivers via unions were complaining at never finishing their duty on time, and threatening strike action over the timetable.
A stop-gap measure to prioritise LU over LO trains north of QUP and one train stripped from the off-peak eased the situation a little.
But in reality a new timetable was needed, and this is it.
The line asked for and got the beautifully melded 4tph LO, 4tph Harrow 4tph STP. And the consequent reduction in off-peak south of QUP by approx. 1 train per hour. Step-back is increased to 3 trains at Elephant. All of this makes the whole timetable as robust as the version back the days of 3tph LO.
Unfortunately when the duty rostas were done this reduced the required number of drivers by 1 or 2.
Why the unions complain and threatened strike action when the timetable was unreliable, then we give them what they asked for, they complain and threaten strike action again I don't know, can't fathom and don't comprehend.
Anyway the slight reduction is nothing to do with COVID and there are no plans to re-increase it again, until someone finds the funds for the Bakerloo Extension, the line is re-signalled and more trains and services are needed.

I suspect the union may see it as a reduction in possible future paying members.

Hi Westinghouse. Certainly on my line, pool drivers can join the syndicate (Mafia) and section 3.3 of the "Syndicate Compliance and Guidance" confirms that pool drivers can join. Unless it's a local agreement on your line that overrides the standard agreement?

Which union do you mean? Ive assumed RMT, but it wasn't clear.

That was my view as well, but as many of us know there isn't a single union representing the whole of the Underground, rightly or wrongly (which we won't get into here!). That's why when people say "The Union" it's important to clarify which one.

Indeed; I remember one BTOG member when I joined the Signalling Design Office, but they were very much the minority. Not sure what happened to them.
I can certainly think of colleagues who have been in ASLEF, TSSA, RMT, and Unite - indeed in some parts of the organisation Unite is stronger than the RMT.

Sorry, as it had been noted upthread, the RMT have balloted for industrial action, should have clarified that I was indeed referring to RMT as 'the union' even though the RMT had been referred to as 'the union' in multiple posts up to mine.

Will try and be more specific in future!

It's early days yet, but it's pretty safe to say the new timetable has solved most of the issues the line has faced in recent years, the turn around times make a massive difference.

There have been some unexpected benefits, there is a train that stables at London Road Depot during the off-peak. The Train Managers at Elephant are now able to assess Elephant drivers as part of the competence management system. Before this involved both driver and manager having to travel up to Stonebridge Park Depot.

There are a number of early turns at Elephant that also stable off-peak at Stonebridge Park now.

The above are both very useful for a training and licencing requirements and allow trainees to do their road test at their home depot, with many more duties suitable for the 'office hours' that the Training and Development department works.

Last but not least, sometimes less is more, so we should be able to run a more reliable service for passengers, which at the end of the day is what really matters!