Travel Diary: On 11th March I took the train between #Bedford and Market Harborough (MH) and back. I took a bag on wheels. Whilst government must take some responsibility, it begs the question also does the Unitary-Mayoral model of Local Government render to a quisling culture and a figurehead as 'the extended arm of Central Government' rather than a lobby-voice for the people and their 'local' aspirations? Bedford has a huge debate on routes and to be or not to be on East-West Rail but existing rail-based public transport leaves much to be desired. To get to MH one needs to change at Kettering, invariably go over the footbridge and do the same on return, meaning 2 trains to get to and from MH or #Leicester from #Bedford. That is a time-cost, that is an inconvenience. The gaps between low platforms and train steps in a context of many getting off and on, means for older people like myself, great care is required to avoid falling through the gap or breaking a bone on a hard step-off.
Cost and ticket was not such an issue, but NRES, which is fairly good, said pre-book when kind ticket office people said not required. I was thankful for the latter. Plenty of spare seats to Kettering, but only 5 coaches or so and choca-block on the East Midlands express services which call at MH. Standing room only, yes fast, yes only a few minutes, but had I of pre-booked a specific seat reservation: a. I could not get to it and where to put luggage? b. I could not get up and to doors to alight. No better coming back either. Lifts useful when working, not always the case, so I have to carry bag on wheels over busy footbridges. Government cuts and 'reforms' mean less staff, stringent rationing and Mick Lynch is right to flag these up as dysfunction for rail and passenger needs also.
On 5th April I travelled off-peak to #Guildford and the ticket with a disabled railcard cost £31.85 return. Now why get rid of Return Tickets? I bought it on the day at a ticket office and one ticket took me there with underground and the other brought me back via 'any permitted route'. I think Returns should be an option and should give a discount regardless plus concessionaries off peak and singles should be either comparable or Returns courting a discount for more rail usage? From Bedford, train was delayed due to no driver we were told, and then went semi-fast calling only at #Luton to St Pancras and onwards as a #Thameslink normal service. I alighted at St Pancras, got the tube and ended up at Waterloo. As the sun shone, I thought Waterloo was at its best. I found a fast train for #Portsmouth via Guildford and only one stop at #Woking. There was a commotion by one lady and some others who discovered 3 out of 4 toilets locked out of action, this a busy 'express' service! I did what I went to do and came back via Guildford-#Redhill (for Thameslink connection). All fine as far as it goes, but no-one on that route checked any tickets, so plenty for free-bies? Cause unknown and uncommunicated. I left Guildford approx. 15.15 I got a Thameslink train at Redhill but it was going to #Peterborough, so I alighted at busy #Blackfriars and due to a 10 minute wait at a signal en-route to London Bridge, the Bedford train came in within about 10 minutes. It was packed but by Luton plenty of spare capacity. One person walked through the train (Peterborough bound) from East Croydon-#London asking for money, food and any donations. One knows not whether genuine or a scammer, but how did he afford a ticket if destitute/who paid it? Likewise grafitti can be observed in many cases where one can think 'how did they get 'there''? Like bike theft, such is either well planned, organised and executed, an insider job or some grey area between? Lastly as far as Bedford is concerned, reinstate trains on the Bedford-#Bletchley Railway as Vivarail stock is available elsewhere, why not exact same model and deal for our line too? Farce is how one observer describes it, darned reckless could be another. Government is not going public, is not communicating and surely Government must bring fragments together and ensure the rail wheels keep turning?
My conclusion so far is that whilst we need reopenings, rebuilds and reinstatements and that agenda, we also need some human-faced and funded TLC of customer care, seamless journeys and more attention to detail and joined-upness. I am glad disabled people's views are being sought. I want one nation, one railway and basic standards from accessible toilets (Bedford male/female toilets are too small per volume/where is the 'disabled' cubical?) and price/value for money and no, I am not an advocate for 'Third Class' either!
Addendum: Re: https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/class-230s-finally-enter-service-with-transport-for-wales/63897.article If they, Isle of Wright, Wrexham can procure and manage these trains, why not London North Western for Bedford-Bletchley or third-party joint loan scheme and share costs on maintenance for example?It seems we are being made an exception when with X5 now hourly and curtailed time-table-wise, we need more public transport options to arc across between WCML and MML/Bedford and Milton Keynes? Waiting for East-West Rail seems daft, they won't want loads of intermediate stations to serve, rather end-to-end fasts. So we need champions for the shuttle too and who blinks first, must surely win?
ERTA hits the news, but how-to get our trains back with a fragmented half-hearted system?
Let us have your ideas and feedback via richard.erta@gmail.com
See latest update at 14-09-2023:
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