The Mayor of London refuses to address the impacts removing the Day Travelcards affecting the disabled, refugees, victims of crime, digitally excluded, etc.!

Update at 21-09-23

The paper Day Travelcard shall remain to be the most important ticket, I suggest that he read the equality impact assessment from the mayoral decision page.

https://www.london.gov.uk/md3142-withdrawal-day-travelcards-tfl-network

The links to the equality impact assessment documents

https://www.london.gov.uk/media/101984/download

https://www.london.gov.uk/media/102132/download

The information is quite detailed and it will affect various groups of people, especially the disabled as some are unable to get a freedom pass due to their location (outside of Greater London) or the eligibility criteria by the London borough council which I find discriminatory.

The Oyster and contactless PAYG is not suitable for the disabled people because they have to wait longer at stations for assistance, and they get hit with maximum fares for staying over the maximum journey times. Geoff Marshall explain about it on his YouTube video which starts 10 minutes in.

https://youtu.be/oSpdyVg3zv0?t=602

An organisation named Inclusion London also tweeted their concerns about the removal of the Day Travelcard affecting the disabled people.

https://twitter.com/InclusionLondon/status/1653750938769711105

TFL stated on their website: "We will not give a refund if you have already claimed 3 maximum fare refunds in the same calendar month."

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/refunds-and-replacements/exceeded-maximum-journey-time

This shows that the Oyster and contactless PAYG is not suitable and is discriminatory for the disabled people, and they prefer to use the paper Day Travelcards, especially with their railcard discount for themselves and their companions.

Also, I believe this is against the Consumer Rights Act 2015 in terms of hidden charges.

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act-aKJYx8n5KiSl

I hope the information helps.

Hello

I wish to bring the issue to your attention.

Very recently, the Mayor of London has recently answered a question submitted by the London Assembly member named Caroline Pidgeon about the impacts on the removal of the Day Travelcards where people who had their cards and smartphone lost or stolen and they are unable to travel on public transport as the cost of a new Oyster card is £7 which is non refundable, and they had to wait for their replacement cards to arrive in the post. This will certainly make travel expensive and harder for various groups of people including overseas tourists!

The questions and answers:

Question

Withdrawal of the Day Travelcard (1)

With the withdrawal of the Day Travelcard, how can Londoners who have been victims of certain crimes, such as people who have had their wallets or smartphones stolen, make use of TfL’s services, including buses which are cash-free, whilst they await replacement bank cards or Oyster Cards?

Answer

Date: Tuesday 19 September 2023

The withdrawal of the Day Travelcard will not have an impact. Customers can continue to buy paper single tickets using both cash or bankcards at our ticket machines.

https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/withdrawal-day-travelcard-1

Question

Withdrawal of the Day Travelcard (2)

With the withdrawal of the Day Travelcard, how can passengers who use concessionary cards such as the Freedom Pass or zip cards make use of TfL’s services, including buses which are cash-free, as they wait to receive their replacement card?

Answer

Date: Tuesday 19 September 2023

The withdrawal of Day Travelcards will have no impact. Customers waiting for a replacement card can use contactless to pay as you go, get an Oyster card to pay as you go or buy a paper single ticket.

https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/withdrawal-day-travelcard-2

I'm appalled with the answers by the Mayor of London, the withdrawal of the Day Travelcard will catastrophically people, especially tourists (both overseas and domestic), and vulnerable groups including victims of crime, refugees, digitally excluded, the disabled, people fleeing domestic violence, etc.

He did not even address issue regarding people who have no Oyster or contactless card to travel on London's buses as they are cash-free.

On the Mayoral decision page linked below, please scroll down to the 'supporting documents' to read the equality impact assessment and the supporting documents for more issues raised in regards to the withdrawal of the Day Travelcards.

https://www.london.gov.uk/md3142-withdrawal-day-travelcards-tfl-network

Recently, the Campaign for Better Transport has launched a campaign to pressure the Mayor, TFL and the government to retain the Day Travelcards. But they missed out a vital issue which had been raised to the Mayor of London.

https://bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/save-the-travelcard/

I recommend that you contact your Member of Parliament about this issue, and please raise your concern directly to TFL and the Mayor's office about it!

https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/contact-us-about-corporate-affairs

https://www.london.gov.uk/contact-us-form

Please get this shared far and wide, the withdrawal of the Day Travelcard is absolutely concerning and it will make travel in London much harder for vulnerable groups. The Day Travelcard is a very important ticket and it must be retained at all costs! https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons

Evaluating sachemes - interim update 20-09-23

28-09-23

re: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/columnists/article-12567891/PETER-HITCHENS-HS2-Low-Speed-One.html

I don't usually agree with the politics of Peter Hitchens, but I think here, he has a point. If only Reversing Beeching was pitted alongside or instead of HS lines and a referendum to let the people decide, maybe region by region and have a nationwide approach? In any case, it has been poorly managed from a great height! All eggs in one rail solution basket and now whether delivered or not, still leaves many a glaring gap with shorter journeys and connectivity being a life-line to outlying areas and town with coordinated buses. Localised sourcing of small scale freight by rail like post, pallets and parcels, should be a nationwide push and the government, if it took the environment seriously, would give equal subsidy to it as per Bridgewater (Car Batteries) and Cowley (Electric Cars). ERTA will keep on, keeping on. But the rail fraternity is divided around these issues and some calling any who disagree with HS 'buffoons'; we don't stoop to that level, but the process of dumping development in the wake of say East-West Rail (Oxford-Bedford-Cambridge) misses the point, whereby yes some additions with stations but swamping with 150, 000 'new towns minus infrastructure' is not to do the rail or locations any balancing justice. In any case, the queue is on first time homes and lower income brackets seeking somewhere to live, whereas semi-detached upwards of £350, 000 starting price alienates the majority if the wages do not match the costs and deficit of transport.

Join us for our meeting: 

Agenda of Northampton Public Meeting 

Saturday 30^th September 2023 from 2pm at The Northampton Quakers, Quaker House, Wellington Street, Northampton NN1 3AS https://www.quaker.org.uk/meetings/northampton

1.    Chairman’s welcome

Andrew Meaney, Partner in Oxera https://www.oxera.com/

2.    An economic and finance consultancy. Andrew will be speaking around ‘‘Rail funding, and effective business cases”

3.    Questions and Answers (Q&A)

4.    Peter Doveston of Northampton Streets Campaign

5.    Questions and Discussion

6.    Northampton-Market Harborough Rail Link – outline and discussion

7.    Motion for an ERTA Umbrella Working Group to be set up to bi-monthly meet at Northampton to forward the rail agenda.

8.    Any Other Business

9.    General Mingle and Chat.

10. Finish 16.00hrs, out by 17.00 hours 

All welcome, admission free.

I spotted this: https://free-3733520.webador.co.uk/ 

What do people think? Is it viable, a goer? From a point of view that all closures were wrong, yes, from a more likely than not, marginal? Yes, we need more and to up the game, but I'd have thought Witney comes first in the league before this scheme? However if more interest was emanating from the Government, the balancing of subsidy to car and road building if commuted to reopenings, could inform more than the trickle tokenism we see at the moment. At this rate, Gloucester-Hereford via Ross-on-Wye looks plausible. 

I reckon as a layman, the pull of Ross, is such that even a terminal branch to the edge of Ross Parkway style, could fill trains easily. But is some cases, we need a third-party agent which says "here's the cheque, move please" as 55 years of neglect, means breaches inevitable and so reclaiming or realignment is required in many cases. 

On the HS2 saga, I have never heard of any compare and contrast study between rebuilding the Great Central with Woodhead and HS2 in terms of cost comparison, upheaval, relocation and so forth. It seems Birmingham and bolting for HS Network without much regards for anything else. 

We have seen recently WCML capacity issues will remain at current levels of demand, new or environmental modal shift back to rail, will mean a demand to widen our railways with new tracks for more trains - Bletchley-Milton Keynes Central and Northampton cited. However, the delay, lag and non commitment to delivery/the plan now, is a key concern. 

On Northampton-Market Harborough rail reopening, we have a. unearthed a study making a thorough case, b. are now gathering professionals to support it and c. take it forward to next stages. I thank and credit Professor Andrew Williams for his lead on the matter. If you can give support and attend the Northampton Public Meeting, so well and good. https://ertarail.co.uk/events/

Thanks very much for your interest. 

East-West Rail has taken over 35 years, 10 years should be the norm. Help make it so please. The 2019 consultation did not include the original route east of Bedford via St John's and whilst propaganda says "built over", in the name of a new railway, the instigators want upwards of 60 houses for their new 'non threat' rail course! 

It is ERTA's view that cost and upheaval could be reduced if our proposed route was considered, worked up and supported. Alas, argie-bargie seems the order of the day and every delay only bumps up cost and fatigue. 

ERTA does provide a voice, but needs more volunteers for both existing and new demands. If you want to explore more, please offer to be part of that answer to prayer!

Again, there's a push for an Ely rail bypass to speed and enable more freight by rail from East Coast Ports etc, but pressure is then cascaded to March-Peterborough, Peterborough-Leicester, Leicester bottlenecking and Leicester-Nuneaton. Clearly we need relief lines, which means new-build. Yes, we need Ely, but March-Spalding and a new A14 parallel passenger and freight line is also needed with an arm to Northampton for the A45 alternative.

On Leicester, Melton Mowbray-Nottingham via Old Dalby needs a rebuild to link with Nottingham Midland, nothing is easy or cost free, but if we want capacity through Leicester, that and what a Knighton-Burton upon Trent-Derby et al could do for freight all needs to be evaluated and considered and progressed incrementally. 

Together, we can foster progress, but for some of us, it seems much is cascaded to future generations to unpick the mess bequeathed to them and that both costs and raises the question whether they will apprehend it or bypass by other means-ways like we can only speculate on? But for my money, conventional heavy rail, able to handle people and goods like HS1 does, is the way to go, not segregated lines or hyperloop. The adage that Cambridge can get you to Mars but not Oxford by rail, may have been mitigated by such a future time, but if you take environmental and land use concerns seriously, one cannot but be saddened by the waste occurring amidst dithering and failure to put basic rail access first.

Network Rail's West Coast South Strategic Advice (WCSSA)

12-09-23 Please come and support us at the Northampton Public Meeting 'open to all':

ERTA Northampton Public Meeting:

Saturday 30th September at

The Northampton Quakers, Quaker House, Wellington Street, Northampton NN1 3AS https://www.quaker.org.uk/meetings/northampton

2pm-4pm (core time) with Guest Speakers:

Andrew Meaney, Partner in Oxera https://www.oxera.com/

An economic and finance consultancy. Andrew will be speaking around ‘‘Rail funding, and effective business cases” followed by

Peter Doveston of Northants Streets Campaign

There will be a Question and Answer (Q&A) time followed by a Discussion on reopening the Northampton-Market Harborough rail link followed by a general rail and transport discussion, general mingle and sales stall (old magazines mainly). Please bring cash with you.

Further comment: Professor Andrew Williams 07923489254 anw@doctors.org.uk or broader comment: 

Mr Richard Pill ERTA CEO richard.erta@gmail.com

A retiring collection will be available. Please invite others and help spread the word. Parking is limited. All offers to help get people there and support on the day welcome. Successful meetings can inspire other to get involved. Northampton-Market Harborough rail needs a dedicated team!

https://ertarail.co.uk/events/

re: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/West-Coast-Main-Line-South-Capacity-Enhancement-Plan-v1.0.pdf

This report was not communicated to ERTA and not me in particular. Unsure if the link tallies with the named report featured in Rail Edn. 991 Sept 6-Sept 19 2023 pages 8-9 or an update? If 2021, was it delayed due to Pandemic or like 2020 Northampton-Market Harborough rail study, suppressed? In the case of the latter, it was only unearthed by my ERTA colleague and Patron Professor Andrew N. Williams via a Freedom of Information request. The report is comprehensive and shows a real case and can-be-done project, which could have been forged ahead as an investment in all our futures as a levelling up project 'around the regions' linking as it would and complementing East-West Rail with Leicester and East Midlands/The North and also the Peterborough link to Felixstowe and the East Coast for example. Taking cvars and lorries off local and regional roads through more choice, a win, win, for the environment, land use and reducing pollution, informing sustainable new investment and benefits for all, on and off the rails. So why was it suppressed until now or rather not reported until now?

According to the Rail Magazine reporting of it my reflection is:

1. HS2 may help with some capacity, but is not a panacea and has been over-egged on wider impact capacity wise terms. 

2. Besides, new links/reopenings to enable more by rail are needed and this study shows why Northampton-MH (N2MH) is a key candidate with many benefits.

3. The report goes on "too many trains, not enough tracks"

Capacity for existing trends fine, but any modal shift to rail, will demand more. What does that growth look like?

a. modal shift, with public health and environmental benefits.

b. new flows of business and commerce under-girded by a sustainable means for shifting people and goods, off local roads.

c. recovering ground lost thanks to the closures, of people and goods back to rail, we need infrastructure and services.

4. Network Rail's (WCSSA) - 340 page report cites known capacity demands, which is? But new demands now and going forward plus unexpected increased demand for modal shift/transport collapse if costs of logistics make by rail - if rail can rise to the challenge - means we need diversity of tracks and trains, speed it not a panacea per se unless you tackle volume and flows unserved by rail which would be if the closures had not of been so drastic. Can we learn lessons and stop the rot on closure of ticket offices, price-managing demand off rails and denting public health and environmental well-being in the broadest sense?

5. The article goes on "To fully unlock the benefits of released capacity, strategic investment will be required between Milton Keynes and Bletchley." Laudabl;e, but work needs 'spades in the ground' now, not 2050 (assumed long-grassing measure by power deferring responsibility but increasing costs, risks and liabilities if any complain posthumously). Moreover we can note:

a. East Croydon/Gatwick-Watford-MK Central Station services cut back to Watford because of pathing capacity constraints now.

b. In a short space of time, Oxford-Milton Keynes services will want to traverse the 2-3 mile distance off the Bletchley Flyover to Milton Keynes Central Station, where through tracks and baying capacity is premium. 

c. I attended a meeting where it was put forward a direct curve from the east off the Bedford-Bletchley Railway for direct running into Milton Keynes Central Station was envisaged for people and goods as a cheaper option to new-build a new Bedford-Northampton rail link, which needs a new 10 mile new-build between Midland Main Line and Great Houghton across remaining and diminishing countryside amidst unsustainable, expensive piecemeal housing encroachments. ERTA has blown the whistle many times, we need councils and officers to talk to us, work with us and together with NR, Great British Railways, DfT and Treasury and other agencies (too many at cost not delivering!) means like with NR's WCSSA Report, they should have consulted us as stakeholders interested in getting things done in a timely manner. That means pre-planning, that means case, support and route management in one framework, not fragments, asking development consideration one hand, but plotting around to  both hedge bets against the odds and scupper off main line capacity enhancements as the Bedford-Northampton-Market Harborough twin packaged rail links would engenda.

6. On the Bedford-Bletchley curve element, for direct running of freight and passenger operations heading north-east respectively, you have to understand that it would be considerably troublesome:

a. lack of capacity between Bletchley and Milton Keynes, leaves the door wide open to do nothing on Bedford-Northampton amidst blighty, whilst knowingly advocating more trains without major expansion of tracks, trains and land-take?Does it square? We need definitive answers now and a map of intent of where it is going so we can rally around and ensure some progress is made within a 7 year time frame.

b. Whether bolted on to the flyover or under and 90 degree curve (not viable?) across currently used sidings -m Bletchley needs them now and going forward, keep shifting and longer delays for relief support service trains and maintenance? Maybe a new depot east of Bletchley at Swanbourne could offer some relief and capacity, ditto neglected Forders Sidings could also do more off main lines for servicing and storage for example? 

c. Northampton2MH offers integrated service if capacity can exist, but even if Leicester-Northampton (twin northern facing bays off Northampton Loop as an interim facility) it enables Oxford-Leicester via principal MK City and Northampton (large population) and gains by taking on in real modal choice terms A43, M1, A508 for example and modal shift by more accessibility rail-based solutions and local-regional combined use of same tracks and strategic gap plugged.

d. Freight by rail, a west to north direct curve and additional tracks on the Northampton loop line, would enable Felixstowe/East Midlands/The North to Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) and vice versa, has clearance status. Likewise, the new Northampton Freight Depot, taking more lorries off major road networks through choice and physical tracks enabling more.

e. Northampton Castle Station needs a new-build, more through tracks, more platforms and diverse rails. The Brackmills Branch, long called for, could be re-railed to London Road with a triangle adjacent to Towcester Road Bridge. This could serve as a southern waitover 'off through tracks' for passenger and freight use, as a turn around for any steam hauled services from anywhere or just loco shutting off through tracks. Point is, multiple uses, plus the Brackmills and Bedford arm having rail-based access (competitiveness and inclusion) plus, reducing the A428 Bedford Road entails, has to be weighed with level crossing delays or less congestion on roads aggregately with rail choice and access enhanced? Choices, but can be promising if we see the bigger picture surely? ERTA does and calls on professionals, elected representatives and the public to work with us constructively in the greater good interest; our nation, our environment, our people and our railways!

7. Routing Oxford-Leicester via Bedford misses out City of Milton Keynes and Northampton, is a long way round albeit off WCML and getting through Bedford Midland without 6-tracking will be another Bletchley-MK bottleneck and again, needs a rethinking with expansion and widening in mind, all costly, but necessary if we want modal shift, more trains and the tracks they rely on.