Given that sheep get shorn, why do rail passengers put up with?

Question

being fleeced by Train Operators. Stagecoach / South West Trains recently announced they would jack up fares for mid-morning to price passengers off and ease over-crowding. Why didn't they reduce fares for later in the day instead? I think it was about increasing profits not overcrowding. What do you think?

Answer 1

Your suggestion sounds a bit too much like common sense for them. Good idea though.

Answer 2

You could do a public service by not travelling by train, thereby making everyone else's journey less crowded.

You are the reason trains are crowded.  Get off.

Answer 3

oh this is just bollocks, south west trains are losing it, first they said they were eliminating toilets from some of their long services to ease overcrowding, cant they just add another carriage and if the platforms are too short can't they only allow passengers off from some carriages like they already do at Isleworth.

Rest assured that once they start doing this, First Great Western will copy this

Answer 4

I work for SWT as a driver and I can categorically state that I couldn't give a XXXX what you passengers pay.

If you want the fares to be reduced, then think of a way to get all the fare-dodgers to part with their cash and pay their way.

THAT'S the reason for increases.

It isn't just the poor that do it, I have seen businessmen in suits jumping the railings to leave a station rather than pay the fare.

If ALL passengers paid then the fares would be able to be lowered.

If you still feel that the company is 'fleecing' the passengers then contact South West Trains directly and ask them to explain themselves. Oh, and by the way, while your at it, ask why the rail staff are treated so badly. Our pay rise last year was 42% lower than inflation and this year looks like its going the same way.

Meanwhile, the 'City' workers are getting a h**l of a lot more than we are and yet are travelling illegally by not purchasing a ticket!

As for the increasing profits and not easing overcrowding.

If trains are too crowded they become an accident waiting to happen.

If people are packed in and one falls out of the train at a station, chances are, that the empty space created will be filled by another passenger falling and there is a domino effect.

I have seen this happen and 7 people were injured.

Everyone has a gripe of one sort or another against the Railway. It's been that way since BR days and will continue for a long time yet. In the meantime, we, as Train Crew, will continue to do our best to keep the trains running as close to on time as we can.

The Railway is an incredibly dangerous place where a mistake can take someones life!

Excuse us if we prefer to make it as safe as we possibly can, even if part of this means that fares rise.

I have witnessed suicides, been to 3 funerals for Rail workers that were killed doing their jobs. I have also been the victim of an assault by someone who refused to pay the fare.

Believe me when I say that we REALLY don't care what the publics opinion is.

Answer 5

In merseyside child bus fares have been increasing bi-monthly by 5p at a time and suddenly jacked up to £1 each way last week!

Now i hate travelling because i have to spend £2 if i want to wait for the right bus or £3 if i want to save time.