First Capital Connect letter to Herts County Council

Dear Stakeholder,

As you know, Thameslink route First Capital Connect services have been severely affected by train cancellations over the past week due to a shortage of available drivers. This also began to impact on Great Northern route services last week. Yesterday, Remembrance Sunday, we were extremely disappointed that we were unable to run any trains on that route as insufficient drivers had volunteered to do overtime or to work their rest days. The remainder of our station, revenue and train preparation staff worked normally.

First Capital Connect is currently in pay talks with all our trades unions. The company has offered a two-year deal, with a pay freeze in this current (2009-2010) financial year and RPI + 1% or 3% (whichever is greater) in the 2010-2011 financial year. In addition First Capital Connect is offering a £200 lump sum to be paid on 4 April 2010 to all employees covered by collective bargaining.
We believe that our offer is fair and reasonable and reflects the current economic climate of a prolonged and continuing recession.

We very much regret the impact that this action is having on our valued customers. We will do everything possible to minimise the disruption to our services and to communicate the details of trains that have had to be cancelled or formed with fewer than normal carriages as effectively as possible. Up-to-date information is shown on our website www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk by clicking through to “Live Train Updates” or selecting the “Live Departure Board” of the station from which one intends to travel. The latest information is also available from National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50.

Customers can claim under Delay Repay if their journey is delayed for more than 30 minutes. We suggest that they claim on-line where possible as the post is unreliable and processing is likely to be faster.

I would be grateful if you could share this letter with your members and once again apologise for the disruption to journeys at this time.

Yours sincerely

Day of shame for First Capital Connect

The following cancellations or alterations are taking place as a result of the unofficial industrial dispute that they have been trying to keep quiet about. For up to the minute information go to http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/Main.php?sEvent=MajorIncident

SERVICE CANCELLATIONS SOUTHBOUND:
05:58 Bedford to Brighton,due 08:27, is Cancelled.
07:08 Luton to Sutton,due 08:46, is Cancelled.
07:16 Bedford to Sutton,due 09:05, is Cancelled.
07:28 Bedford to Brighton,due 09:54, is Cancelled.
07:44 Bedford to Elephant & Castle, due 08:52, is Cancelled.
08:06 St Albans to Sutton,due 09:36, is Cancelled.
08:20 Bedford to Brighton,due 10:49, is Cancelled.
08:54 Bedford to Brighton,due 11:17, is Cancelled.
11:14 Luton to Sutton,due 13:05, is Cancelled.
11:44 Luton to Sutton,due 13:35, is Cancelled.
12:14 Luton to Sutton,due 14:05, is Cancelled.
13:14 Luton to Sutton, due 15:05, is Cancelled.
13:43 St Albans to Sutton,due 15:06, is Cancelled.
15:13 St Albans to Sutton,due 16:36, is Cancelled.
15:26 Kentish Town to Sevenoaks, due 16:42, is Cancelled.
15:43 St Albans to Sutton,due 17:11, is Cancelled.
16:43 St Albans to Sutton,due 18:07, is Cancelled.
16:44 Luton to Sutton,due 18:31, is Cancelled.
16:46 Bedford to Ashford International, due 19:37, is Cancelled.
17:18 Luton to Sutton,due 19:04, is Cancelled.
17:34 Bedford to Brighton,due 19:59, is Cancelled.
18:02 St Albans to Sutton,due 19:39, is Cancelled.
21:48 Luton to St Pancras International, due 22:36,is Cancelled.
21:50 Bedford to St Pancras International, due 22:52, is Cancelled.
22:58 London Bridge to Sutton, due 23:43, is Cancelled.
01:10 (Thursday morning) Bedford to St Pancras Thursday morning, due 02:22, is Cancelled

SERVICE CANCELLATIONS NORTHBOUND:
06:22 Sutton to St Albans,due 07:50, is Cancelled.
07:24 Brighton to Bedford, due 10:08, is Cancelled.
08:47 Sutton to Luton, due 10:34, is Cancelled.
08:36 Brighton to Bedford,due 11:06, is Cancelled.
09:06 Sutton to Luton, due 11:00, is Cancelled.
09:37 Brighton to Bedford,due 12:06, is Cancelled.
10:06 Sutton to St Albans due 11:27, is Cancelled.
10:07 Brighton to Bedford due 12:36, is Cancelled.
10:07 Sutton to Luton, due 12:00, is Cancelled.
11:04 Brighton to Bedford, due 13:20, is Cancelled.
13:36 Sutton to St Albans,due 14:57, is Cancelled.
14:06 Sutton to St Albans,due 15:27, is Cancelled.
15:06 Sutton to St Albans,due 16:27, is Cancelled.
15:07 Sutton to Luton,due 17:02, is Cancelled.
17:00 Elephant & Castle to St Albans, due 17:49, is Cancelled.
17:35 Sevenoaks to Bedford,due 19:48, is Cancelled.
18:40 Sutton to Luton,due 20:30, is Cancelled.
19:37 Brighton to Bedford,due 22:06, is Cancelled.
19:40 Sutton to St Albans,due 20:59, is Cancelled.
20:34 Brighton to Bedford,due 22:50, is Cancelled.
22:48 St Pancras International to Bedford, due 00:01,is Cancelled.
23:04 St Pancras International to Bedford, due 00:06, is Cancelled.
02:38 St Pancras International to Bedford Thursday morning, due 03:52, is Cancelled.

SERVICE ALTERATIONS SOUTHBOUND
06:25 Bedford to Bromley South due 08:11 will run non-stop from Blackfriars to Bromley South.
08:22 St Albans to Sutton, due 10:05, will run fast from Streatham to Sutton via Mitcham Junction and will be 4 Coaches only, instead of 8 Coaches.
08:42 St Albans to Sutton, due 10:06, will terminate at Elephant & Castle.
10:06 St Albans to Sutton, due 11:27, will run as 4 Coaches only, instead of 8 Coaches.
11:43 St Albans to Sutton, due 13:06, will run as 4 Coaches only, instead of 8 Coaches.
17:18 St Albans to Sutton, due 18:39, will run fast from Streatham to Sutton, then terminate.
23:28 London Bridge to Sutton, due 00:12, will run as 8 Coaches instead of 4 Coaches.

SERVICE ALTERATIONS NORTHBOUND
05:09 Brighton to Bedford, due 07:36, will run as 4 Coaches, instead of 8 Coaches.
05:36 Brighton to Bedford, due 08:06, will run as 4 Coaches, instead of 8 Coaches.
06:07 Bearsted to Bedford, due 08:34, will terminate at Blackfriars.
06:09 Brighton to St.Albans, due 08:05, will run as 4 Coaches, instead of 8 Coaches.
09:37 Sutton to Luton, due 11:30, will terminate at St Albans.
10:04 Brighton to Bedford, due 12:20, will run as 8 Coaches, instead of 4 Coaches.
13:06 Sutton to St Albans, due 14:27, will start from Farringdon.
13:07 Sutton to Luton, due 15:00, will run as 4 Coaches only, instead of 8 Coaches.
13:34 Sevenoaks to Kentish Town, due 14:50, will terminate at Blackfriars.
16:37 Sutton to Luton, due 18:32,due 18:32, will start from Farringdon.
17:12 Sutton to Bedford, due 19:12, will start from Farringdon.
18:08 Sutton to Luton, due 19:58, will start from Farringdon.
18:22 Elephant & Castle to Bedford, due 19:38, will start from Farringdon.
18:32 Sutton to Bedford, due 20:40, will terminate at Luton.
19:06 Sutton to Bedford, due 21:10, will start up from Farringdon.
19:34 Brighton to Bedford, due 21:50, will run as 8 Coaches instead of 4 Coaches.

Incompetent Boris shuts 6 tube lines

The breathtaking incompetence of Tory Mayor of London Boris Johnson is in evidence again this weekend, with no fewer than SIX tube lines shut or partially shut

Chris White comments: ‘When the economy is on its knees because of Boris’s friends in the City, the last thing we need is for tourists to be given a hard time on the tube.’

News about Station Way from First Capital Connect

The long-delayed work on the junction of Station Way and Hatfield Road is due to start on Monday 3 August and should be completed by mid to end October. The work will be done by Ashridge Construction, working for Linden Homes.

For safety reasons Station Way will become one-way northbound from Monday 10 August until the junction works are completed. There will therefore be no access from Hatfield Road into Station Way.

Buses, taxis and vehicles dropping off or picking up passengers at the station will be able to use the junction with Victoria Street to enter and leave Station Way.

The footpath along Station Way will remain open at all times.

Should St Peter’s Street be pedestrianised?

There has been some recent controversy, stirred up by our MP (who is not of course from St Albans).

I have certainly been told by many residents that they are frustrated by the fact that St Peter’s Street is still open to cars, although others have doubts about where the cars would go banned from the town centre. Evidence gathered when the street was closed for roadworks over the past two years shows that ‘footfall’ (the number of people shopping) went up when the street was closed.

No pedestrianisation scheme is likely to exclude buses or taxis – or emergency vehicles. If readers have views then let me know by completing the on-line poll on this site.

Station noise complaints are back – but FCC say it’s cured

I have had renewed noise about excessively noisy announcements from the station. FCC have got back to me and say:

– the problem is now cured
– the local staff now have access to the box (this was previously a problem for some reason – only staff up the line could deal with it)
– there is anyway a new system on its way which will be sensitive to ambient noise.

Let me know what you think: do you believe things have improved?