Northern Trains Ltd

[wirralbus]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(22/07/2020 20:10)ant17612 Wrote:  Northern did furlough numerous members of train crew including those with UHC. Having been off for around 3 months they have lost all traction and route knowledge which takes at least 2 months to regain. It is mostly Piccadilly & Victoria crew depots with the odd shortages at Blackpool and Blackburn.

Staff with underlying health conditions were not furloughed but stood down from there job. May seem similar but there is a difference.

Furloughing can only apply in the private sector , as Northern is in the public sector , now it is an operator of last resort it could not furlough staff.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(23/07/2020 08:42)wirralbus Wrote:  Staff with underlying health conditions were not furloughed but stood down from there job. May seem similar but there is a difference.

Furloughing can only apply in the private sector , as Northern is in the public sector , now it is an operator of last resort it could not furlough staff.

Before the furlough scheme was announced the government said that those who were off work due to health reasons connected with COVID-19 can receive SSP from day 1 even if they aren't actually ill e.g. someone who has underlying health conditions or someone who has been in close contact with someone who has developed COVID-19.

The furlough scheme was primarily for private businesses who would be closing temporarily or had seen a temporary reduction in the volume of work due to COVID-19, opposed to those shielding. However, the rules were loose and it allowed employers to use discretion meaning they could choose to furlough staff with underlying health conditions even if they were working for a business which still had plenty of work for them. That applied to some warehouse workers after pressure from trade unions.

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
An interesting Letter i just saw on Facebook.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(23/07/2020 13:09)T42 PVM Wrote:  An interesting Letter i just saw on Facebook.

In a way that's probably a good response. There's some places on the Northern network that have a low number of services compared to the usage level and other places which have a high level of services compared to the usage level. The off-peak Piccadilly-Rose Hill Marple, Piccadilly-Alderley Edge & Piccadilly-Hazel Grove services were just carting around fresh air before COVID-19. If the 769s aren't going to be in service before December then I think Northern should just not bother with the extra Alderley Edge service if they won't be able to operate all services and intend to be using DMUs on it - they could easily send it to Chester instead in the southbound direction (given the timings are almost identical at Stockport) and they may be able to work something else out in the northbound direction - perhaps if the Buxton timings get tweaked.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
Positive announcement from Grant Shapps on TPE upgrades which is really recycled old announcements, is this an attempt to get the media to focus on TPE instead of Northern? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53510438

[ls1911]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(23/07/2020 08:42)wirralbus Wrote:  Staff with underlying health conditions were not furloughed but stood down from there job. May seem similar but there is a difference.

Furloughing can only apply in the private sector , as Northern is in the public sector , now it is an operator of last resort it could not furlough staff.

Traction and route knowledge is also valid for 6 months not 3.

[Gordon V]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(23/07/2020 13:38)knutstransport Wrote:  In a way that's probably a good response. There's some places on the Northern network that have a low number of services compared to the usage level and other places which have a high level of services compared to the usage level. The off-peak Piccadilly-Rose Hill Marple, Piccadilly-Alderley Edge & Piccadilly-Hazel Grove services were just carting around fresh air before COVID-19. If the 769s aren't going to be in service before December then I think Northern should just not bother with the extra Alderley Edge service if they won't be able to operate all services and intend to be using DMUs on it - they could easily send it to Chester instead in the southbound direction (given the timings are almost identical at Stockport) and they may be able to work something else out in the northbound direction - perhaps if the Buxton timings get tweaked.

Story on Granada Reports about it this evening

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(04/08/2020 20:39)Gordon V Wrote:  Story on Granada Reports about it this evening

I saw it. One thing Chris Jackson (Northern regional director) could have made clear is why that option has been chosen ahead of alternative options and whether they could do anything else if it is the best option e.g. maybe a free minibus connecting a station with no service with an accessible one with a service (one criticism was one of the alternatives is less accessible.)

[mikestone]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
Obviously some time to go, but it looks as though trains not running from September 12th have been removed from the timetable, rather than being cancelled.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(08/08/2020 20:43)mikestone Wrote:  Obviously some time to go, but it looks as though trains not running from September 12th have been removed from the timetable, rather than being cancelled.

It's been the case for a while, I mentioned it in this thread on 8/7/20.