2013 - And Now The End Is Near........

2013 LATEST NEWS - OUR SHAMING CAMPAIGN IS NOW OVER. The attitude is pretty much the same but like most Newport folk,  we have given up! THANKS FOR VISITING AND HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY JOURNEY.

Train Fares: Taken for a Ride?

Panorama investigates the cost of riding on the railway.....

Packed in like sardines, on trains that often arrive late... But it is the price of the tickets that really upsets lots of rail travellers, and fares have just gone up to record levels. So why are train fares so expensive?

Watch it here

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!

Fair Fares Now Campaign success! Extra fare hikes won't happen

A BIG WELL DONE TO ALL AT FAIR FARES NOW!

The campaign for Fair Fares Now has won a great victory, thanks to the many thousands of people who got involved. The Government has scrapped its plans to increase train fares by 3% above inflation.

Together, we have been fighting the planned hikes all year, and this is good news for hard-pressed passengers.

But fares are still far too high and too complex. There’s still a long way to go to achieve the fair fares this Government promised us when they came to power.

Join Fair Fares Now today and help make fares cheaper, simpler and fairer.

Train fares are already too expensive, but each January they rise even further.

Fares are set to go up by 24% by 2015 - that's over £1,000 more for some season tickets. Expensive train fares are:

A rotten deal for passengers. Being forced to pay ever more each year without seeing any improvements is simply unfair.

Harmful for the environment. Prices need to be cheaper if more people are to choose the train and help cut congestion and tackle climate change.

Bad for business. High fares price people out of jobs in London and our other major cities, damaging the UK’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.

Unfair. Many people are being forced to change jobs or make difficult choices between transport and other vital expenses. Trains shouldn’t just be a luxury for the rich.

Rail fares need to come down, not keep going up. Together, we can make fares truly fair.

You CAN do something about fare rises and jam-packed carriages.

Log on to http://bettertransport.org.uk/fairfares/take-action and help make a difference.

Sign the Petition

Dear friends,
We’ve just signed a petition to stop the government from raising train fares by 28% starting in January.
If their plans go ahead, already hard-pressed commuters could struggle to afford to get to work. Fares are set to rise four times faster than wages next year.
More people will travel by car and plane, creating more traffic jams and carbon emissions. Now is the moment to seize every opportunity to tackle climate change – not push through policies that make it worse.
Right now, the government is reviewing its policy on train fares, so we need to show them how many of us oppose their unfair fare hikes.
Please sign the petition too:www.fairfaresnow.org.uk/petition
Thanks!

FAIR FARES NOW!

Campaign for Fairer fares!

The news is full of stories right now about the rising cost of living, and unfortunately train travel is no exception. Fair Fares Now have just published new research showing that train fares are set to rise four times faster than wages next January. Many of you will have to find hundreds of pounds extra for your season ticket, without seeing a penny extra in your pay packet. That’s a scandal, and we need to put a stop to it.

Please tell us how the fare rises will affect you, and we’ll use your stories to put pressure on ministers to reverse their plans to hike fares 28 per cent over the next three years. In these difficult times, we need affordable train fares more than ever. The government has been able to provide help for drivers struggling with rising fuel costs – they should do the same for train passengers.

Take Action: So if you haven’t already, please take a moment to email your MP and ask them to sign a parliamentary motion calling for more affordable rail fares. Many MPs have already signed up – make sure your MP is on the list.
Please help us fight for cheaper, simpler and fairer fares by making a small donation.

Thank you for getting involved

P.S. And if you’re so fed up that you’re ready to take to the streets, you might want to check out the Railway Adventure, a protest organised by Climate Rush, happening in London this Saturday. 

* Article taken from email. Read it here *

Rail Power failure strands thousands

Thousands of rail commuters have been stranded after a power surge knocked out signalling, halting all trains in the south Wales network.

Power went out at about 0710 GMT at Bridgend, Barry, Cardiff and in the valleys up to Caerphilly.

Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) is trying to move about 30 trains, each carrying hundreds of passengers, to platforms.

Arriva said power was restored almost three hours later but problems would last into the afternoon.

Peter Leppard, operations director of ATW, said: "About ten past seven there was a major power surge from Western Power Distribution into Cardiff signal box which knocked out all the signalling.

"It's taken until about 10 o'clock to sort that out. It will be three or four hours before we're back to normal.

"I think the evening peak will be okay but it's been a bad morning for our customers."

Arriva and First Great Western have put on replacement buses and urged people to make alternative arrangements.

An ATW spokesman said the power failure was "extremely rare" and an investigation is under way.

He added: "If the power fails everything goes red, nothing moves until the power is restored.

"It will also affect mainline trains. This is extremely rare."

The spokesman said First Great Western (FGW) services arriving in south Wales from London would be turned round at Newport.

ATW said there had been no trains running between Bridgend and Newport, including the Vale of Glamorgan line.

Valleys Lines Trains, which is run by ATW, had nothing running between Barry and Cardiff up as far as Caerphilly.

The power failure left level crossings in the position they were in when the power went down.

It is believed the level crossing at St Fagans, on the outskirts of Cardiff, was down when the power failed and there were reports of severe road congestion.

British Transport Police (BTP) said it had been informed and it is believed the widespread signalling failure was the result of an electricity failure.

"BTP officers have been assisting rail staff with overcrowding problems at railway stations where requested," said a spokesman.

A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said: "We're in constant contact with Network Rail who have assured us that they are taking all possible steps to rectify the problem."

* Story taken from BBC Wales News. Read it here * 

NEWS UPDATE - 22.03.2011  19:49

Power has been fully restored on the south Wales rail network after an electricity failure affected an estimated 20,000 morning passengers.

Network Rail blamed a blown fuse for knocking out signalling in Cardiff just after 0700 GMT, halting some 30 Arriva Trains Wales trains between stations.

More disruption for passengers

Rail passengers face further disruption after Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) cancelled their Sunday services following a dispute with drivers.

Sunday services are staffed by drivers working voluntary overtime but the Aslef union has imposed an overtime ban in a dispute over pay and conditions.

ATW are operating a limited bus service and apologised for the "inconvenience" to passengers.

Services by other rail operators are not affected.

The dispute centres on a row over pay and changes to working conditions, in particular Sunday hours.

Last Sunday's services were affected by the overtime ban and last Monday none of ATW's 950 services ran during a 24-hour strike by drivers.

A fresh 24-hour walk out is scheduled to take place on 12 March, the day of the Wales v Ireland rugby international in Cardiff, after failed talks between the two parties.
 
Arriva Trains Wales operates extensive services in north and south Wales as well as some into England including on the Cambrian Line and services to Manchester.

Speaking after the failed talks on Thursday, Aslef General Secretary Keith Norman said he was "bitterly disappointed" with the company for failing to come up with an improved pay offer.

"Given the company's reluctance to change the position and the unacceptability of their previous offer, we have little choice but to take further action," he said.

ATW has said it has offered a "generous" pay rise worth 12% over two years.

The company has said it would bring drivers' salaries to £39,117 for a 35-hour, four-day average week.

Aslef has said its members were paid less in Wales than drivers in England and that ATW's offer would work out as £39,000 for a 46-47 hour, five-day week, as the offer was dependant on a commitment to a driver working on Sundays.

* Story taken from BBC Wales News. Read it here *

Arriva Trains Wales strike to go ahead from midnight

Train services will be affected from midnight on Saturday as two days of industrial action by drivers from Arriva Trains Wales begin.

The action called by the Aslef union follows a long-running pay dispute.

There will be no Arriva Trains Wales services on Sunday or Monday and no alternative transport is being provided.

Managers say an offer of a 12% rise over two years is extremely generous.

The union has accused the company of paying Welsh drivers less than their English counterparts.

The 01.50 GMT Fishguard Harbour to Cardiff service on Sunday will be replaced by a bus service but passengers on all other services are being advised to make alternative travel arrangements.

Services on Tuesday are also likely to be disrupted as the network returns to normal.

Peter Leppard, Operations Director for Arriva Trains Wales, said: "Arriva Trains Wales' senior management and officials from the ASLEF and RMT trade unions have been in talks for many months in an attempt to reach a final agreement on pay and working conditions for train drivers.

"We are extremely disappointed that once again our generous offer has been rejected and that the planned industrial action by ASLEF for 27 and 28 February will go ahead."

He said the strike would cause significant inconvenience to customers.

An Aslef spokesman said: "We regret the disruption to the service and our passengers but we would not have staged the strike if there had been any alternatives."

For service updates customers are advised to check the Arriva Trains Wales website - www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk or contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50.

* Story taken from BBC Wales News. Read it here *

Worst Late Western Cleaners to strike!

Cardiff and Swansea FGW cleaners begin 24-hour strike

Cleaners on First Great Western trains at the main stations in Cardiff and Swansea have gone on strike for 24 hours in a dispute over pay and pensions.

The RMT union said the workers, who are employed by Mitie, are low-paid and badly treated.

Mitie said it believes it has settled all outstanding issues with the union.

The rail firm said it will not disrupt its south Wales to London services.

The RMT said the industrial action was in response to its dispute with the firm over "wage discrepancies" suffered by its members.

It said its Mitie members had delivered a unanimous vote in favour of striking.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: "This appalling situation shines the spotlight on just how these facilities companies operate and how they treat their low-paid staff.

"The company has seen the unanimous vote for strike action, which reflects the anger amongst their staff, and it's now up to Mitie to step up with a line-by-line resolution to each of the issues we have raised in this dispute."

A spokesman for Mitie said: "All issues between Mitie and the RMT referred to on the original ballot have been resolved."

"Mitie has not been formally advised by the union of any further issues which would warrant a strike action this coming Friday and is seeking clarification."

FGW said it did not anticipate delays to its services on Friday as a result of the dispute between the RMT and Mitie.

A spokesperson said: "It won't affect any of our services. Mitie will be providing its service as normal.

"There was a previous strike on 4 February and there was no disruption to the service on our trains. Our customers did not experience any disruption."

RMT train drivers for Arriva Trains Wales, which operates in the south Wales valleys, had planned to strike on 4 February, the day of the Six Nations rugby clash between Wales and England at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

That action was called off on legal advice to the union after the rail firm launched legal proceedings.

* Story taken from BBC Wales News. Read it here *

Arrivatrainsnails says........

To see the state on some of the train carriages, we don't think anyone will miss them when they do strike! Infact, we didn't even realise that they employed cleaners.