Sadiq says...

This via Twitter...

Just back in London from Beds and Herts where I experienced rural buses. Used buses in Luton, Hitchin, Shefford and Flitwick. And then FCC..

What could that ellipsis mean?

Sadiq says...

Via Twitter...

On FCC problems - can people please email details of complaints/experiences to rail@dft.gsi.gov.uk - thanks.

Extra-ordinary - is there no limit to the Department's nano-management?!

Presumably DafT has set up an entire shadow organisation to deal with customer complaints about delays on FuCC?

Back to the Wolmar Question: 'What are TOCs for?'

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

DfT want to know about people's 'experiences' of FCC?

Not exactly empirical is it?

UPDATE: This, via Twitter, from cbuchanancubed...

Why doesnt DfT just look at all the blogs/comments etc on the internet - but no you have to send them all in again.

UPDATE: This from Jumbo...

With First Group winning the Business of the Year award at the recent Eversholt Rail Business Awards and FCC being presented with an award for their communications skills, it seems hard to credit that the number of complaints against FCC warrants the DfT's attention.

Do the DfT know something that we don't?

Surely the people who made such prestigious awards to First were not taking the pxss?

First for fast staff turnover

Exciting news from FuCC.

The doomed TOC has a brand new MD!

One Neal Lawson.

Here his page from professional networking site Linkedin.


But what's this?

Apparently our Neal has been MD of FuCC for a whole 'nine' months!

Clever of Mary Grant to put Neal into the firing line a mere week into his new job!

First shows First how to do it

There is no such thing as a bad dog, so the saying goes, merely bad owners.

Whilst FuCC languishes in the mire, its senior managers accused by passengers of being invisible, sister TOC First Great Western shows how to engage with customers.

This from the Bristol Evening Post...

The head of First Great Western is offering free first class tickets as a thank-you to customers for their patience during the bad weather.

Nice.

UPDATE: This from Forbes (not the magazine)...

But they’re only offering free first class tickets to people who use FGW as part of a prize draw.

Not an across-the-board demonstration of largesse, then, and certainly not to all their FGW commuters. (as per the link to the original Evening Post story. Ed)

Still, their PR machine must be doing well!

Maybe FCC realise that doing similar would enrage its 75,000 captive commuters even further.

If that were possible...

First for uniting passengers

This from the Jewish Chronicle on First Capital Connect...

FCC... has ‘run’ one of the surely most shambolic, inept, insulting services ever seen in this country.

As the JC points out there is now a Facebook group called I hate First Capital Connect and a newly launched petition on the Downing Street website, calling for First to be stripped of the franchise, has already secured almost 2,000 signatures.

Meanwhile from DafT not a murmur.

Perhaps Dr Mike Mitchell, Director of National Networks at the DfT and a former First Group Business Development Director, is still on his Christmas hols?

UPDATE: Nadine Dorries MP sends a letter to Lord Adonis sticking the boot in...

I wish to raise the question as to whether First Capital Connect should lose their franchise as many of my constituents have lost faith in them to provide the services that they are supposed to.

First for quality branding

Telegrammed by our Independent Expert
First no drivers - now no paint...


This quality offering seen at Agincourt International on Tuesday.

Daft dances on NatEx grave and ignores FuCC

Whilst Lord Adonis is busy tidying up lose ends at National Express, the piss-poor performance over at FuCC continues.

This from Bacon Butty...

At least NXEA can run a full timetable.

FuCC still on half-service for a second full week

Come on Adonis, time for action...

Meanwhile infuriated passengers are being invited to get their own back on the shabby operator by tweeting FCC acronyms to the I hate Thameslink blog.

Perhaps frustrated Eye readers might like to have a go.

Daft funds industrial action on the railways!

An interesting Parliamentary Question from Blaydon MP David Anderson...

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2009, Official Report, column 1103W on railways; franchises, which franchise operator received a payment from his Department in October 2006; and how much that payment was.

To which Chris Mole (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport; Ipswich, Labour) gave the following answer on the 10th November

The Department for Transport does not publish details on compensation payments made to individual train operating companies for net losses arising from industrial action on the grounds of commercial confidentiality.

Hmmm... perhaps Eye can help.

Readers of the 11th November edition of Rail Business Intelligence will have noted an interesting table on p4, based on information given by Moley himself to the House on the 4th November.

It reveals that National Express East Anglia received a payment from DafT of £3.4m in 2006/07.

As Cap and Collar for NXEA didn't kick in till 2008 it seems reasonable to assume that the £3.4m was indeed given as compensation for Industrial Action, as suggested by Mr Anderson's pointed question.

Happily things are much improved today - for train operators.

One of the perversities of Cap and Collar is that it encourages TOCs not to run trains.

Consider this win - win situation.

An operator, for the sake of arguament let's call it First Capital Connect, is a beneficiary of Cap and Collar

Under Cap and Collar DafT pays for 80% of revenue shortfall.

Were FuCC to suffer industrial action with a consequent loss of revenue DafT picks up 80% of the tab, meanwhile the TOC makes a net saving on staff and operating costs by not running trains.

So don't expect First to be in any hurry to resolve its current IR difficulties whilst a supine DafT continues to shell out the readies.

Truly the economics of the madhouse.

FuCC service shambles overlooked?

This just in from Bacon Butty...

Is the Fact Compiler now in the pay of First Group?

Only we saw a lot of interesting snippets about NXEC but at least they ran a full service until their final hour (100% PPM on the last day, Ed).

FCC "Thameslink" on the other hand have been half a timetable short of a full service for well over a week now (since Thurs 12th), blaming lack of Drivers.

DafT has also been very quiet about the shambles.

The Fact Compiler can only apologise for his lack of invective about FuCC.

Truth be told he had been somewhat busy re-reading Sir Moir's lovely book:


Perhaps Dr Mike Mitchell, Director of National Networks at the DfT and a former First Group Business Development Director, has been similarly engaged?

UPDATE: This from Billy Connections...

I think you're being a little unfair on Dr Mike.

It is well known that he takes a close personal interest in the performance of First franchises.

Why only a week or so ago he was overheard using the first person plural when referring to First Great Western.

Obviously old habits die hard.