Fares have just risen (again) but it seems that very few train companies have sufficient drivers to run a comprehensive service. The pay seems decent, I wonder why there is such an apparent recruitment issue and why this problem has dragged on for so long. For us in the North West, it`s been dreadful since Virgin Trains were shoved out off the tracks. Whatever the real reason, the real consequence has been a shocking fall in service and reliability.
If this latest move improves the service then I shall be pleased but shifting the stigma will require a huge amount of work and effort from Avanti. After apparently committing to improve, in accord with their new 8 or 9 year contract, Avanti appears to have done the opposite - by further reducing services, especially from Manchester.
Public Transport is a core facility. To see it fall into the current shabby state it`s in does nothing to persuade folk to leave their cars at home.
A couple of months ago, at a meeting, I actually complained directly, face to face, about the Fred Karno operation that is Avanti to an MP, who was recently a minister in the Dept of Transport. Ironically, that MP, who uses Avanti from Manchester to London, has seen Avanti cut the number of "services" from that city to Euston since the DoT extended Avanti`s franchise ! Made me chuckle.
Anyway, thanks for the update, Trev.
