Gazette 4th January. Tells it's own story. Send your comments to us. ...
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Please see news advice from Greater Anglia Railways
Some Questions to be asked.
1. Will concessionary tickets be available from these machines? (E.g. A local concession is one can travel on the 8.00 am Ex Walton Liverpool Street through train to Liverpool Street, using the Senior rail Card and Off-peak ticket to London if one gets off at Thorpe le Soken and gets on the train from Clacton running 10 mins behind that
2. Allied to that will these machines sell concessionary and off peak tickets before the tie of travel important if the first train with off picket ticket is say 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. and one turns up 15 minutes prior will these machines dispense the Discounted/ Concessionary Tickets?
3. Will these ticket Machine sell group tickets?
4. Will these Machines sell / dispense multiple tickets as part of one transaction without having to separately enter each person as a separate transaction(E.g. as with two adults and two children going out up to say London)
5. Will the Penalty fares Regime be removed on these up country lines (as on the Sherringham- Cromer Norwich services: What advice will be given to get passengers to the right point to board train so can be immediately be seen by the Conductor Guard and not Penalty fared?
6. Comment / Question being that all ticket offices being closed were above the Minima of ticket sales set by the Rail Delivery Group/ DfT how will conductor guards cope with volume? And Will the ticket machines cope?. We note the ticket office proposal were not in the DfT Franchise Consultation, the so called consultation Period 2 weeks extended to three falls far short of the three months allowed for in LOCAL GOVERNMENT !?!
FURTHER RMT GRAPEVINE Has produced these uncorroborated gems
7. RMT has been saying on station hosts will be there only matter of weeks and then be removed?
8. That connection s will not be held!?!
9. That New 2019/20 timetable will have no through trains from Tendring to London and everyone will have to change at Colchester?
We also understand there will be none of the following on the New trains serving Harwich Clacton and Walton
· NO FIRST CLASS
· NO Specific configuration for tourists (geared to commuters only)
· No InterCity type Seats (Thin seats with foam back – and debate on how hard rages!)
Yours sincerely
John smock
From: Jonathan Denby [mailto:Jonathan.Denby@greateranglia.co.uk]
Sent: 18 December 2017 18:30
To: John Smock; John Smock; 'John Smock'
Cc: Paul Oxley
Subject: Changes to ticket selling from seven Essex stations
I hope you are well. I copy below this email the press release we have sent out today about the changes to ticket retailing from Monday 8 January at 7 Essex stations (Alresford, Dovercourt, Great Bentley, Great Chesterford, Harwich International, Thorpe-le-Soken and Walton-on-the-Naze). I wanted to reassure you that we have addressed the key concerns raised to us about the proposals as follows :
Assistance for those with mobility issues – this is currently provided by conductors (not ticket office staff) and will continue to be so, as there are no changes to the role of the conductors.
Assistance for those unused to using ticket machines – all the stations involved have ticket machines which have been upgraded with a “push button” assistance facility which puts you through to a member of our team who can help 24 hours a day/7 days a week. There is therefore more assistance than is currently the case, as the ticket offices are only open for part of the day. In addition, for the first 4 weeks after Monday 8 January we will have people at the stations helping people to use the ticket machines as well.
Reliability of ticket machines – the ticket machines have been upgraded, an additional, more local stock of key parts has been created and we will have customer hosts on the route monitoring the machines and ensuring a quick response if something goes wrong.
Harwich International assistance when ferries arrive – the roster for the new customer hosts will see them deployed at Harwich when ferries arrive, to provide the assistance to visitors and tourists that you mention.
In addition, where toilets and waiting rooms are currently available, they will remain open (with the exception of Dovercourt). We’re also planning to upgrade the customer information systems.
I should add that we have also addressed the issues raised with us by Transport Focus and that no jobs will be lost as a result of the changes, with employees either transferring to other ticket offices or redeployed as customer hosts.
We have worked hard to develop an outcome which actually improves the level of customer service to customers, as well as being a more modern and efficient way of selling tickets. Travellers can now buy tickets online, on their mobile, through our App, from the ticket machines (with assistance if needed) or from the on-board conductor.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
www.greateranglia.co.uk
www.abellio.com
Press release
More customer assistance as ticket purchase arrangements changed at 7 Essex stations from 8/1/18
Upgraded ticket machines with a 24-hour helpline and additional customer assistance are being introduced at seven Essex rail stations as Greater Anglia responds to more customers buying tickets online or at ticket machines.
Seven part-time ticket offices with very low levels of sales are set to close on Monday 8 January and will be replaced by ticket machines with a 24/7 link to a member of staff and in some cases a member of staff on the station to help customers with tickets, information and other queries.
The affected stations are Walton-on-the-Naze, Thorpe-le-Soken, Alresford, Great Bentley, Dovercourt, Harwich International and Great Chesterford
No jobs will be lost, as staff will be deployed either as mobile “welcome hosts” covering stations on the line or to other ticket offices.
For the first month, ticket office staff will remain at the stations to give support to any customers who may need it.
All of these stations have very low ticket sales that fall well below minimum sales thresholds set by the Department for Transport to consider an application to alter the statutory opening hours.
Across the Greater Anglia network, currently half of all tickets are bought online, on mobile phones or at ticket machines. In the past year, Greater Anglia app and total online sales, including season tickets, have seen big increases.
All ticket machines at the stations are fitted with a new button which puts the customer through to a member of staff who can help with ticket enquiries 24 hours a day – a feature which is already proving popular with customers across the Greater Anglia network.
There will be three welcome hosts at Thorpe-le-Soken in total, one at Walton-on-the-Naze and two at Harwich International. The hosts will also provide customer service at other stations along the route.
At Harwich International, a member of staff would be on duty at times of major demand, such as when there are cruise ships in port.
The affected stations are also due to get better customer information systems on platforms.
Additional CCTV and new lighting are also due to be fitted enhance safety and security at the stations.
The existing waiting rooms and toilets will remain open Walton-on-the-Naze, Thorpe-le-Soken, Great Bentley, Harwich International and the waiting room will remain open at Great Chesterford.
A consultation took place earlier in the year, and views of people who took part have been considered in deciding how the stations will operate without ticket offices.
All the ticket offices affected, except for Great Chesterford, are served by trains with on-board conductors who can also sell tickets to customers
Greater Anglia is making significant investment in new ticketing arrangements and station facilities, including investment in Smartcards for Season Tickets, expansion of web sales and digital ticketing for mobile devices and upgrading Customer Help Points at stations.
Greater Anglia will also continue to have procedures in place to provide assistance to Mobility Impaired customers.
Andrew Goodrum, Greater Anglia Customer Service Director, said: “We have consulted widely and done a lot of research before reaching this decision. We have also addressed the issues relating to assistance, station facilities and the process for implementing the changes that have been raised with us by key stakeholders such as Transport Focus and the MP Bernard Jenkin.
“Very few people are using the ticket office at these stations. We are confident that customers will receive a better level of service with the changes we are making.
“We are reacting to changes in the way people make purchases which can be seen across industries including retail and banking. The 24/7 assistance now available through the ticket machines is far more extensive than the much shorter periods the ticket offices have been open, whilst the new customer hosts will be more flexible and able to help out on the platforms.
“On other Greater Anglia branch lines, such as the Ipswich to Felixstowe and Norwich to Sheringham routes, services already operate successfully in this way.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
Notes to editors
The company has addressed all the concerns raised by Transport Focus and MP Bernard Jenkin including improving ticket vending machines, having a member of staff available to help passengers and providing extra support for a period after the ticket offices are closed.
For further information about this press release, please ring the Greater Anglia Press Office on +44 (0)1206 363955. For urgent or out-of-office hours calls, please leave a message by ringing +44 (0)7798 857385. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can. All recent press releases can be found on the Greater Anglia website at: www.greateranglia.co.uk
About Greater Anglia
The new Greater Anglia franchise began operating on 16 October 2016. It provides intercity, commuter and rural services throughout the region including the Stansted Express service. Greater Anglia is responsible for almost 2,800 employees, operates 1,300 train services per day and serves 133 stations.
About Abellio UK
Abellio UK is a UK-based company with offices in London and Glasgow. In the UK, we operate the ScotRail franchise, and the Merseyrail rail concession in a joint venture with Serco, as well as the Greater Anglia franchise. We also run several bus routes in Greater London and Surrey. Our role in transport extends beyond the journey from a-to-b. Our approach of sharing best practice, not just amongst ourselves, but across the wider transport industry enables us to provide thought leadership and innovation that makes a positive contribution to the communities we serve. Abellio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dutch Railways (NS - Nederlandse Spoorwegen). ...
Please see news advice from Greater Anglia Railways
Some Questions to be asked.
1. Will concessionary tickets be available from these machines? (E.g. A local concession is one can travel on the 8.00 am Ex Walton Liverpool Street through train to Liverpool Street, using the Senior rail Card and Off-peak ticket to London if one gets off at Thorpe le Soken and gets on the train from Clacton running 10 mins behind that
2. Allied to that will these machines sell concessionary and off peak tickets before the tie of travel important if the first train with off picket ticket is say 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. and one turns up 15 minutes prior will these machines dispense the Discounted/ Concessionary Tickets?
3. Will these ticket Machine sell group tickets?
4. Will these Machines sell / dispense multiple tickets as part of one transaction without having to separately enter each person as a separate transaction(E.g. as with two adults and two children going out up to say London)
5. Will the Penalty fares Regime be removed on these up country lines (as on the Sherringham- Cromer Norwich services: What advice will be given to get passengers to the right point to board train so can be immediately be seen by the Conductor Guard and not Penalty fared?
6. Comment / Question being that all ticket offices being closed were above the Minima of ticket sales set by the Rail Delivery Group/ DfT how will conductor guards cope with volume? And Will the ticket machines cope?. We note the ticket office proposal were not in the DfT Franchise Consultation, the so called consultation Period 2 weeks extended to three falls far short of the three months allowed for in LOCAL GOVERNMENT !?!
FURTHER RMT GRAPEVINE Has produced these uncorroborated gems
7. RMT has been saying on station hosts will be there only matter of weeks and then be removed?
8. That connection s will not be held!?!
9. That New 2019/20 timetable will have no through trains from Tendring to London and everyone will have to change at Colchester?
We also understand there will be none of the following on the New trains serving Harwich Clacton and Walton
· NO FIRST CLASS
· NO Specific configuration for tourists (geared to commuters only)
· No InterCity type Seats (Thin seats with foam back – and debate on how hard rages!)
Yours sincerely
John smock
From: Jonathan Denby [mailto:Jonathan.Denby@greateranglia.co.uk]
Sent: 18 December 2017 18:30
To: John Smock; John Smock; 'John Smock'
Cc: Paul Oxley
Subject: Changes to ticket selling from seven Essex stations
I hope you are well. I copy below this email the press release we have sent out today about the changes to ticket retailing from Monday 8 January at 7 Essex stations (Alresford, Dovercourt, Great Bentley, Great Chesterford, Harwich International, Thorpe-le-Soken and Walton-on-the-Naze). I wanted to reassure you that we have addressed the key concerns raised to us about the proposals as follows :
Assistance for those with mobility issues – this is currently provided by conductors (not ticket office staff) and will continue to be so, as there are no changes to the role of the conductors.
Assistance for those unused to using ticket machines – all the stations involved have ticket machines which have been upgraded with a “push button” assistance facility which puts you through to a member of our team who can help 24 hours a day/7 days a week. There is therefore more assistance than is currently the case, as the ticket offices are only open for part of the day. In addition, for the first 4 weeks after Monday 8 January we will have people at the stations helping people to use the ticket machines as well.
Reliability of ticket machines – the ticket machines have been upgraded, an additional, more local stock of key parts has been created and we will have customer hosts on the route monitoring the machines and ensuring a quick response if something goes wrong.
Harwich International assistance when ferries arrive – the roster for the new customer hosts will see them deployed at Harwich when ferries arrive, to provide the assistance to visitors and tourists that you mention.
In addition, where toilets and waiting rooms are currently available, they will remain open (with the exception of Dovercourt). We’re also planning to upgrade the customer information systems.
I should add that we have also addressed the issues raised with us by Transport Focus and that no jobs will be lost as a result of the changes, with employees either transferring to other ticket offices or redeployed as customer hosts.
We have worked hard to develop an outcome which actually improves the level of customer service to customers, as well as being a more modern and efficient way of selling tickets. Travellers can now buy tickets online, on their mobile, through our App, from the ticket machines (with assistance if needed) or from the on-board conductor.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
www.greateranglia.co.uk
www.abellio.com
Press release
More customer assistance as ticket purchase arrangements changed at 7 Essex stations from 8/1/18
Upgraded ticket machines with a 24-hour helpline and additional customer assistance are being introduced at seven Essex rail stations as Greater Anglia responds to more customers buying tickets online or at ticket machines.
Seven part-time ticket offices with very low levels of sales are set to close on Monday 8 January and will be replaced by ticket machines with a 24/7 link to a member of staff and in some cases a member of staff on the station to help customers with tickets, information and other queries.
The affected stations are Walton-on-the-Naze, Thorpe-le-Soken, Alresford, Great Bentley, Dovercourt, Harwich International and Great Chesterford
No jobs will be lost, as staff will be deployed either as mobile “welcome hosts” covering stations on the line or to other ticket offices.
For the first month, ticket office staff will remain at the stations to give support to any customers who may need it.
All of these stations have very low ticket sales that fall well below minimum sales thresholds set by the Department for Transport to consider an application to alter the statutory opening hours.
Across the Greater Anglia network, currently half of all tickets are bought online, on mobile phones or at ticket machines. In the past year, Greater Anglia app and total online sales, including season tickets, have seen big increases.
All ticket machines at the stations are fitted with a new button which puts the customer through to a member of staff who can help with ticket enquiries 24 hours a day – a feature which is already proving popular with customers across the Greater Anglia network.
There will be three welcome hosts at Thorpe-le-Soken in total, one at Walton-on-the-Naze and two at Harwich International. The hosts will also provide customer service at other stations along the route.
At Harwich International, a member of staff would be on duty at times of major demand, such as when there are cruise ships in port.
The affected stations are also due to get better customer information systems on platforms.
Additional CCTV and new lighting are also due to be fitted enhance safety and security at the stations.
The existing waiting rooms and toilets will remain open Walton-on-the-Naze, Thorpe-le-Soken, Great Bentley, Harwich International and the waiting room will remain open at Great Chesterford.
A consultation took place earlier in the year, and views of people who took part have been considered in deciding how the stations will operate without ticket offices.
All the ticket offices affected, except for Great Chesterford, are served by trains with on-board conductors who can also sell tickets to customers
Greater Anglia is making significant investment in new ticketing arrangements and station facilities, including investment in Smartcards for Season Tickets, expansion of web sales and digital ticketing for mobile devices and upgrading Customer Help Points at stations.
Greater Anglia will also continue to have procedures in place to provide assistance to Mobility Impaired customers.
Andrew Goodrum, Greater Anglia Customer Service Director, said: “We have consulted widely and done a lot of research before reaching this decision. We have also addressed the issues relating to assistance, station facilities and the process for implementing the changes that have been raised with us by key stakeholders such as Transport Focus and the MP Bernard Jenkin.
“Very few people are using the ticket office at these stations. We are confident that customers will receive a better level of service with the changes we are making.
“We are reacting to changes in the way people make purchases which can be seen across industries including retail and banking. The 24/7 assistance now available through the ticket machines is far more extensive than the much shorter periods the ticket offices have been open, whilst the new customer hosts will be more flexible and able to help out on the platforms.
“On other Greater Anglia branch lines, such as the Ipswich to Felixstowe and Norwich to Sheringham routes, services already operate successfully in this way.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
Notes to editors
The company has addressed all the concerns raised by Transport Focus and MP Bernard Jenkin including improving ticket vending machines, having a member of staff available to help passengers and providing extra support for a period after the ticket offices are closed.
For further information about this press release, please ring the Greater Anglia Press Office on +44 (0)1206 363955. For urgent or out-of-office hours calls, please leave a message by ringing +44 (0)7798 857385. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can. All recent press releases can be found on the Greater Anglia website at: www.greateranglia.co.uk
About Greater Anglia
The new Greater Anglia franchise began operating on 16 October 2016. It provides intercity, commuter and rural services throughout the region including the Stansted Express service. Greater Anglia is responsible for almost 2,800 employees, operates 1,300 train services per day and serves 133 stations.
About Abellio UK
Abellio UK is a UK-based company with offices in London and Glasgow. In the UK, we operate the ScotRail franchise, and the Merseyrail rail concession in a joint venture with Serco, as well as the Greater Anglia franchise. We also run several bus routes in Greater London and Surrey. Our role in transport extends beyond the journey from a-to-b. Our approach of sharing best practice, not just amongst ourselves, but across the wider transport industry enables us to provide thought leadership and innovation that makes a positive contribution to the communities we serve. Abellio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dutch Railways (NS - Nederlandse Spoorwegen). ...
