Trains 'too costly' for rail firm (BBC News)

[RF News]

Network Rail is transporting 200 staff by coach from Reading to Coventry for a conference because of the high cost of rail tickets.

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[pre65]

Classic.

[reflector]

Amazing and not saving a few quid but nearly £25,000! The lunatics really are running the asylum.

[Shimbleshanks]

I agree, a spectacular own goal by the rail industry.

I had the same thing on a smaller scale last weekend - I had to go down from London to Newport, S Wales to an event welcoming the new Freightliner locos. Cheapest train fare was £30+, cheapest National Express fare £15. And as I was coming from South London into Victoria, it saved a trek across London to Paddington, and the coach is non-stop to Newport, so there isn't a lot in it time-wise.

I must say First GW's 75mph average, 1hr 44min timing is a pretty lame effort, for a route that is cleared for 125mph most of the way to the Severn Tunnel. Natex only took 45 mins longer to do the run from Victoria, and they're limited to 62mph max speed.

[reflector]

This all reminds me of some years ago when I used to attend management/trade union meetings in the electricity industry. When it was the CEGB - no problem. We used to meet in their Conference rooms at their Regional Office at Shirley, Solihull, they'd provide coffee, buffet lunch etc.

When the industry was privatised, the same offices became the PowerGen headquarters. After a few meetings, the Personnel Officer rather apologetically said that in future our meetings would be held in a nearby hotel. When asked why, he eventually admitted that his department was now being charged £800 for the use of the Conference facilities, lunch etc. whilst the hotel provided the equivalent for £150!!! The charge for their own facilities was only an internal book transfer, the Conference rooms lay unused and the company was spending an additional £150. Don't ever tell me that the private sector is more efficient.