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no public transport at Xmas |
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#51 |
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,433
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We get a normal service on Christmas Eve and then nothing after 8pm. No service on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
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#52 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,073
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Quote:
OK so I was wrong about boxing day, mea culpa
![]() But Xmas day, there should be some public transport in London like other major cities. eg a nurse/cleaner/general staff at a London hospital working long, unsociable hour shifts. Being low paid, no way will s/he live near enough to work to walk, probably not cycle either. Not everyone can pay black cab Xmas rates, or Uber/minicab rates. I think there should be a public holiday service, like there is in every other major city. I'm not ranting btw. Just voicing an opinion. Lots of Grumpy Santas on here. I don't think anybody can sensibly expect a full service on Christmas Day but surely some sort of bus service similar to the night bus services could be run on Christmas Day? |
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#53 |
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 22,432
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It is bizarre that London shuts down entirely.
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#54 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,112
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Regarding 'surcharged' taxis.
In London, licenced black cabs are allowed by TFL to add an additional £4.00 for every hiring from 20.00 hrs. on 24/12/16 until 06.00 hrs. on 27/12/16, and between 20.00 hrs. on 31/12/16 until 06.00 hrs. on 02/01/17. This means that if the fare is £12.00 on the meter, there will be a £4.00 extra, making it £16.00, if the metered fare is £33.00, then it will be £37, hardly gouging for working those unsociable hours, probably ferrying drunks around. Imitation taxis, minicabs, and Uber, will charge what they reckon the punter will stand for, and no, I'm not a black cab driver. |
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#55 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,281
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Sisters brother will be working all Christmas as usual. He digs up railways lines and puts them back down straighter or something.
By doing the major engineering work over the Xmas/New year period when the trains are quieter means fewer people are inconvenienced. Then again, working and commuting is probably an alien concept to many on here. |
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#56 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: dole office.
Posts: 35,061
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Quote:
Sisters brother will be working all Christmas as usual. He digs up railways lines and puts them back down straighter or something.
By doing the major engineering work over the Xmas/New year period when the trains are quieter means fewer people are inconvenienced. Then again, working and commuting is probably an alien concept to many on here. |
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#57 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 40,285
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There are buses running in Edinburgh on Christmas Day.
Before ranting, OP should check facts. Why do other countries have public transport available in their major cities on Xmas day but we have pretty much none at all in England and Wales? If you don't have a car or a bike you can't go anywhere long distance |
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#58 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 25,212
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There is no rail travel on Christmas Day and only a handful of services on Boxing Day England and Wales. The first day perhaps fine but why the second - retail staff and others have to work Boxing Day why not train drivers?
Why do other countries have public transport available in their major cities on Xmas day but we have pretty much none at all in England and Wales? If you don't have a car or a bike you can't go anywhere long distance |
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#59 |
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,312
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There is no rail travel on Christmas Day and only a handful of services on Boxing Day England and Wales. The first day perhaps fine but why the second - retail staff and others have to work Boxing Day why not train drivers?
Why do other countries have public transport available in their major cities on Xmas day but we have pretty much none at all in England and Wales? If you don't have a car or a bike you can't go anywhere long distance As to why public transport is limited, it's because it doesn't make a profit for the private companies who provide most public transport in the UK, if there was a demand then they'd provide it. |
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#60 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 25,212
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Which has nothing to do with OPs claim that there is no public transport in the UK on Christmas Day or Boxing Day when there is. You can even travel long distance by coach on some routes on both days.
As to why public transport is limited, it's because it doesn't make a profit for the private companies who provide most public transport in the UK, if there was a demand then they'd provide it. |
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#61 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,073
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Which has nothing to do with OPs claim that there is no public transport in the UK on Christmas Day or Boxing Day when there is. You can even travel long distance by coach on some routes on both days.
As to why public transport is limited, it's because it doesn't make a profit for the private companies who provide most public transport in the UK, if there was a demand then they'd provide it. |
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#62 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 40,285
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Not all retail staff work boxing day, and trains run a limited service on boxing day. Other countries public transport tend to be owned and run by the state, public transport in the uk is run by the private sector and are there to make money from the business, you dont run a full service to lose money doing so, does not make business sense
Public transport does not exist to make money it exists to allow people to get to work and to be customers which creates even more money that funds the taxes to pay for the public transport - and to discourage use of cars which create pollution. There is plenty of demand for public transport on Boxing Day - football matches, shopping, visiting relatives. And yet in England and Wales there are no national rail services at all bar a few isolated cases. The tube runs in London but that is the exception. It's ridiculous! There is only one reason why there is no rail service on Boxing Day - the RMT! |
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#63 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Pimlico, central London, UK
Posts: 14,872
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I agree its odd there is no public transport in London on Christmas day. Surely at least some of the main bus routes could run still? There are still people who need to get to work, and who don't have cars who need to get around.
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#64 |
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,410
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Not sure about on traveling coach, as stagecoach the biggest operater does not operate on xmas day
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#65 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 25,212
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Public transport does not exist to make money it exists to allow people to get to work and to be customers which creates even more money that funds the taxes to pay for the public transport - and to discourage use of cars which create pollution.
There is plenty of demand for public transport on Boxing Day - football matches, shopping, visiting relatives. And yet in England and Wales there are no national rail services at all bar a few isolated cases. The tube runs in London but that is the exception. It's ridiculous! There is only one reason why there is no rail service on Boxing Day - the RMT! |
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#66 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 40,285
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There is a limted rail service on boxing day, network rail us xmasday and boxing day, and most sundays to do rail maintance. Sorry the private sector who run public transport are in it to make money
It's not the train companies that don't want to run a service it's the unions that wouldn't allow it without extortionate pay demands and bonuses. This is why despite the lines being run by TfL the London overground and TfL rail don't operate on Boxing Day despite TfL tube and DLR services operating. There is far more demand for trains on Boxing Day than on most Sundays - but the unions won't agree to it. I am interested to know where these train services are on Boxing Day - there are none bar the dedicated airport services anywhere in London and the south east except oddly a limited service on Southern and from Gravesend to St Pancras. |
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#67 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
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There was never a Boxing Day service when it was run by British rail!
It's not the train companies that don't want to run a service it's the unions that wouldn't allow it without extortionate pay demands and bonuses. This is why despite the lines being run by TfL the London overground and TfL rail don't operate on Boxing Day despite TfL tube and DLR services operating. There is far more demand for trains on Boxing Day than on most Sundays - but the unions won't agree to it. I am interested to know where these train services are on Boxing Day - there are none bar the dedicated airport services anywhere in London and the south east except oddly a limited service on Southern! |
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#68 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 1,562
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Train drivers have never had to work boxing day. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are the only guaranteed days off for drivers and most rail staff. We don't get bank holidays as they are just added onto our leave and we take them in lieu. A lot of people think we should run Boxing Day. Personally it would not bother me as I'm not a big fan of Christmas but my colleagues with Children would think otherwise, although I guess it could be done on a voluntary basis. Wouldn't surprise me if it didn't come in within next few years. A friend of mine recently went to Australia for Christmas and said thier trains ran on Christmas Day. So I'm not sure whether this "total shutdown" of pretty much everything is a particularly British thing.
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#69 |
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: London
Posts: 16,527
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I agree its odd there is no public transport in London on Christmas day. Surely at least some of the main bus routes could run still? There are still people who need to get to work, and who don't have cars who need to get around.
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#70 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 40,634
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I do actually think you have a point. Like you said most major cities in other Countries run some sort of train and/or bus services on Christmas Day. Infact it is one of the things that some tourists think is weird. Also as far as I know there were bus services in London on Christmas Day up to the Early 70's?
I don't think anybody can sensibly expect a full service on Christmas Day but surely some sort of bus service similar to the night bus services could be run on Christmas Day? |
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#71 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 40,634
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Quote:
There is no rail travel on Christmas Day and only a handful of services on Boxing Day England and Wales. The first day perhaps fine but why the second - retail staff and others have to work Boxing Day why not train drivers?
Why do other countries have public transport available in their major cities on Xmas day but we have pretty much none at all in England and Wales? If you don't have a car or a bike you can't go anywhere long distance Get this peeps. Not all of us celebrate Christmas and some of us need to go to work or just want a leisure day out. In the UK as a whole there are very few options, unless you have a car or are prepared to pay (inflated) taxi rates. For instance, I wouldn't mind chilling out with my best friend in Borehamwood today, but there are no trains or buses, so I'd have to get a taxi, which would be at least £35 each way. Sod that for a game of soldiers. In this link, Radlett to Luton is £28 (normal rates) (*). Christmas Day may be more expensive still. So for the sake of argument it'll cost me about £70 (minimum), whereas the train fare is about £12 return. (*) Elstree & Borehamwood is further down the line to London. http://www.hertscars.net/prices |
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#72 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,057
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You could have traveled to your mates house yesterday and stayed over.
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#73 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 40,634
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You says its all about unions, but the truth is rail maintance is the biggest resaon trains are very limited, network rail have lots of maintance going on over xmas as its a the best time to do it, its the longest holiday season. The busy times for public transport is people going to and coming from work. The xmas holidays mean the best time to do maintanace work.
Tfl claimed that the reason the tube shut down so early was due to maintenance work being required. Now they are running 24 hours services on some lines at weekends, proving that maintenance work can be done at other times. |
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#74 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 40,634
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Which has nothing to do with OPs claim that there is no public transport in the UK on Christmas Day or Boxing Day when there is. You can even travel long distance by coach on some routes on both days.
As to why public transport is limited, it's because it doesn't make a profit for the private companies who provide most public transport in the UK, if there was a demand then they'd provide it. Quote:
You could have traveled to your mates house yesterday and stayed over.
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#75 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 40,634
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Quote:
Not all retail staff work boxing day, and trains run a limited service on boxing day. Other countries public transport tend to be owned and run by the state, public transport in the uk is run by the private sector and are there to make money from the business, you dont run a full service to lose money doing so, does not make business sense
For example. https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/yo...ve-travel-info This is a major rail route and there are no trains running today (Christmas Day) or tomorrow (Boxing Day). |
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