On Wed, 05 May 2004 16:47:58 GMT, "Richard J."
wrote:

Paul Corfield wrote:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3686593.stm

Rail firm's 'one' confusing name

Is it the '1:41 train' or the '1:40 One train' ...?
East Anglia's latest train service franchise is re-thinking its
name. One, run by National Express, is dropping branding in station
announcements because passengers associate numbers with train times.

Jonathan Denby, of One Railways, said: "Inevitably, when you put
something into practice, you pick up things which perhaps don't work
quite as well."

I think Mr Denby's statement somewhat understates the extent of the
cock up.

Indeed. And here's another gem: "It was difficult to tell exactly how
it would work out in the field."

Difficult? Blindingly obvious, I would have thought.

Well exactly. And here is another example of something "not working out
in the field".

I have just been doing some research on how to get to a village in
Essex. I think I know why people buy cars.

Traveline - only took about 6 attempts to get it to accept the
destination (Rettendon). It then carefully brings up various journey
options including some that make no sense whatsoever.

For the more sensible options it won't provide the detailed timetables.
I then resort to First Essex Buses who I know run the bus service. The
Traveline timetables are only correct for Sundays. There is a different
service number for M-S but traveline doesn't know this. The times for
M-S in Traveline are not those on the First Essex site thereby
invalidating all the journey search information as the buses run earlier
than the times the train arrives.

There is no information about Bus add on tickets on Traveline or on
First Essex Buses - presumably because First no longer run the train
service! First certainly used to advertise their add on ticket options.

So I head off to the National Rail website and find Bus Plus which does
tell me that a suitable ticket is available and the price. I then try to
find out if I can order a through rail and bus ticket via QJump or the
National Rail journey planner - the answer would be no then because Bus
Plus is not a recognised destination even though the Bus Plus scheme
describes its tickets in relation to the main railway station within the
bus travel zone.

I then thought I'd look at the "One" website - I eventually find this
via a link on the National Express website. However I then find that the
One website is actually 4 websites! - so much for integration and One
(!) network.

There is no reference to Bus Plus add on tickets on the One Great
Eastern website. Even more bizarrely the list of return fares bares no
resemblance whatsoever to those listed by National Rail or Q Jump - all
more expensive.

And I wonder why I don't use main line trains very much these days. The
average person in the street who does not have my knowledge of the
railways, buses and ticketing options would have given up after about
two clicks - we have such a long way to go to deliver integrated
transport in this country.

The only saving grace is that there is a bus service, it's pretty
frequent and the add on ticket looks good value. I just doubt that
Stratford station can sell me the ticket I need!
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!