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March 29, 2024, 12:27:51 AM

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Tfl bailout

Started by Fambo Number Mive, May 14, 2020, 05:43:08 PM

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Fambo Number Mive

Wonder if Shapps will agree or do a Gerald Ford. If they don't get one by the end of the day I don't see how there can be a return to work in London as they will need to cut services further. Even if they cancelled future transport projects I don't know how much that would save.

The right hate Sadiq Khan and are blaming him for Tfl workers not being immune to the virus - of course Tube workers, who are in customer facing roles, are going to be at risk of catching the virus, especially as so many communters don't treat them with respect (one Tube worker even died after a communter spat at her and other workers). If the government don't bail Tfl out the RMT should ballot for a strike as it is even less safe for Tube workers.

dissolute ocelot

Forget striking, TfL should file for bankruptcy if it doesn't get a bailout. See how the rich in London like it if nobody can come to clean their homes or offices, sell them food, or massage stuff.

imitationleather

This has passed me by. How has it happened?

Is it Number 10 trying to sabotage Sadiq Khan or something lame like that?

Fambo Number Mive

Tfl is running out of money with fare revenue being much lower especially as they have made all buses free to enter to avoid peope getting too close to drivers.They also have a lot off sick and some have died from coronavirus.

Pijlstaart

Had tories clamouring for more services for weeks now, and they're splashing the cash about, so could lap up a lot of the credit. Fairly confident something'll be done to keep things running, it'll just cost the city in the long run. It'd be easy to tar Sadiq as weak on covid considering his lamentable quote about no risk of catching coronavirus on the tube in early march, but even though I fully expect him to lose ground over the next year, I can't see any candidates that could pose a serious challenge in 2021. More likely this bailout will put him in a position where fares have to go up considerably, with no serious improvements to transport for the next 5 years, and that'll give the next tory in line ammo to attack him.

I'd hate to work in public transport right now. You just know that the more they ask people to social distance or challenge why people are travelling, the more likely they are to be assaulted. Must be utterly joyless, watching the number of passengers slowly creep back up.

Endicott

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 14, 2020, 06:17:25 PM
Tfl is running out of money with fare revenue being much lower especially as they have made all buses free to enter to avoid peope getting too close to drivers.

I thought all London buses were Oyster/contactless payment card?

Fambo Number Mive

I presume the reader is still quite close to the driver.

Gurke and Hare

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 14, 2020, 06:42:20 PM
I presume the reader is still quite close to the driver.

Yes. The section forward of the rear doors has now been taped off (officially - most of the drivers were unofficially doing it anyway) and boarding as well as alighting is through the rear doors so no touching in to pay. That's not really a significant part of the revenue loss - they were already 85% down anyway.

Captain Crunch

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 14, 2020, 05:43:08 PM(one Tube worker even died after a communter spat at her and other workers)

Were you thinking of Belly Mujinga?  Very nasty:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/may/12/uk-rail-worker-dies-coronavirus-spat-belly-mujinga?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&fbclid=IwAR108V2SPKXgz0_rfpXsWnR3HQXaaU2T7wmzW7SxZocRe7mNvTr6A0-Mz64

Her employer was Govia Thameslink but there seems to be a common theme of leaving any action until very late in the day. 

Fambo Number Mive

Yes, I was, I forgot she was a Thameslink staff member rather than Tfl.

The number of transport staff who have been spat at or coughed on is astonishing. It's basically attempted murder given anyone could have coronavirus. At least 28 bus drivers have died in London alone and that figure is from 2nd May.

Fambo Number Mive

Khan's got a bailout:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52670539

Quote...Transport for London (TfL) has secured £1.6bn in emergency funding to keep Tube and bus services running until September.

Under the bailout's terms, London mayor Sadiq Khan is expected to restore a full Underground service as soon as possible.

He is also understood to have offered a 1% above-inflation fare rise in future.

Mr Khan had urged the government to provide support or risk TfL running out of money.

BBC London Political Editor Tim Donovan said other measures agreed to include:

Placing Stay Alert advertising on the transport network

Reporting staff absenteeism rates to civil servants

A longer-term review of TfL finances.

The BBC has been told a £500m loan agreed with the Department for Transport forms part of the total...

Not sure what the point of reporting staff absenteeism rates is - is it to pressure Tfl workers to return to work even if they are shielding or unwell? Also, is that loan interest-free and when does it have to be paid back by?

Hopefully other transport networks will get a bailout as well. Though increased car use might be unavoidable during the pandemic, what we don't want is more cars on the road medium or long term. Just imagine the gridlock and pollution.

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 14, 2020, 08:07:11 PM
Khan's got a bailout:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52670539

Not sure what the point of reporting staff absenteeism rates is - is it to pressure Tfl workers to return to work even if they are shielding or unwell? Also, is that loan interest-free and when does it have to be paid back by?

Hopefully other transport networks will get a bailout as well. Though increased car use might be unavoidable during the pandemic, what we don't want is more cars on the road medium or long term. Just imagine the gridlock and pollution.

The terms of the bail out embarrass and effectively cuckold Sadiq Khan. How did it get this bad for him?

BlodwynPig

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 14, 2020, 08:07:11 PM
Khan's got a bailout:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52670539

Not sure what the point of reporting staff absenteeism rates is - is it to pressure Tfl workers to return to work even if they are shielding or unwell? Also, is that loan interest-free and when does it have to be paid back by?

Hopefully other transport networks will get a bailout as well. Though increased car use might be unavoidable during the pandemic, what we don't want is more cars on the road medium or long term. Just imagine the gridlock and pollution.

This is abysmal. No bailouts.

Fambo Number Mive

I'm not a massive Khan fan, but every transport network has required a bailout.

The level of crowding at many Tfl stations pre lockdown will have meant that station staff and drivers (when leaving or entering the cab at a station rather than a debot) will have been highly likely to be exposed to coronavirus.

Imagine being a staff member on the platform at Oxford Circus in early March, encountering hundreds of commuters, many of whom don't bother to cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze. This has led to high levels of staff sickness, and given how long it takes to train a Tfl staff member there isn't much Khan can do (maybe he could have asked retired Tfl workers if they were willing to help? maybe he did, I don't know).

As Khan is a Labour mayor (though on the centre-right of the party) the Tories, the press and the right on Twitter have been attacking him even though there isn't much he could have done really (also, some bigots don't like the fact he is Muslim and/or that he isn't white). Whether Tfl could have done more to get PPE to staff I don't know. I'm not saying Khan has done a good job, but I don't see much evidence that he has done a bad one regarding coronavirus.

The RMT are concerned that transport cleaning firms aren't protecting their staff properly and have called for Khan to meet with a delegation of cleaning staff.

It's vital that part of this bailout is used to ensure all London transport workers have the PPE they need to keep safe. I also think that cloth masks need to be handed out outside the busiest tube stations and people who refuse to wear them without a very good reason banned from travelling by transport police. Also, people who spit or cough at anyone intentionally should be charged with attempted murder.

Incidentally, the RMT have called for a National Bus Coronavirus Safety Summit to oversee a national plan to protect bus drivers and passengers. I think that is a very good idea.

Fambo Number Mive

Quote from: BlodwynPig on May 14, 2020, 08:25:26 PM
This is abysmal. No bailouts.

What was the alternative? If the Tfl network is cut even more  it will increase the risk of coronavirus further to staff and commuters. I do think the terms are unreasonable and politically motivated though.

Tfl will probably have to scrap future projects such as Crossrail 2, not even sure if the Northern Line Extension will be finished now, transport in that area seems pretty good anyway. Crossrail will be finished and will help with social distancing when it is open next year.

BlodwynPig

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 14, 2020, 08:30:43 PM
What was the alternative? If the Tfl network is cut even more  it will increase the risk of coronavirus further to staff and commuters. I do think the terms are unreasonable and politically motivated though.

Tfl will probably have to scrap future projects such as Crossrail 2, not even sure if the Northern Line Extension will be finished now, transport in that area seems pretty good anyway. Crossrail will be finished and will help with social distancing when it is open next year.

Strict lockdown. Bubble cars for key workers

idunnosomename

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 14, 2020, 08:30:43 PM
Crossrail will be finished and will help with social distancing when it is open next year.
lol

Fambo Number Mive

QuoteAnother condition is that Government officials will sit on TfL board meetings and that regular financial reports will be sent to the Department for Transport.

Reminds me of Robocop 2 where the Mayor of Detroit is furious at OCP's conditions for taking over Detroit. This bailout was written to maximise the chances of the Tory candidate becoming Mayor of London at the next election in 2021.

I do think that those at the top of Tfl should take a pay cut to show solidarity, especially those on over £70,000. Maybe they already have.

I told you, Sadiq Khan permanently damaged. Cuckhold if you will

poodlefaker

I thought Oystercards had generated huge surpluses for TfL - all those millions of tourists going  home with a tenner unspent etc

Gurke and Hare

Quote from: poodlefaker on May 15, 2020, 05:35:55 PM
I thought Oystercards had generated huge surpluses for TfL - all those millions of tourists going  home with a tenner unspent etc

They can't just spend that money though - the person with the Oyster card can ask for it back at any time.

Zetetic

Presumably they earn interest on it (which ultimately involves a bet somewhere along the way that not everyone will turn up and try to refund their balance at the same time).

idunnosomename

Congestion charge to go up to £15 and apply at weekends. Fuckin hell. That fuckin thing penalises people on the fringes who say might need to pick stuff up from their office from zone 2 in their car but now theyre basically fucked

(Ive driven through central london at a weekend for various necessary reasons, not just for bants i fuckin tell ye)

There's some controversy over the Congestion charge hike by the way Sadiq's team maintain it was part of the terms of the bail out but    Shaun Bailey who says he's seen the whole T&Cs and reckons the rise is not mentioned. 

Shoulders?-Stomach!

I seriously home Shaun Bailey is heavily immersed by a mudslide.

Quote from: Shoulders?-Stomach! on May 16, 2020, 08:11:22 PM
I seriously Home and Away Shaun Bailey is heavily immersed by a mudslide.

ftfy