Parapou

There's the No Entry sign on West Street/Glossop Road 4.30-6.30 which is ignored by hundreds, and the Council won't enforce due to .... the recession?!?!?!? according to last week's Telegraph.

No direct trains - via Doncaster for £72, or train-bus-train .... East Midlands Trains website

If EMT can't even keep their promises about access on the first day of human barriers, then how serious are their promises to do so if the automatic barriers are in. If the standard of 'staff discretion' is the rude and jobsworth attitude described here then those promises are empty too. Some recent comments from Lord Andrew Adonis the Rail Minister are of interest here. Firstly in his diary of his week travelling round Britain by rail: And from a speech this week (edited but I hope not unfairly): Which brings me to a suggestion that I'd like to see made to Andrew Adonis and Geoff Hoon - and I'm afraid it is in part the politicians favourite of delaying the decision. They should instruct no further action on the barriers and refer the proposed reduction in service standards, opportunities for transport interchange and community facilities at one of his lordship's favourite stations to this review of station standards. Incidentally Adonis also talked about high speed rail and sadly was specific in referring to it possibly having extensions only to West Yorkshire

He sells the Star but is rightly embarassed about the drop in journalistic standards.

Yep, just get off the train, go down into the underground, follow the signs for the Piccadilly Line Westbound toward Heathrow. Make sure you know which terminal at Heathrow you need, as there are three stations, one for terminals 123, and seperate stations for terminal 4 and terminal 5. Some trains go to terminal 4, wait a while, then on to terminals 123. Other trains go first to terminals 123, then terminal 5. There are indicators on the platform (bit like on some bus stops in Sheffield) telling you destination and time of next few trains. Most trains from Kings Cross go to Heathrow, if the first doesn't and there's another a few mins later that does then easier to wait if you aren't familiar with where to change. Sorry all that sounds confusing but it isn't really. http://www.tfl.gov.uk has some useful information. If you have lots of luggage bear in mind you will have to lug it down escalators at Kings Cross. I think there are lifts at most (all?) stations at Heathrow. Don't try to get through the ticket barriers with luggage cos you will get stuck - there are wider gates (usually with staff on them) use them. Yes Londoners aren't quite as welcoming as Sheffielders, but if you ask, most will point you in the right direction.

136/138 somewhere round that - opp end of Minna Rd

Maybe because both the new St Pancras domestic platforms and the new Sheffield station were designed when barriers were not seen as appropriate. Only very recent idea from train companies and DfT to use them extensively for intercity services. Remember Sheffield station stairs used to go the other way into the concourse - and originally past staffed barriers - but the redesign was as an open station. Not for barriers.

This DfT press release is worth a look. http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=392901&NewsAreaID=2 Perhaps not surprising that DfT says that but apparently also in favour of barriers, with a slight afterthought, is Passenger Focus:

They will however be working to rule on the following basis: Run five minutes late, except on the last run of the shift which will be early. Miss out one bus each hour (unlucky if you only have one bus an hour). Not be able to change a £2 coin for a £1.50 fare. Not be able to use the wheelchair ramp Accelerate or brake suddenly whenever anyone with mobility problems attempts to move around the bus.

Anyone able to give an update on the barriers?

When it works it is good, unfortunately it seems to go down regularly. It also assumes that if a bus is early, then the driver will stop and wait, so for stops near the end of a route can say 5 mins and the bus flies by a minute later. One question - why can it sometimes say different times on the WAP version from the display at the stops? Not just a time lag cos I've tried refreshing, just different info? Stubbs and NJ, I agree the WAP system is poor, on some phones displays two departures, others four, and poor design (though positive is that it uses very little of my data allowance). Will try out your systems later in the week. Scarlet - imo it made a significant difference to reliability. Drivers know that if they don't keep to timetable it will be noticed, and I think even more effectively bus companies know its harder to get away with missing buses out. I do hope PTE and bus companies can get it working more reliably for more of the time. Then put it on trams too. Then perhaps they can get Yorcard to work too. And bring the fares back down.

Very sad, my prayers for all concerned and affected.

Don't tell me, 'they' are planning to convert a local shopping centre, which was designed for just this purpose come the credit crunch.

Off peak trains are faster, which is good. Peak time - well in the morning the Master Cutler is slower, and the 0745 train is even slower. After 6pm there are no fast trains until very late. Why? Hadn't realised the change of train type meant fewer seats, but if that's the case we have been duped a little, but they are quite comfortable.

Humberside Police not sorting CRB checks promptly after Huntley, is like Haringey not sorting child protection after Victoria Climbie. Daily Mail or Sun would be interested in their present mood.

It was called Bejam when I went. Mum's gone.

Isn't that what they are meant for? Err sorry.

I passed through L**ds station recently and had to use the barriers. It was outside peak times, but there was a queue of people having difficulties, partly because there was a member of staff standing daydreaming and ignoring them (another was helping), the barriers were set at seemingly random in/out directions which confused people and disrupted the flow of people. Some of this teething problems, but all of this at a station where people are used to showing tickets and with no through pedestrian traffic. And it looks a right untidy dog's breakfast. Going to be so much worse here. Let's carry on resisting.

How old is she? How many friends does she want to come, how much do you want to spend?

Perhaps the closing of the rail tunnel was for secret nuclear purposes. Yeh I know that was Bradway not Bradwell, but worth a try to feed the conspiracy...

It's not far off the truth - Derbyshire County Council adopted the line '... supports Nuclear Free Zones.' rather than declaring it was one for that reason.

But earlier in the year on this very forum Mr Tim Smith was promising a Sheffield edition of Look North: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=3040444&postcount=23 Has this been abandoned?

The water features in front of the station don't just look nice, they can also be used to wash anyone arriving from Dirty Leeds. City Ambassadors will provide carbolic soap on request.

So why are we not building more tram lines? Why is SYPTE so ineffective? Don't tell me it isn't their fault but govt policy - Manchester, Nottingham, Croydon are all extending their tram networks, West Midlands probably too, but SYPTE are no longer even trying.....

Just what I thought on reading this in the Telegraph - I think you are right and they win either way. Council stuck between a SevenStone and a hard place.