Special rail fares and standby trains for Olympics
Standby trains. Do they operate those nowadays? I heard they did back in BR's time but evidently they screw up timetables. Also, good on them for offering flexible tickets to take any train. Seems awkwardly non-ATOC though to do such a thing though.http://railnews.co.uk/news/general/2011/05/25-olympics-will-include-special-fares.html wrote:TRAIN services will be boosted next summer during the Olympics, it's been announced. The times of last trains will be later, special fares will be offered to event ticket holders, and standby trains will be available at key points. Both Network Rail and London Underground will suspend all routine engineering work.
Network Rail said the railway industry had worked with the Olympic Delivery Authority to develop the timetable earlier than usual, so that spectators will be able to buy tickets and book seats from late June – more than a year before the opening ceremony.
The 2012 London Olympics will run for 16 days – from Friday 27 July to Sunday 12 August – and the Paralympic Games will occupy 12 days from Wednesday 29 August to Sunday 9 September.
In all more than 2,000 extra trains are planned during the Olympics and more than 1,500 during the Paralympics. The normal morning and evening peak hours will be extended, and there will be a third peak when the Olympic Park or other venues close. This will be handled by strengthening services all day in and around London, and also before and after events in the provinces.
Standby rolling stock will be positioned at some of the London termini, so that reliefs can be provided at short notice.
Many routes will be busier and offer more trains, but one of the key links will be the special Javelin service from St Pancras International to Stratford, which will now be run by Southeastern following its recent franchise extension.
London Overground has also just completed a major upgrade, which has been under way since Transport for London took over its routes in November 2007. The new Overground services, which include eight trains an hour across North London between Willesden Junction and Stratford, will form some of the key rail links to the main Olympic Park.
Last trains will run later on London Underground, although Transport for London has decided that it was not feasible to run a 24-hour service.
Special National Rail fares will be available to Olympics ticket holders too – although discounted, they will not be train-specific, to allow for the possibility of events running late.
David Higgins, the chief executive of Network Rail, said: “The Olympics is about sport, not transport. Our job during Games time is to provide smooth, seamless journeys for spectators travelling to and from Olympic and Paralympic venues, whilst continuing to offer the service which keeps millions of people moving across Britain each day.”
ATOC chief executive Michael Roberts added: “The rail industry is committed to offering fast, flexible, reliable and affordable travel for the millions of spectators expected at Olympic and Paralympic events. As well as being able to book their London 2012 Games train fares up to 12 months in advance – a UK first – spectators will also be able to take advantage of thousands of extra services, earlier starting and later trains to make sure they don’t miss a second of the action.”
