Commuter woes on the train system

It’s a misty Monday morning as the tiny two-carriage train from Southampton Central pulls in – late – to Keynsham. It’s the start of a new working week, and the first day of the commute. On the platform, we shuffle in uniform black and grey, waiting for the doors to open and peer in through the steamed-up windows, hoping that this morning might be the morning we get a seat.

It’s not to be: the train is already full and standing, the gangways and vestibules packed. There’s a collective sigh, and a feeling of bracing ourselves for the journey ahead, as the doors open with a hiss and we crush ourselves in, apologising for treading on feet and bag straps. I’m standing next to a young couple, both heading to work in the city centre, who cling to each other as the train lurches to signal we’re departing.

“It’s not ideal,” Jacob, 22, says, with typical British stoicism that belies the true discomfort that we’re all feeling. “It’s not a very enjoyable way to start a Monday. But it’s still better than driving. The traffic is terrible.” His girlfriend nods in agreement as she tries to take off her coat in the overheating carriage, struggling to get her arms out of the sleeves without the space to move. Colloquially, episodes of fainting aren’t uncommon in the morning rush.

It’s the same mood on Twitter: 

@bristol247 I commute Yatton-Temple Meads & the trains are frequently cancelled in the mornings because of overcrowding or they break down

— Catherine Frankpitt (@CFrankpitt) January 23, 2017

@bristol247 When I commute from Cardiff into Temple Meads, the trains at peak times are always far too full with only 2 or 3 carriages

— Lee Waterson (@LeeWaterson) January 23, 2017

@bristol247 Morning commuter service from Bedminster late every day (no exaggeration) – often only a few mins but enough to miss connections

— Lambert (@OwenLambo) January 23, 2017

@bristol247 Small station to station trips i.e Montpelier to Clifton must cost GWR a lot of money. It’s so full it’s impossible to buy a tkt

— Stephanie Hall (@StephanieMPR) January 23, 2017

Not only are trains often late, small, overcrowded and uncomfortable: the pill is even more bitter when you consider the cost of commuting by rail. Price hikes announced in January threaten to hit commuters’ pockets even harder than ever.

A monthly National Rail season ticket for the Bristol area will currently cost you £154 for the privilege – equating to spending over £1,800 per year to sweat gently into your overcoat with a hundred other people in close proximity. And that’s just within a Bristol postcode: travel from the Bath area costs over £2,300 annually, and from Weston over £2,700 – a staggering 10 per cent of the average annual salary.

Recent research from Fish4Jobs compared train travel cost to wages and found that Bristol was the third least affordable of 14 major UK cities. Bristolian commuters must work for 13 hours and 55 minutes to pay for their monthly season ticket, while in Liverpool, the most affordable city to commute to, workers pay for their travel in just 8 hours and 23 minutes.

It’s tough news to hear: we all work hard to earn during the month, to make ends meet and keep a little extra for rainy days, treats or splurges. But, over two full days of work each month comes straight out of our pockets and into those of the train companies, who outwardly do little to address the concerns of customers. Which? magazine’s national investigation into customer satisfaction found GWR lingering at the bottom of the table with an approval rating of just 51 per cent. 

A spokesperson for GWR supplied the following statement: “New trains are already in operation in London and the Thames Valley, with more being rolled out throughout the course of this year and into 2018. These new trains will slash the age of the Great Western fleet by more than half”. This, they promised would “provide a step change in passenger experience”.

As we approach Bristol Temple Meads, the driver’s voice crackles over the intercom, and we all lift our heads slightly from the bowed positions we’ve been affecting, twisted to avoid an elbow here, or a backpack there. “Apologies for the late running of this service,” he begins, and a few people in the gangway shake their heads and put their earphones back in. These are words they hear every morning, and after a while they lose their power to soothe.

As the doors heave open at Temple Meads and we pour out onto the platform, it’s a relief to be able to move again and get fresh air into our lungs as we sweep towards the barriers in a rush. But all too soon, it’ll be time to make the journey home again: a pattern that will continue as long as Bristol stays without a viable transport alternative.

Read more: Which new rail stations do you want?