How to check on past delayed/cancelled trains
Discussion
Long story short, got an employee who's constantly late and claiming delayed/cancelled trains.
Seems he's on the worst service ever.
Basically we want to check up on his story, but all the train departure websites seemt to have current/future departures, not the 8:15 train he's claiming was cancelled at 9:30 when he arrives in the office.
It's all a bit fishy, but before we lay down the law we wanted to verify the story.
Anyone know of a way of checking up on past delays or cancellations?
Cheers
Seems he's on the worst service ever.
Basically we want to check up on his story, but all the train departure websites seemt to have current/future departures, not the 8:15 train he's claiming was cancelled at 9:30 when he arrives in the office.
It's all a bit fishy, but before we lay down the law we wanted to verify the story.
Anyone know of a way of checking up on past delays or cancellations?
Cheers
You could keep an eye on his trains on the day: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ldb/
But it means having that open and checking. If he comes in on time, its a waste of your time.
But it means having that open and checking. If he comes in on time, its a waste of your time.
illmonkey said:
You could keep an eye on his trains on the day: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ldb/
But it means having that open and checking. If he comes in on time, its a waste of your time.
Or he could set up an email/twitter alert...But it means having that open and checking. If he comes in on time, its a waste of your time.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/info_on_...
The historical bit is trickier, but there are sites like this one. Nowhere near complete mind you, but you might get lucky.
The data is definitely kept somewhere, but I don't believe it's publicised (for obvious reasons!). It must be kept as the train companies have a charter and need to be able to check that tickets holders are correct for claiming for late train refunds.
I'd write a letter to the company involved - as their call centre is probably in Mumbai and their scripts won't cover this eventuality!
I'd write a letter to the company involved - as their call centre is probably in Mumbai and their scripts won't cover this eventuality!
Not sure about National Rail but on the tube we used to give out customer care cards (basically customer services phone no) for employees to give to their bosses to prove they were delayed by the trains.
I'm sure you can ring up the appropriate TOC and ask them if trains from X station leaving around X.XX time were on time.
I'm sure you can ring up the appropriate TOC and ask them if trains from X station leaving around X.XX time were on time.
There are a couple of websites which specialise in refunding delayed journeys:
http://www.trainrefunds.co.uk/
http://mytubewaslate.com/
http://www.traindelays.co.uk/
Might be worth checking those for details of late trains.
http://www.trainrefunds.co.uk/
http://mytubewaslate.com/
http://www.traindelays.co.uk/
Might be worth checking those for details of late trains.
Ultimately, depending on how much you value the employee and whether their effort, skill and attitude generally makes up for lateness, I'd start down the verbal/written warning route - assuming you have a good contract in place.. Our contract states that repeated tardiness is a disciplinary matter. As an employer, it looks bad/petty to retrospectively say that 'he lied about the trains on x y and z dates'. I suggest that your concern is lost time between 9am and 5pm or whatever the hours.
Verbally (with a write up signed by employer and employee and kept on file for six months) I personally would point out that it is their responsibility to get to work on time and that persistent lateness needs to be addressed. You can try and help them by discussing whether they might be able to get the earlier train, car share, get a car/bike/taxi etc., but you can only discipline for lateness at the end of the day.
I guess you are recording all the lateness in case you need to escalate through verbal/written warning later.
Can you offer a later start and finish to this employee to help them with their travel problems? Or offer remote working ability or overtime on Saturdays?
Verbally (with a write up signed by employer and employee and kept on file for six months) I personally would point out that it is their responsibility to get to work on time and that persistent lateness needs to be addressed. You can try and help them by discussing whether they might be able to get the earlier train, car share, get a car/bike/taxi etc., but you can only discipline for lateness at the end of the day.
I guess you are recording all the lateness in case you need to escalate through verbal/written warning later.
Can you offer a later start and finish to this employee to help them with their travel problems? Or offer remote working ability or overtime on Saturdays?
TurricanII said:
Ultimately, depending on how much you value the employee and whether their effort, skill and attitude generally makes up for lateness, I'd start down the verbal/written warning route - assuming you have a good contract in place.. Our contract states that repeated tardiness is a disciplinary matter. As an employer, it looks bad/petty to retrospectively say that 'he lied about the trains on x y and z dates'. I suggest that your concern is lost time between 9am and 5pm or whatever the hours.
Verbally (with a write up signed by employer and employee and kept on file for six months) I personally would point out that it is their responsibility to get to work on time and that persistent lateness needs to be addressed. You can try and help them by discussing whether they might be able to get the earlier train, car share, get a car/bike/taxi etc., but you can only discipline for lateness at the end of the day.
I guess you are recording all the lateness in case you need to escalate through verbal/written warning later.
Can you offer a later start and finish to this employee to help them with their travel problems? Or offer remote working ability or overtime on Saturdays?
I think this is sound advice. Record their lateness and follow the normal disaplinary proceudres. If they say it is because their train is always late then they need to get an earlier train. Make them report you every day if need be, ask them why they are late and the reason. Trains are crap in this country by they are not that bad. I used to travel to London every day from Eastbourne initally then Milton Keynes and I was hardly ever late.Verbally (with a write up signed by employer and employee and kept on file for six months) I personally would point out that it is their responsibility to get to work on time and that persistent lateness needs to be addressed. You can try and help them by discussing whether they might be able to get the earlier train, car share, get a car/bike/taxi etc., but you can only discipline for lateness at the end of the day.
I guess you are recording all the lateness in case you need to escalate through verbal/written warning later.
Can you offer a later start and finish to this employee to help them with their travel problems? Or offer remote working ability or overtime on Saturdays?
Even if you could find info on late trains I wouldn't rely on it. The train companies will be ecconmical with the truth as they have to report the government on the number of late trains so many 'lates' aren't recorded.
Alternatively move the Germany, there is the train is more than a minute late travellers get given a document from the train company to give to their empoyeer.
This link shows all the delayed trains from Woking to Waterloo, you can change and search preferences at the end of the page. I've set from 06:00 - 10:00 last 4 weeks -
http://www.recenttraintimes.co.uk/Home/Search?Op=S...
http://www.recenttraintimes.co.uk/Home/Search?Op=S...
RedRose123 said:
This link shows all the delayed trains from Woking to Waterloo, you can change and search preferences at the end of the page. I've set from 06:00 - 10:00 last 4 weeks -
http://www.recenttraintimes.co.uk/Home/Search?Op=S...
Did you do a PH search for "delayed trains" with the hope of being able to show someone the website you use? http://www.recenttraintimes.co.uk/Home/Search?Op=S...
Of more benefit to rail users is raildar.com Here you can check the delayed times and cancellations so that you can claim your Delay Repay compensation! Southern and SouthWestern rail into London are so bad these days I am unfortunately claiming pretty much on a weekly basis.
When the Southwestern franchise was held by South West Rail they automatically refunded you when you renewed your monthly or annual ticket. SouthWestern have moved away from this so that you now have to manually claim for each journey delay. For SouthWestern you have to claim within 28 days but you can now at least claim for delays from 15 mins and upwards rather than 30 mins.
When the Southwestern franchise was held by South West Rail they automatically refunded you when you renewed your monthly or annual ticket. SouthWestern have moved away from this so that you now have to manually claim for each journey delay. For SouthWestern you have to claim within 28 days but you can now at least claim for delays from 15 mins and upwards rather than 30 mins.
edc said:
Of more benefit to rail users is raildar.com.
raildar.co.uk is better 
I have the pleasure of travelling with GWR on a season ticket. I'll get a 5% discount on next year's ticket (10% if they f
k up both punctuality and reliability), none of this actual cash back joy. Fortunately the ticket price is only going up by 4% 
Edited by bigandclever on Tuesday 19th December 09:32
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