101 Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 37 minutes ago, Ginaro said: The fact that you googled and got 12 when the actual number is 166 is even more embarrassing. https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/step-free-access Woops. But a reasonable of those 166 are only step free street to platform. Until they build time for staff to deploy ramps into the time table or build permeant solutions it's not exactly the most user friendly thing in the world. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginaro Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, 101 said: Woops. But a reasonable of those 166 are only step free street to platform. Until they build time for staff to deploy ramps into the time table or build permeant solutions it's not exactly the most user friendly thing in the world. Well yes but that's not a situation unique to the TfL network, and unfortunately new trains are still being built/ordered without level boarding - one of the exceptions being Greater Anglia's Class 745/755 which has a lower floor and a ramp that comes out to meet the platform. The central Crossrail section will at least have level boarding as well. Edited February 21, 2021 by Ginaro 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 On 19/02/2021 at 20:45, virginton said: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/14/rail-bosses-revive-plan-to-build-tunnel-from-scotland-to-northern-ireland 1) Rebuild the bulk of the old Dumfries-Castle Douglas-Newton Stewart line for this immediately (sticking to the cost instead of a pointless loop up to New Galloway) A nice romantic idea. Finishing the line when it happened was an act of vandalism, but the reasons for its existence have since evaporated a bit. It's a better idea than a bridge or a tunnel, but two terrible ideas don't justify an unnecessary one. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbornbairn Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 1 hour ago, Ginaro said: Well yes but that's not a situation unique to the TfL network, and unfortunately new trains are still being built/ordered without level boarding - one of the exceptions being Greater Anglia's Class 745/755 which has a lower floor and a ramp that comes out to meet the platform. The central Crossrail section will at least have level boarding as well. Showed my wife that and she really likes it. She's in a wheelchair and absolutely hates having to ask for help or to be reliant upon others. She wants to use the train just like anybody else which means it's a design issue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
effeffsee_the2nd Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Problem for the tunnel to Ireland is the current ferries only get around 10% of the Chanel tunnels yet it would be about the same price for construction. For it to get anywhere near viable traffic youd have to build a motorway from stranraer to join up with the M74 to entice traffic away from the holyhead and fishguard ferries, which again would cost o fortune in itself 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiegoDiego Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Problem for the tunnel to Ireland is the current ferries only get around 10% of the Chanel tunnels yet it would be about the same price for construction. For it to get anywhere near viable traffic youd have to build a motorway from stranraer to join up with the M74 to entice traffic away from the holyhead and fishguard ferries, which again would cost o fortune in itself Dumfries and Galloway is the most overlooked part of Scotland for infrastructure. The A75 is as bad as the A9 but without a parallel train line. It could do with some investment regardless of any improvement in Ulster-Scotland links. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, effeffsee_the2nd said: Problem for the tunnel to Ireland is the current ferries only get around 10% of the Chanel tunnels yet it would be about the same price for construction. For it to get anywhere near viable traffic youd have to build a motorway from stranraer to join up with the M74 to entice traffic away from the holyhead and fishguard ferries, which again would cost o fortune in itself Which in turn is politically awkward as we'd be linking Belfast and Carlisle with a road that would benefit virtually nobody in Scotland. If it's Scottish government money then really it's got to meet the M77 instead Edited February 21, 2021 by topcat(The most tip top) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, NewBornBairn said: Showed my wife that and she really likes it. She's in a wheelchair and absolutely hates having to ask for help or to be reliant upon others. She wants to use the train just like anybody else which means it's a design issue. It really shouldn’t be difficult. Benefits passengers, benefits the operator, simple. Unfortunately making simple changes to be more accessible still seems beyond some people’s mindset. My work were installing disabled showers a few years back as part of an expansion, my boss and others were laughing at the waste of time it was nobody who currently visits the sites is disabled, and that many jobs on site can’t be done by those needing use of a wheelchair. And whilst that was true, I highly doubt my boss couldn’t have fulfilled his role had he needed to use a wheelchair and that applies to many other potential visitors. The cost difference would have been negligible and makes us a more accessible company. Only close-mindedness argues against it. Edited February 21, 2021 by parsforlife 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highland Capital Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Anymore news on the Glasgow Subway going driverless? The metro in Copenhagen is driverless. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
effeffsee_the2nd Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Which in turn is politically awkward as we'd be linking Belfast and Carlisle with a road that would benefit virtually nobody in Scotland. If it's Scottish government money then really it's got to meet the M77 instead All that would do is make it easier for the traffic that already uses the north channel ferries ( which isn’t enough to justify the cost) to get up and down. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also do it in the event of the thing actually getting built but youd have to entice traffic away from Liverpool holyhead and fishguard to drive north and use the tunnel , which they won’t as the current road network makes it quicker to stick with ferries 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingTON Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 4 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said: A nice romantic idea. Finishing the line when it happened was an act of vandalism, but the reasons for its existence have since evaporated a bit. It's a better idea than a bridge or a tunnel, but two terrible ideas don't justify an unnecessary one. Not having an absolute shanner of a bus service taking about four hours to trundle along the south coast of your country is a more than valid reason for a new public transport link. Make it accessible and the demand will come. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurkst Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 2 hours ago, topcat(The most tip top) said: Which in turn is politically awkward as we'd be linking Belfast and Carlisle with a road that would benefit virtually nobody in Scotland. If it's Scottish government money then really it's got to meet the M77 instead 1 hour ago, effeffsee_the2nd said: All that would do is make it easier for the traffic that already uses the north channel ferries ( which isn’t enough to justify the cost) to get up and down. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also do it in the event of the thing actually getting built but youd have to entice traffic away from Liverpool holyhead and fishguard to drive north and use the tunnel , which they won’t as the current road network makes it quicker to stick with ferries Or they could upgrade the A77 and the A75? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 3 hours ago, effeffsee_the2nd said: Problem for the tunnel to Ireland is the current ferries only get around 10% of the Chanel tunnels yet it would be about the same price for construction. For it to get anywhere near viable traffic youd have to build a motorway from stranraer to join up with the M74 to entice traffic away from the holyhead and fishguard ferries, which again would cost o fortune in itself Sounds nice. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 35 minutes ago, Lurkst said: Or they could upgrade the A77 and the A75? Well they could but it would make more sense to spend the money on Edinburgh's tram network (In my totally unbiased opinon) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101 Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 5 hours ago, Ginaro said: Well yes but that's not a situation unique to the TfL network, and unfortunately new trains are still being built/ordered without level boarding - one of the exceptions being Greater Anglia's Class 745/755 which has a lower floor and a ramp that comes out to meet the platform. The central Crossrail section will at least have level boarding as well. That's a great thing, seems crazy they aren't fitted to all new trains, would seriously speed things up. Thanks for sharing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 7 hours ago, DiegoDiego said: 15 hours ago, virginton said: The main argument in favour is that train ferries are 100% pure box office, while some poindexter co-ordinating train and ferry timetables in an office is not. The logistical benefits are a happy coincidence. The fact you consider them box office really shows how behind the times this country is. (Well, that or your loft is full of Hornby.) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 40 minutes ago, Sergeant Wilson said: Sounds nice. Smells even better. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginaro Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 5 hours ago, NewBornBairn said: Showed my wife that and she really likes it. She's in a wheelchair and absolutely hates having to ask for help or to be reliant upon others. She wants to use the train just like anybody else which means it's a design issue. There's also a video of it in use for a journey. Seems like platforms are 915mm while normal train floor heights are ~1100mm. This train has a 960mm floor, made possible on the diesel+electric bi-mode version by having the engines in a separate power pack vehicle in the middle of the train instead of being underneath. Transport for Wales are getting these types of trains as well. We should really be looking at this kind of thing - both level boarding and bi-modes - when we replace our current diesel rolling stock, especially are we will be doing more electrification. Worth writing to your MSP / Transport Scotland / Scotrail to encourage this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanius Mullarkey Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 2 hours ago, Sergeant Wilson said: Sounds nice. Smells a bit fishy though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKMAN Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 The A75 should have been duelled years ago. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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