Forum Topic

TFL

Last week they didnt have enough staff to increase train frequencies in rush hours to avoid crowding. This week they have 7000 excess staff and therefore furlough them.Not saying they are all train drivers in the same way those that were sick were not all train drivers. Just seems that the 2 scenarios dont add up.

Andy Pike ● 2391d17 Comments

TFL are a joke. Agree totally,

Imbuzi Yentaba ● 2391d

its all about budgets - TFL cant pay them without fare revenues but if they furlough them central govt pays 80%.  If we had a mayor with a pair this could be sorted - it simply needs central govt to pay them to stay working.

Nick Parker ● 2391d

"it simply needs central govt to pay them to stay working."And why are they not then?

David Ainsworth ● 2391d

I'm not sure how many tube drivers there are but I suspect most of these are office workers and not front line staff.On the plus side no reports of Khan slipping off for pole dancing lessons or was it IT....

Ed Robinson ● 2391d

"On the plus side no reports of Khan slipping off for pole dancing lessons or was it IT...."Oh, so that is what "If we had a mayor with a pair" means?

David Ainsworth ● 2391d

I wish there was a like facility.Interesting that Germany closed the front doors of their buses very early.Liverpool also ordered their own PPE.Some countries are providing reusable low grade masks for their citizens to stop wearers spreading the virus.People say the science is out on the effectiveness of masks although I don't see why as we have been taught to cover our mouths when coughing for centuries I assume (have to research the history of that)

Ed Robinson ● 2391d

How effective masks are is still open to debate. That said wearing one can't do any harm.

Simon Knight ● 2391d

I think (though this is outside my area of expertise) that the point about masks is that they provide protection against people spreading the disease rather than people catching it.

Richard Carter ● 2391d

I really wish we could do without this unpleasant sniping at Sadiq, it's getting tedious.

Richard Carter ● 2390d

And sniping at the Govt isnt I suppose.

Andy Pike ● 2390d

Touché!

Sue Hammond ● 2390d

Fare collection is all electronic so no cash to count.  Hard to see what large scale admin is required. So if, as Ed suggests, these are not front line staff what on earth do they find to do all day?  Sounds like TFL is massively over staffed.

Robert Wheeler ● 2390d

"Sounds like TFL is massively over staffed."How many staff have they got?

David Ainsworth ● 2390d

As a tenant of TFL i can tell you that their property portfolio, both commercial and residential is huge, the largest in the UK i think, even the petrol station on West Hill is rented from TFLThey also have a large advertising portfolio (those annoying LED advertising boards), its these staff mainly who are being furloughedThey are also responsible for all roads etcI have to say, while most of the time i think they are hopeless, i have to say that with regards to their tenants at the moment they are being brilliant and i just hope that other landlords are behaving in the same way

Emarisa Battoia ● 2390d

7,000 staff will be placed on furlough, for an initial period of three weeks. This represents around 25% of the workforce employed. Although I'm not sure how we fact check it.https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2020/april/transport-for-london-to-place-7-000-staff-on-furlough-to-help-safeguard-vital-transport-services

Ed Robinson ● 2390d

what does it matter how many? I don't think you grasp how huge an organisation it isAs a tax payer i am happy to be helping TFL and rather them than say the Slug & Lettuce who are furloughing 16,500 (yes 16,500 in just some pubs!) staff, are registered in a tax haven and pay zero tax here!

Emarisa Battoia ● 2390d

Well, there is some truth in that, I accept: but there's one difference and that is that the criticism of Sadiq is nastily personalised, especially from some here (not you Andy), whereas the criticism of the government is more (but not completely) generalised.

Richard Carter ● 2390d