Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:00 pm
This entire scandal is so unnecessary. Cardiff Central has been an absolute shambles since they introduced the new policy about four years ago. While trains travelling west can mix and match passengers they've decided (deliberately or just pure incompetence) that everything going east must have a rigid destination queue.
If you were heading to Newport, for example, they used to fill the trains up for London, Bristol, etc. with their respective queues, then top them up with peolple from the Newport queue and/or with passengers going to Bristol Parkway. But since their new policy, they've just let them leave leave half empty and leave the passengers fester or freeze in their queues. When asked about this change in policy, the 16 year olds marshalling the queues always say "how do you know it's stopping at Newport, Bristol, etc." They honestly have no idea how the rail network works.
One of the criticisms of the latest report was that trains were leaving at under-capacity, while passengers were left queuing. This is not new, and is precisely what's been happening for the past four years since the policy was introduced. I know, because I've been complaining about its lunacy since then. The only difference now is that in this particular instance practically everyone was heading east so it highlighted the issue more.
It's not rocket science. I'm yet to hear a reason why they no longer top up trains with passengers from other queues, and I suggest that it's pure and simple incompetence. One day they decided to introduce an army of 16 year old casual labour employees as marshals, and didn't explain to them the proper MO. And that's how it's been ever since.