framheim Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/6057962.stmfrom BBC news:A major refurbishment of train stations across the north east will be carried out, it has been revealed.A complete makeover of Aberdeen train station is among the plans announced by First ScotRail.The organisation announced its north east improvement programme as it celebrated its second year running the Scottish franchise.Aberdeen station will see the biggest changes, with lifts, escalators and a new ticket office to be added.The company is keeping precise details close to its chest, but has promised a "major refurbishment programme".Insch is also to get a makeover and new ticket machines are to be installed at Dyce and Stonehaven. First ScotRail also claims to be improving its service to and from Aberdeen.Latest figures show punctuality and reliability levels of 84% - five points better than the national average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gold Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Maybe they'll find a way to put bins in there without fear of bomb theats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewarden Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Maybe they will stop charging me 15 a return from Montrose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash. Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Maybe they'll find a way to put bins in there without fear of bomb theats.gosh i know... =/ i was in edinburgh station trying to find a bin for my rubbish, asked a policeman and he told me about that and said to just chuck it in the corner and someone would clean it up. crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gold Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 gosh i know... =/ i was in edinburgh station trying to find a bin for my rubbish, asked a policeman and he told me about that and said to just chuck it in the corner and someone would clean it up. crazy!It's mainly for my green wrigleys extra addiction. Chucking chewing gum on the floor can't be done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 new ticket machines are to be installed at Dyce and Stonehaven.Bollocks!My days of being the North East's #1 fare dodger are numbered....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Maybe they will stop charging me 15 a return from Montrose.Young Persons Railcard not applicable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_inthehills Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 I'd rather they got the bloody trains working. I sat on a crowded train for 30 minutes this evening waiting for them to get it to work. After a hard day in the city, I don't need any delays getting back to my hills.spend the money on trains not buildings.peteinthehills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 spend the money on trains not buildings.You would think so: if the trains run on time, you need not to spend any time in the buildings, shurely?Oh to be Swiss...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewarden Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Young Persons Railcard not applicable?No not until half 9 in the morning.The argument is that they say the railcard was never meant to be used for the commuting student.Bolloks look at the ad campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benji Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Bollocks!My days of being the North East's #1 fare dodger are numbered.......Whats the best way for dodging a ticket??Apart from hiding in the toilets for 5 hrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossP Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 My mate used to carry empty sweet papers and crisp bags with him onto trains, so when he sat down he could pretend to be asleep, using the empty food bags to "suggest" he's been there for a long time, and must have had his ticket checked.Surprising how much that trick worked with the ticket collectors.Slightly harder now they are taking the tickets before you get onto the trains now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairyScaryMark Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 This appears to be a big distraction from the real problem. It takes as long to get to Edinburgh or Glasgow by train as it does bt car. I am sure most people in Aberdeen would rather the train service was improved over the station. I don't mind walking up stairs, I am not lazy.Aberdeen train station isn't very nice but neither is Preston and it still manages to have trains going at reasonable speeds in most directions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Callum, Underflow Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 I would prefer if they concentrated on the costs, It's cheaper to fly to Amsterdam than it is to vist my sister in Leeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 I don't mind walking up stairs, I am not lazy.Not everyone is physically able to walk upstiars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
framheim Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 surely it's a good thing that they're upgrading the station. it's a wonderful space which is very dated and in need of a makeover. if you read the article they are making progress on the train time front(so they say anyway). it's about time aberdeen had a modern and welcoming train station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RF Scott Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Punctuality of 84%?!!! !!! !!! EVERY SINGLE TRAIN I've been on in the past two weeks or so has been late, often by about half an hour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NARC Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 They should create this transport "hub" (no relation to its university equivalent) that was apparently never brought forward for planning permission when it really mattered; to be honest the bus station at Guild Street is pathetic for a city of this size. First Bus and Stagecoach should be housed in the same complex, along with the adjacent train station, which should have a rail link directly to the airport. The council have to get wise that people require such services in an easily-located and modern nerve-centre. Rather than another shopping mall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 First Bus and Stagecoach should be housed in the same complex, along with the adjacent train station, which should have a rail link directly to the airport. The council have to get wise that people require such services in an easily-located and modern nerve-centre. Rather than another shopping mall.It's also political suicide to try and get something like that built. It would mean a hike in council tax - which with the AWPR also needing cash, I very much doubt if there's actually the money there to create such a thing. First and Stagecoach would also refuse to have anything to do with it if it meant paying more. Given that ACC is also on a knifedge politically, what councillor is going to risk being voted out because he/she wanted an increase in taxation to pay for new transport infrastructure.You do realise though that part of Union Square (which isn't going to happen in my opinion, but we'll see) features an integrated transport hub like you're talking about? Getting private developers to pay for such a thing was a masterstroke by the council - but given the massive doubts over the project, it may not happen.As for a rail link to Aberdeen Airport - there's the slight matter of a runway, plus a single track line to deal with. It would cost a fair bit and there might not even be the demand for it, especially considering how much traffic is oil/business related.Luton Airport seems to do just fine with a free bus to the station from the airport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 This appears to be a big distraction from the real problem. It takes as long to get to Edinburgh or Glasgow by train as it does bt car. I am sure most people in Aberdeen would rather the train service was improved over the station. I don't mind walking up stairs, I am not lazy.It would require massive capital investment to improve the line from Edinburgh/Glasgow to Aberdeen. We would be talking in the billions - and it would require diverting money from elsewhere to pay for it. Anyone with an idea of transport can see that money would be better off thrown at a Glasgow-Edinburgh fast connection than upgrading the service to Aberdeen. Aberdeen train station isn't very nice but neither is Preston and it still manages to have trains going at reasonable speeds in most directions.Preston happens to have the...slight convenience of being on the West Coast Main Line, which just so happens to be a vital transport link between London and Glasgow. It also happens to be a major interchange point, so that's why they've got decent trains and we don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NARC Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Well, there is no free bus service from Aberdeen Airport to the city centre, just an infrequent and expensive one, as far as I'm aware.I'm not a taxpayer as you know, but I don't think I'd vote out a councillor on the basis of promoting such a scheme. I'd like to believe that having something modern and extremely useful would outweight the cost factor. As for Stagecoach and First, I think George Mair said he would "assess the situation" about a joint bus centre, to quote the EE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gold Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 I hope this involves an improvement to the car park actually. The current one is balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Well, there is no free bus service from Aberdeen Airport to the city centre, just an infrequent and expensive one, as far as I'm aware.Blame BAA for that one, not the councils.I'm not a taxpayer as you know, but I don't think I'd vote out a councillor on the basis of promoting such a scheme. I'd like to believe that having something modern and extremely useful would outweight the cost factor.You might, a few others might, but when you're a councillor on the ruling administration, do you want to risk losing power for the sake of a new bus/train station? If I was a councillor, I sure as hell wouldn't want something like that when it had the potential for my career to be ended. As for Stagecoach and First, I think George Mair said he would "assess the situation" about a joint bus centre, to quote the EE.Read : "Fuck that, unless ACC can put in bus priority measures to ensure that I make as much money as possible". Looking at it logically, there would have to be a safe, covered route from Union Street to a new transport station that avoided the Trinity Centre - and how much would that cost? Having the bus station out of the way (relatively) would be a bad thing - so there's really a lot more to it than just a new station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Punctuality of 84%?!!! !!! !!! EVERY SINGLE TRAIN I've been on in the past two weeks or so has been late, often by about half an hour!The 84% counts for trains that arrive within ten minutes of the timetabled arrival, so most of those are technically late anyway......The worst time to travel from Stonehaven to town is in the evenings because all the trains from Edinburgh get held up at the signalling junction past Haymaket, and the trains from Glasgow QS tend to get held up likewise at Larbert. And both are then likely to be delayed at the single track point before Montrose because of the southbound trains running on time.Yes, I am sad....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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