I'm all in favour of a passengers protest. Nearly forty years of cuts and under-investment has left our public transport network in a right old mess.

One note of caution, though; some of the mainstream media will try to steer this into an anti-union, anti-worker campaign. They'll want to take the heat off the profiteering company bosses and the government, by blaming the rail workers instead.

So can I ask folk getting involved to check out the RMT website (link below) for the workers' side of the story on the current disputes. Rail workers and passengers both want a frequent, reliable and safe service; let's not let them play us off against each other!

A passengers strike is all very well - but the train companies will simply run less trains on the day - what is needed is a mass campaign of non/part payment - pay what you think the service is worth (say 10%) until it improves

Mass non-payment was used to great effect in the poll tax - with hundreds of people not paying, the establishment couldn't collect all the money they claimed was owed, teh courts were clogged and it contributed greatly to the ultimate demise of the Poll Tax ( and Thatcher)

Rising Tide - the climate change campaign group - have already produced a spoof ticket to produce for part payment of fares
for their 90% campaign
 http://www.risingtide.org.uk

I just mailed this chap from BRAG, asking him if it would not be better, if as he says the time has come for direct action, for people to make their normal journey but not pay for it.

Has anyone got the web links or info on the campaign that I've seen before where people refused to pay and handed ticket inspectors spoof style tickets which explained the rationale behind the action? - something to do with reducing all fares by 90% I think.

Though what to do about season ticket holders I just don't know?

You can e-mail David da Costa at  daviddacosta@bragrail.co.uk

its the above link, geez. rising tide

From BRAG initial launch press release (BRAG launched today):

As previously stated and confirmed, on national television David da Costa, is promoting and supporting a day of national boycott by rail passengers on March 1st 2002.
David believe, this unfortunate action is necessary, to persuade the government into acknowledgment and resolving the crisis within the rail industry.

The organisation's website is already up and running.

Contact BRAG in the first instance at  info@bragrail.co.uk

Thanks, great information!

The page on rising tide website about the public transport campaign is at:
 http://www.risingtide.org.uk/pages/90percent/90percen.html

Legal Information about using the crads on a train is at:
 http://www.risingtide.org.uk/pages/90percent/90legal.html

Stories (which are fun to read) of people using the spoof tickets on train services are at:
 http://www.risingtide.org.uk/pages/90percent/90destin.html


Here's just one of them:

Train company: First Northwest
Date: March

"A sunny day and a group of us from Manchester (about 15 people) fancied a day trip to the seaside - getting to it before it got to us. Carrying our 90% for 90% cards and a stack of leaflets we boarded the train. As it pulled out, two of us went to speak to the guard and we turned his understanding of reality temporarily on its head.

Explaining that we thought the railways were in a right state, we asked what he thought about public transport, and explained that we were no longer happy sitting there moaning but waiting for someone else - Railtrack, Tony Blair, the Lottery, Bob Geldof - to do something, anything. That was where '90% for 90%' came in - we had had enough - as passengers we were going to pay what we thought was a fair price and we were going to talk to the railway workers about why we were doing it, and start talking with them about how things could be better. Spent most of the journey banging on about the state of the world - no ticket-check took place. The two of us who were speaking to the guard explained that a number of people on the train were carrying the 90% for 90% card - by the time we arrived at our destination that number had increased as other passengers picked up on the idea and took the spare cards we were carrying. The response from passengers was great - wishing that they hadn't bought their ticket already, taking 90% cards for future use, and, on the return journey, one guy used his on the spot as he hadn't bought a ticket and the guard nodded and walked on - so the passenger was over the moon!

We had a phone number of a local solicitor on us just in case anyone was threatened with arrest. Fortunately we didn't need the solicitor - had a great day out - went on a rollercoaster, had chips on the pier and everything. Who said politics and pleasure don't mix?"

"We want to see a cohesive long-term strategy to improve the national rail infrastructure. If we don't see evidence of this after the first day boycott, then we will call for another in 60 days, and so on."

This is a bit too general for my liking. What kind of 'strategy' is being called for is left unsaid.

And I'm not sure why the BBC have their knickers in such a twist over this - it's hardly direct action if "Only people...who have the agreement of their employers, should join in." Much more effective would be for people to refuse payment (as pointed out above).

it's fast becomin' a 'govt. ting' oh yeah!, don't talk to me about transport - support the railway workers - this is going to run, and run ....

Very much agree with the whole concept of bunking, paid or unpaid. So much easier on international trains from the UK tho, if u use ur imagination.
We are pioneering a new concept in Passenger Complaint Procedures; Complain to the Directors.
The idea is that whenever you get pissed off, rather than complain to some incompetent/harassed/dickhead/whatever of a staff member, who will only tell you to send form 21619 to (maybe) get a refund, INSTEAD you can contact a director directly and let the head honchos know your feelings.
This is coming soon on our webpage.