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British Rail Users At Risk To Lose Rights
Posted: 11 Nov 2011 01:31 PM PST
In an attempt to reduce red tape, the British government may actually infringe on rail user’s rights, according to groups representing the passengers. Three regulations guaranteed by the National Rail Conditions of Carriage are supposedly at risk. If a train breaks down, then passengers aboard are currently entitled to accommodation. There is also a cap on administration fees, of 20 pounds or double the single fare, that rail companies can charge. The regulations limit rail fares themselves as well. However, the “Red Tape Challenge” aims to cut back on these regulations so that the rail industry can reduce its costs.
Passenger rights groups are outraged over the threat. Chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, Steven Joseph, said, “These [regulations] are not ‘red tape,’ they are basic consumer rights which every government has protected since Victorian times. Passengers have every right to feel that the government is working against their interests, rather than seeking to help them.” Opponents believe that the rail companies need to follow a set of guidelines in order to protect the customers. Without one set of agreed-upon rules, there is no standard for what conditions are “fair.”
Companies Comply With NY State Ban On Platform Smoking
Posted: 10 Nov 2011 04:00 PM PST
Starting Sunday, commuters will no longer be able to smoke while waiting on the platforms for Long Island Rail Road or Metro-North Railroad. Current rules prohibit smoking on trains and indoor areas of a terminal or station. A notice sent out by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, however, announced that the new state law for all of New York will prohibit smoking on outdoor railroad platforms, ticketing, and boarding areas. The MTA voted to pass this regulation in September.
MTA police officers have agreed to allow an initial grace period, so violators will be let off with just a warning. In time, police officers will enforce the law and issue summonses to lawbreakers. Penalties range from $50 fines to 30 days in jail.
In order to spread the word about the change in MTA’s Rules of Conduct, some celebrities have volunteered to record public service announcements. Sports stars Joe Namath and Rod Gilbert, T.V. host James Lipton, and Countess LuAnn de Lesseps of “The Real Housewives of New York City” are among the volunteers, A Malverne-West Hempstead Patch article reports.
Smoking inside LIRR trains has been banned since 1990, but banning outdoor smoking will take time for adjustment. ABC news received mixed reactions from interviewed commuters. The platform is a confined space, subjecting smokers and non-smokers alike to the chemicals in cigarette smoke. However, one commuter mentioned, “People wear perfume that’s heavy and that could offend people” as well.
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