I've had a little time to think about the contents of GNER's latent reply to my e-mail.

Aparently the increases 'reflect the £28 million investment already made in stations, including £1 million investment at Peterborough with a new car park, refurbished passenger lounge and toilet, Extended and rebuilt travel centre, new customer information point and display screens'.

My response to the above - It seems GNER expect us customers to pay for these lovely new facilities that don't yet exist and we have to start paying for them now. In my opinion customers are already paying for these facilities through their tickets and existing parking fees.
Conclusion - Weak, pathetic excuse.

Next came this statement - 'In the last ten years we have provided 2000 additional car parking spaces along our route, and will create a minimum of a further 900 spaces along the route by December 2008'.

My response - GNER opperate about 24 stations. 200 extra spaces works out at 8.33 spaces per station or 20 extra spaces per year. Big bloody deal. The number of spaces at Peterborough has remained constant for years. The idea is (sorry was) to encourage people on to the trains by making it as easy and affordable as possible. Handy parking was a large part of that proposition. Not any more it's not.

This came next - 'The majority of our parking charges along the route have remained unchanged for the previous 12-18 months

(So they should.)

'and have been well below the market rate for the standard and location of car park provided'.

This is simply not true. Check GNER sucks out. He can park at Doncaster a whole lot cheaper than GNER and I can do the same here in Peterborough and Stevenage. I've heard similar stories from across the GNER network. The GNER car park at P'boro is uncovered, Queensgate is covered. Both are covered by CCTV. Queensgate is periodically patrolled, GNER isn't.

They coninue - 'For example, the parking charges at Queensgate in Peterborough are £10 per day, or £15 for overnight parking. The car park is also closed at 2200 whereas the station car park is available 24 hours'.

The charge in Queensgate is indeed £10 per day or £15 overnight. However what they fail to say is that GNER charge you £10 wether you park all day or 10 minutes. E'G park for 8 hours in queensgate and the charge is £7. What they also fail to say is that you can purchase a season ticket for the Queensgate car parks for £85 Per Month, £220 per quarter or £590 per year. GNER charge £40 per week, £140 per month, £360 per quarter or £1080 per year. The only down side being that the car parks close at 10pm.

Finally came this little gem - Following these increases daily prices will remain frozen for 18 months and then maintained in line with competitor activity.

OK daily prices stay constant for 18months but what about weekly, monthly quarterly and annual parking tickets and what happens after 18 months. Will they double it again and leave customers facing £20 a day charges?

All in all what they're saying to me is that whatever chages they want to make, me and every other customer will pay for it whilst they maintain their profits.

1 month. That's how long it's taken GNER customer services to reply to my e-mail requesting justifactions (excuses) for the recent increased parking fees. A copy of their reply follows: -

Dear Mr Tyke,

Thank you for your email regarding our parking increases. Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying.

Your comments are noted and will be passed to the appropriate team for their information.

These increases reflect the £28m investment already made in our stations, including £1million investment at Peterborough with a new car park, refurbished passenger lounge and toilet, extended and rebuilt Travel Centre, new customer information point and display screens. There will also be a further £25m invested over coming years, including plans to further increase the number of spaces at Peterborough.

In the last ten years we have provided 2000 additional car parking spaces along our route, and will create a minimum of a further 900 spaces along the route by December 2008.

The majority of our parking charges along the route have remained unchanged for the previous 12-18 months and have been well below the market rate for the standard and location of car park provided. For example, the parking charges at Queensgate in Peterborough are £10 per day, or £15 for overnight parking. The car park is also closed at 2200 whereas the station car park is available 24 hours.

Following these increases daily prices will remain frozen for 18 months and then maintained in line with competitor activity.

I fully appreciate the reasons for your annoyance at these increases, but hope I have gone some way to explaining the reasons we have chosen to take this course of action.

Thank you, again, for taking the time to contact us.

Kind regards

Nick
Customer Care
*B3J/000/NH/0307/0108

Have GNER started their expansion program into bus services because I saw a minbus this morning with GNER printed in big red letters down the drivers door?

You may remember from a previous entry that GNER have decided to opperate a bus service between the station and one of the townships in the area. They have spent or are going to spend £200k to introduce the service. Feedback on the community web site suggests they're on a hiding to nothing. Only time will tell of course but I suspect anybody looking for a cheap van should aproach GNER in 6 to 12 months time.