RMT criticises LNER Azumas over “inadequate facilities”

By Richard Clinnick
|
28 October 2019
News

The RMT union has demanded a meeting with LNER management over what it describes as “an intolerable working environment” on the operator’s new Class 800/801 Azuma fleet.

In a members’ update released on October 21, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said serious concerns had been raised about “inadequate facilities which are detrimental to passengers and staff alike”.

Concerns have been raised about available luggage space, with Cash remarking: “With the upcoming Christmas period there will likely be a large increase in health and safety issues and stress for frontline staff.”

Issues highlighted by RMT include: toilets going out of use randomly; taps flooding floors; bicycle storage spaces that are unable to accommodate bicycles; ovens leaking; no rubbish storage provision; disabled toilet doors failing; and seat reservation failures.

An LNER spokesman told RAIL: “As we introduce new Azuma trains across our network, collecting feedback is as important as ever."

For the FULL story, read RAIL 891, published on November 6, and available digitally on Android, iPad and Kindle from November 2.

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Author: Richard Clinnick

Head of News (Print and Digital)

[email protected]

Our Head of News, Richard joined RAIL in 2005 from local press, where he had been working since 2002. He covers all aspects of news for the magazine and website, specialising in operations and rolling stock.

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LNER employee - Kings Cross - 29/10/2019 19:48

I can safely say as a LNER employee, the management will not have a bad word said against Azumas. They are unsafe, trolleys are making staff go off with back problems, passengers hate them, especially regular commuters. There are so many issues with them...no one likes them! Yet LNER Twitter promote them as the best thing ever. Its nauseating. There is an accident waiting to happen with these awful trains
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- JSet - 19/11/2019 05:26
  
  Well i and many other passengers really like them. Yes the seat comfort is not that of the older-stock and i'd rather take a MK4 in terms of ambience. However, they are a huge step up on the MK3s comfort in terms of ride, noise and temperature levels. The acceleration is noticeable and the time savings whilst minor all add up. I get people dislike change, but how the trolleys create back problems is silly. Thats more to do with manual handling and perhaps LNER should introduce a training scheme if not already done done. These same style trolleys and often heavier are used at 35000ft in much confined spaces up against a constant gradient.
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  - D,A - 21/01/2021 14:34
    
    at 35000 feet they do not have to put up with bends on the track or braking and acceleration forces that are created on the train, also on aircraft there are normally two attendants to help with the heavier duty free carts, unfortunately the hosts that have to use the trolleys are never invited to take part during the planning process, so that the user views would be taken into account.
    
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- Rb - 01/04/2021 12:31
  
  The east coast main line at this point is all Class 800’s and a few voyagers. The 800’s are shocking trains and the only hope is them bringing back the 91’s after Covid. The 800’s are the worst thing to happen in British rail. LNER management needs to take a good look at what they have done.
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Janice McDonagh - 29/11/2019 02:20

I've seen and spoken to a driver of the Azuma and expressed a concern of why do they only have one space for wheelchair users. I find this incredible, surely there should have been an option for 2nd class carriage to be used for more seat availability for more users as it seems illogical having one space only. passengers would have to wait for the next available train that has an open booking, this could be hours. they should have more seating available for disabled passengers in wheelchairs.
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- Shane Carter - 02/03/2020 17:03
  
  The seats on the new Azuma trains are back-breaking! The staff tell me that everyone is complaining about the lack of comfort in these seats in both First and Standard Class carriages. The old British Rail rolling stock that was refurbished by Virgin East Coast had very comfy seats. The seats on the new Azuma trains would be acceptable on a commuter service with a journey of about an hour or a little longer. To travel on one of these Azuma Trains for nearly five hours from London to Edinburgh is extremely uncomfortable.
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- Shane Carter - 02/03/2020 17:03
  
  The seats on the new Azuma trains are back-breaking! The staff tell me that everyone is complaining about the lack of comfort in these seats in both First and Standard Class carriages. The old British Rail rolling stock that was refurbished by Virgin East Coast had very comfy seats. The seats on the new Azuma trains would be acceptable on a commuter service with a journey of about an hour or a little longer. To travel on one of these Azuma Trains for nearly five hours from London to Edinburgh is extremely uncomfortable.
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- Shane Carter - 02/03/2020 17:04
  
  The seats on the new Azuma trains are back-breaking! The staff tell me that everyone is complaining about the lack of comfort in these seats in both First and Standard Class carriages. The old British Rail rolling stock that was refurbished by Virgin East Coast had very comfy seats. The seats on the new Azuma trains would be acceptable on a commuter service with a journey of about an hour or a little longer. To travel on one of these Azuma Trains for nearly five hours from London to Edinburgh is extremely uncomfortable.
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