10 November 2008
Rail disruption causes WTM chaos
Major disruption on the Docklands Light Railway this morning caused chaos for visitors to World Travel Market in London.
On the opening day of the show, hundreds of exhibitors and visitors from around the world experienced the capitalââ¬â¢s transport system at its absolute worst.
DLR staff were unable to explain the reasons for the problems, which saw hundreds of people stranded at Canning Town. A later announcement on the DLR website blamed a faulty train at Royal Albert.
While many were unable to board trains due to severe over crowding, those that braved it had to suffer being crammed in like cattle.
On arrival at Canning Town, they were unable to disembark due to over crowding on the platforms. Doors remained closed until DLR staff had cleared enough space on the platforms to allow passengers to leave the trains.
Eventually a replacement bus service was put into operation, taking visitors slowly through rush hour traffic, and the rain, to Excel.
Many visitors complained that they had been forced to make five or six changes at different stations because of various other problems across the London underground network.
ââ¬ÅâœIt doesnââ¬â¢t look good for London,ââ¬~ said one visitor from Cyprus. "It's always bad, but this is the worst I have known it. Next year I will not make any appointments before midday."
Other disgruntled visitors to WTM described the transport chaos as a "farce" and questioned the message it gave to those from overseas about the ability of London to effectively host the 2012 Olympics.
By Bev Fearis
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Your Comments (15)
This was the first WTM for Tourist Tracks and we had a very productive show with lots of interest in our products. The whole transport fiasco was a huge embarrassment and reflected very poorly on the UK as a destination - but at least the interminable queues and bus journeys provided a few more impromptu networking opportunities!
By Tim Gillett, Friday, November 14, 2008
Sorry Aslan but civilised and England don~´t go together. It~´s a country of chavs, it~´s CHAV PARADISE!
By David Alvarez, Thursday, November 13, 2008
I spent £500.00 to visit WTM this year for flights+accommodation+drinks+food IN THIS TURMOIL TIME. WTM organisers should leave their comfortable chairs and go and find out how the real trade visitors are getting access, how they are eating and drinking during the venue in long queues at catering outlets and fighting to find a table to sit at. Believe me WTM organisers, I have better places to spend my £500. Either you will make this venue a civilised place or you will not see us there any more..IT IS UP TO YOU...
By aslan sag, Thursday, November 13, 2008
This has to have been one of the worst, if not THE worst WTM ever. With the farce that was the invitation process for entry on Monday, and the appalling service transport wise, and the stifling temperature in Excel, and the lack of places to sit and meet... this cannot claim to be "the global travel event". Invitations - I am Head of Purchasing for the UK market leader in adventure travel, Explore, and I could not get an invite - because my suppliers were not given information on how to do it, or they were told back in September that it was too late. Our sister company in Holland experienced the same difficulties. In the end I had to write a letter of complaint to the organisers, and they allowed me a pass "on this occasion". Transport - The Jubilee line should be the quickest way of getting out to Excel as the DLR is so unreliable, but overcrowding meant that stations were frequently closed. On Tuesday, London bridge station was closed and passengers were advised to find another route. Tuesday was also the day that Bank DLR station and Tower Gateway DLR stations were also closed, so how were we supposed to find another route? I live near Gatwick airport, and it took me on average 3 and a half hours each way to attend WTM this year! If the organisers of WTM do not address all of the issues with getting there, and being there, and do it now...they won't have to worry for much longer because attendance will be so low.
By Rodger Whitefield, Thursday, November 13, 2008
I went WTM Last time yesterday and it is unbeliavable...I asked the Pick up point for City Airport to one of the assistant and they direct me wrong direction and nearly missed my flight back home...I never seen any country queues to get service and pay money which should be other way round. The caterers should be queuning to take our hard earned money..If service level does not get better, WTM is bound to lose its visitors...
By aslan sag, Wednesday, November 12, 2008
It wasn't just travel chaos, Excel seemed to be having real problems catering for the visitors and exhibitors with long queues at catering outlets and vegetarians were lucky to get a cheese roll!
By david curtis-brignell, Wednesday, November 12, 2008
What frustrates is the complete lack of WTM staff at the transport pinch points. For myself, a UK visitor, it was awful but I could at least make out the garbled announcements and work out the quickest solution. For someone not used to London or with English as a 2nd language it would have been impossible. Ultimately responsibility is town to the transport providers but WTM has no control over this. What they can do is ease the chaos by providing information to visitors at the points of greatest need. WTM should put multilingual staff (English, French, Spanish and Italian should cover 99.9% of visitors) at the pinch points: Canning Town, Canary Wharf, Tower Hill, etc.
By Thomas Power, Tuesday, November 11, 2008
DLR to Excel is never good as the capacity is stretched even when everything is working as built. One small problem and chaos results as it did today
By Antony Hunter, Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Disruption? Bad for Business. Did WTM do enough? What could WTM organisers do, in partnership with London Transport to iron out these issues? In a recession, one has to work harder. How much harder? If business is down 35%, then its 35% HARDER, 35% more effort, 35% more commitment, more determination to succeed, and probably 70% in new customer acquisition. This applies to the UK Travel Industry as a whole, as much as every other industry sector in the UK.
By Julian Rowe, Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Did you all go to WTM for business? Or your answers are a reflex from the lack of productivity in trade shows like WTM?
By Bartolomeu Lan�a, Tuesday, November 11, 2008
It's funny when someone reads this kind of news and everybody looks amazed! When UK and London transport in particular is 'torturing' the inhabitants from price abuse to transport conditions. When most European cities are driving plans for integrated fares allowing passengers to change between transports in about one hour or an hour and a half, London just put fares higher and higher including railway net. For instance, in Barcelona you can arrive to the airport, take the T.10 ticket for 10 journeys for ⬠7.20 (about £5) at the train station, take the train, arrive to Passeig de Gracia, where you can take the tube to your hotel or conference hall and if everything is done in an hour and 15 minutes, you would have used ONLY one of the journeys of your ticket (about £0.5). In London just the Southern train from Gatwick to Victoria is £12. When most of European cities are modernizing tube stations and coaches, London, with the excuse of having the oldest tube network in the world, does quite few to change it. One more time, if we talk about Barcelona ALL buses are adapted for disable passengers, the main engineer works in the tube net are for putting lifts and being accessible for everybody, special floor marked for blind and announcements at stations, coaches and lifts for deaf passengers. The coaches are new and wilder and you can walk all the train long from the driver cabin to the rear. And let me remind you, just £0.5 per journey! I think London has to work really hard for the Olympics. (and about hotel quality I may talk in other chapter'¦)
By Jesus Ahumada Gonzalez, Monday, November 10, 2008
Not only the trains - try by car. Insufficient signs, traffic blocks. UK exhibitions at their worst. And then try and leave and it's even worse; trying to fight against oncoming traffic. Attendants not correctly briefed etc etc. A catalogue of errors.
By Stanley Berenzweig, Monday, November 10, 2008
According to BBC News this morning, a shooting victim was found in his car near Beckton DLR station. This was closed by the police for obvious reasons, resulting in knock-on delays for trains and DLR customers. However, organisers need to work more closely with TfL to work out a better solution given the numbers that arrive for WTM and other conferences at EXCEL.
By Stephen Kelly, Monday, November 10, 2008
I have been attending WTM last seven years and every year gets worst and worst..transport problem, eating and drinking problem...what else you need...Anyway this will be my last year...no more WORLD TROUBLE MARKET for me..
By aslan sag, Monday, November 10, 2008
...the Olympics will be fine. The fact is it's difficult to get any business done in that hellhole called WTM at the best of times. Besides, this happens every year - everyone leaves it until the last moment before arriving which is usually about 09:00. Stupid.
By Gary Phillips, Monday, November 10, 2008