Great Western Coffee Shop

FGW, FCC and XC - among others - have introduced evening peak ticket restrictions.

This means that people going for a day out by train (including groupsavers) either have to buy a more expensive ticket, or travel home very early/very late.

Is this right?

I say scrap them - it prevents off-peak passenger growth. And if it results in more people buying more expensive tickets, it will increase passenger nos in the morning peak!

Plus, FCC's restrictions are so bloo*y complicated!

FGW have had restrictions in the evening peak for some time now.  I remember them in 2004 and I believe they were in force for some time before that.

FGW only have evening peak out of London, for Devon commuters they of course do not, which is business and common sense in my opinion.

The price of peak tickets, I cannot believe there will be a rush of 'day travellers' cramming the peak trains in the morning... you only have to look at how busy the first offpeak trains are going up to London in the morning to see that people will leave a little later to save some ^.

FGW evening peak restrictions have been in place since BR days.  The good thing about the ones to Newbury and Oxford is that you can travel in the peak on the slow services.

For FGW they possibly make sense to limit shorter distance passengers on the longer distance trains out of Padd. This also links to the seat reservation gripe thread. These trains are expected to do two conflicting roles commuter trains to Reading and Didcot/Newbury/Oxford and ICs to the WEst Bristol and Wales and Cotswolds. it can't be done.

FCC don't make sense they only apply North of the Thames outside TFL territory.

As I've posted before BR had them on the Southern in the 60s they were a pain in the butt to sell you had to ask every pasenger "When are you coming back?"  and explain they couldn't come back between whatever times. Then they were a real resource drainer to police because most of them would turn up at Victoria in the peak restrictions and complain bitterly "The booking clerk didn't tell me". Then you'd get a lecture from  the Stationmaster saying you must ask when they are coming back.

As for XC I can't see given the journey times of most of their trains and distanced covered how you define a peak train and from what stations. Does it mean you can get an afternoon train from Manchester to Oxford with an Off peak ticket but  not get on it at Birmingham New Street with an off peak ticket to Oxford.

XC Offpeak restrictions are very complex, but the longest distances 'across BHM' have no restrictions, even in the morning. Journeys such as Southampton - Man Picc are unrestricted all day [trains leaving after 0500 IIRC, but that is irrelevant as they don't run that early].
Man - Oxford has restrictions am, but not pm. A quick play with NR's online planner shows all this.

It isn't a blanket ban on 'off peaks' by any means.

Paul

That's the problem - it's so complex.

Not all trains are restricted, and even then - people getting off at some stops are not restricted.

XC's B'ham restrictions have had to apply to Chiltern's services leaving Moor Street as well - as they set the fares. Some people havn't realised this. Hopefully, CH will introduce their own fares to help.

It appears that this forum are in favour of Evening Peak restrictions.

The poll suggests otherwise... ::) Or was that a sarcastic comment...??

eh? ???