Great Western Coffee Shop

Has anyone else noticed that First Great Western has raised the Glos-Paddington fare from ^47 to ^56 two weeks ago?  Also, on Monday it raised the price of parking from ^2.50 to ^3.50 if you pay by card^ or from ^2.70 to ^7.50 if you pay by cash.  The car park increase is to dissuade non rail travellers from parking, but I am loathe to believe this entirely.

The double-whammy is a whopping  19% for the train fare and 20% for the parking by credit card or more than 270% if you have to pay cash! (Have I done my sums correctly?)

I travel to London up to twice a week and have to do a particular journey time so I am hit for an extra ^20 per week travel costs... or put it another way, up to an extra ^1500 per year (based on the number of journeys I did last year).   I also have staff that travel to London, so we predict our corporate rail bill will increase by a minimum of ^2k in the next 12 months. 

The smiley nice ticket man at Glos said that fare banding given to off peak travel has been altered^ the increase affects me personally on the 0846 from Glos^ and my return from Paddington at 1848.  I was advised to travel an hour later in the morning, and travel back an hour later in the evening if I wanted the cheaper fare. Thanks... write off any morning meetings and get home at 10pm. 

At a time when all budgets are under pressure how can the FGW justify this?  I've written to my local MP who is hosting a business breakfast locally in Gloucestershire this Thursday with Peter Luff MP, Chairman of the Business and Enterprise Select Committee. He says he'll address this... Hmmmmmmmmmm

I can't help feeling I am stuffed.  Anyone out there experiencing/feeling the same pain?

FGW have done this in many places. >:(

If they are not careful, they'll kill off trade!

Example: at the end of GNER, they were thinking of 3 tph to Leeds due to healthy passenger numbers. Since NXEC took over, off peak trains have become empty. Why? Huge fare increases, cutting of onboard catering, car parking increases - all during a time of recession.

FGW need to watch out!

Welcome to the forum.

I'm having a look / play around with figures on your particular journey - looking at things like split tickets, which sometimes work out cheaper.   But I have to say I didn't spot anything obvious ... the 28 pound single is only 4 pound more than the single from Swindon ... but others may have some ideas.  With singles now being half the return fare (for the most part) rather than just a pound less, there are gains for people who travel up, peak and back, offpeak.  But there are also some loosers.

First, like any Train Operating Company, has its first responsibility to its shareholders - so if it can convey 200 people at a profit of 2 pounds each, or 300 at a profit of 1 pound, it will go for the 200; the fact that 100 people then take to the roads is nothing to do with them.  It's not QUITE that simple due to the department for Transport specification, which means that first and foremost they have to provide services in line with what the government has required, and that some of the fares are also regulated.  You will note, I'm sure, that this paragraph says nothing about responsibilities to passengers through like any public serving company, they do need to keep the public goodwill on board and not have people *too* upset.   They took a while to recover when they reduced trains from 3 to 2 coaches on the Portsmouth -> Cardiff run  :-\ and probably wouldn't want to have such big problems again, but they know that in reallity people will shout about fare rises and extra parking fees for a while, but then the people will turn their spotlight elsewhere when petrol or electric prices go up ...

You may argue that the system is wrong - however, it would be a long and tough road to change it.  But we can try to work through things here and find all sorts of options.  The fare system is so complex there are often some cherries hidden there as well as some brickbats.

Are you in walking distance of Gloucester, or do you drive there?  Worcester and Moreton in Marsh are often quite cheap railheads ;-)

Chaxhill Mark - done to death back in August, I realise you've only just joined though:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=5123.0 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=5123.0)

The simple answer is that FGW have changed the validity time off the off peak, and introduced a new fare called a super off peak at the previous price, because the rules allow them too. The latter fare is the regulated one, and it has been found they are allowed to change its validity time.

Your MP will be wasting his time, as DfT want TOCs to squeeze the revenue. SWT were the first to do this, well over two years ago, but their changes were only in the London direction.  Many MPs huffed and puffed then, and got nowhere.

Paul

Unfortunately, there are no Chiltern stations anywhere near to rail head to.

Most unfortunate? Do they offer you champagne or something?

I can understand the fare rises, however do think the car park rises take the pee a little bit. I'm slightly miffed at the pospect of having to pay ^1.10 extra at Totnes, ^5 in coins is quite substantial!

i dont think FGW set car park fares if memory serves me correctly it is all contracted out to APCOA

No, because Chiltern's Super Off Peak fares were introduced at a lower rate to the Off Peak fares, not doing the appalling stealth rise that FGW and SWT have done.

You pay for a better service, I don't personally wish to travel from Birmingham - London (for example) on a DMU with annoying engine.

Very interesting follow up on this one.    I have a delegate on this week's course (http://www.wellho.net/course/sjfull.html) who works in Gloucester.  He's employed by quite a big company in the town, and they have a Central London office.  An email has just gone around telling them NOT to use public transport to London any longer, but to use their cars if they have them as it's cheaper ...


P.S. He's staying in Melksham as he didn't fancy commuting down on the 05:19, getting him to the training centre at 07:00, then staying here until a quarter past seven and getting home each night at 21:13 - the only train on offer.

Sounds to me like the company in question might benefit from a little gentle re-education.

You'd have to peddle yourself for any car to beat National Express Coaches from Cheltenham Spa to central London on cost - prices start at around ^5

Yes - but no one travelling on business with any sense uses coach!

Like a prostitute? Or did you perhaps mean pedal...  ::)

The extra income from peddling yourself would soften the blow from the fares increase  ;) ;D

Turbostar engines are very quiet and smooth onboard. The windows are big and all seat have a view. All table seats align too. The alternative is a rattley EMU with very small windows, 1/3 of seats with no view, and low luggage space.

What you are paying for is the speed.

Pendolino's are far superior to turbostars!

Hear, hear. Give me a Pendo from Brum to Smoke anyday.

Can't offer any help with the parking, but on the fares front you can make some savings on the current Off-Peak return if you know in advance what days you are traveling to/from London. Currently FGW are offering Advance fares of ^23.50 each way on the services you use (0846 GCR and 1848 PAD). Even looking at just 2 days ahead the ^23.50 is available both ways. I have looked at various dates up to 2 months ahead and it appears that these are the only standard class advance fares for the services you use on weekdays. Do, however, bear in mind these fares are only available online with FGW; you will pay 10% more at the station or buying them from another ticketing website.