Fares - what is included in the franchise / what is free for the incomer to set?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

1. The franchise consultation contains some questions on fares ... and indeed fares are an emotive issue at times.

2. As I understand it , regulated fares are set by the main company on a route but within narrow rules set down by the government, whereas unregulated fares are totally up to the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company).

So ... under a new franchise, perhaps with a different company at the helm, there could be dramatic changes to unregulated fares, right?  Advanced fares could (in theory) no longer be available?  GroupSave could be withdrawn? Off peak times changed?

Can anyone confirm my conclusion so far, before I draw some following conclusions?

Thanks!

[inspector_blakey]

As far as I understand things that is entirely correct. In fact FGW^▸ (First Great Western) has been much more generous with unregulated fares than many other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) - the bargain fares available in Devon and Cornwall, the great value rover tickets that are available and the single fares at (not quite) half the price of period return fares are examples. There have certainly been blips (the episode where former off-peak tickets were re-classified as super-off-peak springs to mind). However if you compare to XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) (which is the only other TOC with a significant intercity operation in the FGW area) where GroupSaves are not honoured and new peak restrictions are being introduced on early-morning long-distance journeys from Devon and Cornwall, things could be a great deal worse.