New FGW Customer Service initiative?

[whole diary]

[chuffed]

If a group of our excellent moderators are having ticket problems when travelling with FGW^▸ (First Great Western), just think of the effect on the ordinary/occasional traveller. Enough to put the casual user off for life! It just shows how over complicated and byzantine the fares structure has become.

It really seems to be getting to the stage where you can only travel from A to B via C after 0845, but not on a Wednesday if its raining, and then when only there is an r in the month. However if you split your ticket at X you can only break your journey on the outward leg, and it wont be valid on the return leg from 1630 because of the evening restrictions from Y, regardless of the fact that the train is virtually empty by the time it gets to you. Once you do get on the train you find yourself in the Cross Country ' reserved' seat lottery. They ought to start playing music over the PA^▸ (Public Address (broadcast loudspeaker announcements) or Passenger Assist (railway staff providing physical assistance to passengers with mobility issues), depending on context), so that all the passengers play a version of musical chairs called 'squeezing past in the gangway' with luggage that doesn't belong to them. Last one still standing when the music stops has to pay a penalty fare and is thrown of the train at the next station.

[grahame]

If a group of our excellent moderators are having ticket problems when travelling with FGW^▸ (First Great Western), just think of the effect on the ordinary/occasional traveller.

I'm not so sure ... we read stories of newcomers to rail travel being horrified at prices - I recall a Bath to the north east example which made the press a while back, and the 1000 pound fare from Newquay to Kyle of Lochalsh.   And such newcomers will tend to get a more flexible and more expensive option than they need.  Witness the Consumer Association tests which result in valid tickets being sold, but not the lowest cost valid ticket for the journeys being made.

For two trips Melksham to London, and three trips Melksham to Farnborough the other week I was initially quoted over 700 pounds when I looked it up on line.  A phone call to the FGW number / put through to National Rail gave me an alternative of about 430 pounds. And experts here found a valid solution at 243 pounds.  At the cost of a really dirty look from one SWT^▸ (South West Trains) gate attendant, and another asking me where Melksham was.  I would have avoided the question (perfectly acceptable)  and dirty looks (which are poor customer relations) if I had gone for one of the higher priced options.

So ... I contend that the newcomer is far more likely to pay more / far more than he / she needs, rather than hitting issues such as those of who are able to choose some of cheaper, valid, but less known alternatives.

[grahame]

... regardless of the fact that the train is virtually empty by the time it gets to you ...

I love your follow-up paragraph, by the way.   George Orwell and DoubleSpeak would be proud of the words "Peak", "Off Peak" and "Super Off Peak".  Try the 19:30 off Paddington ("super offpeak") and the 06:12 off Swindon to Southampton ("peak") for modern definitions of the words 

[JayMac]

I'm led to believe, from a well placed source, that things at Paddington are being addressed in regard to Off Peak ticket validity in the evening peak. Messages on the screens have been changed to say that 'Off Peak tickets MAY not be valid on this service' and further information is given regarding journeys that have started outside London. With a request to ask staff if unsure.

Staff have also been briefed as well.

If this is indeed the case then it is good to see swift action taken to address the issue of Off Peak restrictions, or the lack of them, through Paddington in the evening peak.

I'll be looking out for any updated information the next time I travel through Paddington.

[Brucey]

Thanks for updating us bignosemac.  As everyone will be aware from my other thread, the blanket off-peak restriction is one of my pet hates.

I thought things had changed in SWT^▸ (South West Trains) land, however I've had several "no super off peaks" in recent weeks.  Time to raise it at the next Meet The Manager event (again).