Railcard stats

[whole diary]

[Mark A]

Statistics for disabled persons railcards can be found here:
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/passenger-experience/disabled-persons-railcards/

Are statistics for other types of railcard available anywhere, does anyone know?

Mark

[grahame]

Statistics for disabled persons railcards can be found here:
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/passenger-experience/disabled-persons-railcards/

Are statistics for other types of railcard available anywhere, does anyone know?

Mark

I notice that no-one has come up with anything to follow up, Mark.   Is I something to ask National Rail - https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/National-Railcards.aspx . Or perhaps the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) - I have found that the statisticians there helpful. 

Interesting in that link I have just given you it refers to all the NATIONAL cards and refers you to another page for regional products.  Why does it include the "Network Card" covering London and the South East in the National list?  Does someone get mixed up between London and England?

[CyclingSid]

Does someone get mixed up between London and England?

The government?

[TaplowGreen]

Does someone get mixed up between London and England?

The government?

To a lot of the Cornish, everywhere East of the Tamar Bridge is "London" 

[ellendune]

Does someone get mixed up between London and England?

The government?

To a lot of the Cornish, everywhere East of the Tamar Bridge is "London" 

It seems to many that a large part of London think London is England.

To a large part of England London feels like another country. 

[Mark A]

I notice that no-one has come up with anything to follow up, Mark.   Is I something to ask National Rail - https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/National-Railcards.aspx . Or perhaps the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) - I have found that the statisticians there helpful. 

Thanks, I was wondering about the figures as takeup of railcards is an indication of a medium-term commitment to using rail, though it's difficult to tell what percentage of this is a discretional choice. Anecdotally, I know people who've chosen not to renew theirs and was wondering if this was widespread. There may also be regional differences, given the diverging quality of services provided in different parts of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

[JayMac]

I would imagine that take-up and renewals of other national railcards over the past two years would show a similar large drop off to that of the Disabled Person's Railcard, as seen in the statistics linked above.

Take-up and renewal will probably take some time to return to pre-pandemic levels, even after lifting of restrictions. Timetable uncertainty is not making rail an attractive proposition for elective travel at the moment.

Once all restrictions are lifted one would hope that the industry as a whole goes on the charm offensive with advertising campaigns to entice leisure travellers back to the train.

[ChrisB]

I notice that no-one has come up with anything to follow up, Mark.   Is I something to ask National Rail - https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/National-Railcards.aspx . Or perhaps the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) - I have found that the statisticians there helpful. 

Interesting in that link I have just given you it refers to all the NATIONAL cards and refers you to another page for regional products.  Why does it include the "Network Card" covering London and the South East in the National list?  Does someone get mixed up between London and England?

Bear in mind that the annual Gold Card which was originally a ‘free’ Network Card available to annual season tickets in the NSE^▸ (Network South East) area was extended to annual seasons all the way to Birmingham (I think?), and I bet te stats for this are included in the Network Card stats. So a tad more than ‘London’

[didcotdean]

Not having returned any money at all from Railcards that were valid during the period that people were advised to travel as little as possible was not good from a public relations point of view.

Maybe offering some kind of flat discount off the price of a new card if people can produce a Railcard valid for some period between March and December 2020 would help kickstart things. Doesn't have to be a complicated scheme.

[eightonedee]

Quote from: grahame on Today at 05:13:34 am
I notice that no-one has come up with anything to follow up, Mark.   Is I something to ask National Rail - https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/National-Railcards.aspx . Or perhaps the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)» - I have found that the statisticians there helpful.

Interesting in that link I have just given you it refers to all the NATIONAL cards and refers you to another page for regional products.  Why does it include the "Network Card" covering London and the South East in the National list?  Does someone get mixed up between London and England?

Bear in mind that the annual Gold Card which was originally a ‘free’ Network Card available to annual season tickets in the NSE^▸ (Network South East)▸ area was extended to annual seasons all the way to Birmingham (I think?), and I bet te stats for this are included in the Network Card stats. So a tad more than ‘London’

Agreed - I think I recall correctly that mine once gave me a discount between Exeter Central and Exmouth.!

[Surrey 455]

Bear in mind that the annual Gold Card which was originally a ‘free’ Network Card available to annual season tickets in the NSE^▸ (Network South East) area was extended to annual seasons all the way to Birmingham (I think?), and I bet te stats for this are included in the Network Card stats. So a tad more than ‘London’

As Chris points out, the Gold card is valid to Birmingham but the Network card is not.

Network Railcard area : https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/rail-maps.aspx#london_and_south_east
Gold Card area : https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/annual-gold-card.aspx

[Trowres]

Not having returned any money at all from Railcards that were valid during the period that people were advised to travel as little as possible was not good from a public relations point of view.

Probably not good from a revenue angle, either. I had made one journey on a new railcard before Covid arrived. Having not renewed it, I decided on cost grounds against a day out when an opportunity arose. I might have considered buying one for a long-ish journey in early spring this year, but South Western Railway (remember them?) have managed to make it rather unlikely that I use rail. That leaves "make me an offer I can't refuse"

 
 

[MVR S&T]

thats been my situation, the journey was part of the point, with facemasks etc, paying over the odds just doesnt make sense.

[Mark A]

Coincidentally I've just received a survey from the railcard people, which probably involved a bit of routing in the survey and it might have been that my responses confused the routing. It wasn't quite clear what some of the questions ended up angling for... asking 'Now imagine that you travelled the regular journey you told us about, bu in the morning peak. If you could no longer use your railcard, how would you make the journey? (Followed by a lit of about ten options).

It wasn't a questionnaire that would have uncovered any of the issues that people, railcard or not, have with rail travel.

Mark