Grahame's post in another topic on this board caused me to think about the ratios of ticket price per mile for anytime and season tickets. I looked at journeys to and from Paddington only.
A look at National Rail and a spreadsheet later I conclude the following:
The ratios between the different types of season ticket related to the 7 day value at reduce as the distance increases. So for an annual for Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford the annual is 40 times the 7 day. This reduces to 39 for Didcot and Oxford and is between 36 and 36 times for stations further West.
I have used the Anytime return prices throughout. I am aware that these are not the regulated tickets for long distance but for those who travel for work this is usually the only ticket available on the day.
For the anytime return and the 7 day season tickets the cost divided by the distance* was as follows:
Table of ticket prices divided by the distance from Paddington for common FGW▸ destinations| Destination | Anytime Return | 7 day season |
| Slough | 0.83 | 3.26 |
| Maidenhead | 0.85 | 2.90 |
| Twyford | 0.83 | 2.69 |
| Reading | 1.2 | 2.85 |
| Didcot | 1.11 | 2.25 |
| Oxford | 0.93 | 1.88 |
| Swindon | 1.57 | 2.94 |
| Chippenham | 1.67 | 2.66 |
| Bath | 1.68 | 2.34 |
| Bristol TM‡ | 1.64 | 2.51 |
| Newport | 1.52 | 2.30 |
| Cardiff C | 1.46 | 2.19 |
It seems that:
Oxford is a complete anomaly - I can only assume that have undue political influence as their prices are the same as Didcot, which is itself quite low.
Short distance travellers (East of Reading) pay more per mile for season tickets, but less per mile for anytime tickets.
Season tickets reduce in price as distance increases but not dramatically once West of Reading
Anytime tickets double in price between Maidenhead and Swindon
*Mileage's from an old
BR▸ timetable of 1983/4
Of course there are lower fares for Bath and Bristol via Salisbury
It seems to me that in a bid to make our fare structure simpler the following reforms would be
relatively pain free if phased in:
1) Fixed ratios between the prices of the different types of season ticket regardless of distance
2) Fixed price per mile for season tickets perhaps with two price bands based on average speed of the journey, this could be applied by route for trains via Salisbury or by type of train for stations from Reading eastwards (once Cross-rail services start to provide the capacity).
Not without pain would be:
3) removing the Oxford anomaly. This could be said to be foolish in the light of impending competition, but surely having a lower price only where there is competition is arguably an abuse of a monopoly position which the regulatory system should resolve.
4) Fixed prices per mile for anytime tickets for fast and slow trains.
I have now put my hard hat on and await the shouting!
Click on the map to explore geographics
