Split season tickets at Didcot and the the new Conditions of Travel

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Bearing in mind the changes in October, it would be very useful formal confirmation of what is and isn't allowed - useful not only for the passengers but also, I suspect, for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) who are not (after all) the setters of the conditions.  No promise of success in getting such confirmation, but I'm seeing what I can do.

The whole split ticketing to save money thing is, of course, a farce.  If you never saved money on a split, there would be no problem on accepting such a ticket combination whether or not the train stopped at the place anyone with multiple tickets moved from one to another.

For anyone challenged on a valid combination, or being refused sale of a combination, remain positive and polite, ensure you know / see the ID of the person challenging or refusing the sale, and I would tend to invite others around me to witness what was going on.  Whilst not looking for something to go on longer than necessary, I would probably be thinking to myself "if I have been challenged incorrectly, how many other passengers has (s)he done this to?" and might press for a definitive resolution rather than an "I'll let you carry on this time" ...

[John R]

Never saw that TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) again though. Hopefully she's found a role more suited to her people skills.

A prison officer maybe?

[ChrisB]

Misuse of police time...isn't that a crime? "Wasting police time"?

Suspect BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) complained to management, hence you not seeing her again

[t0m]

Thanks everyone. Be interested if you manage to get an answer from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)!

I ended up renewing 2x tickets splitting at Didcot. It's only on the odd occasion I might need to take a service that doesn't stop at Didcot, so should be fine. I don't have the patience to challenge train managers every day with a further split at Maidenhead!

[Oxonhutch]

I have to confess that I have buckled under the pressure and renewed my Gold Card as per last year.  To be honest, until I can get a definitive answer I am not prepared to accept an assault against my right of passage every day, and even get a record with the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police), just to exercise what I do believe is my right under the new NRCoT to split my tickets at Maidenhead.  Three hours a day of potential hassle and aggravation on top of a full time, full calorie job in London is not my idea of pleasure, so I am forced to look to the long game. 

I do believe I am in my rights to have saved a considerable amount of money; and this post on 31/12/16 serves as my dated protest at being advised [forced] by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) ticket staff to buy a ticket (or combination) at a greater price than I should properly pay using the published legal conditions currently in force. CKQ6285P.

[didcotdean]

One other 'anomaly' is that seasons from Didcot and Oxford have the same price, yet the latter clearly has a lot more obvious varied journey potential in it, especially now.

[ChrisB]

So all those at Didcot buy a season from OXF^» (Oxford - next trains)....which most already do. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) now los ing out, not the customer

[didcotdean]

Indeed - although there are probably still a few that don't know and just buy the ticket for the actual journey they take.

[grahame]

Thanks everyone. Be interested if you manage to get an answer from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)!

As the National Rail Conditions of Travel are set as an umbrella over all train operators, I believe that the definitive answer needs to come from a central point rather than from within GWR.  We may find that there are test cases elsewhere in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) which establish the detail one way or another; as GWR account for less than a tenth of the trains operating in the UK, there's at least a 9 out of 10 chance that the answer  will be from somewhere else!

[Oxonhutch]

One other 'anomaly' is that seasons from Didcot and Oxford have the same price, yet the latter clearly has a lot more obvious varied journey potential in it, especially now.

It used to apply as far as Banbury some years ago.  I think that the price at the place of join with a competing operator/price setter limits the gouge on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) route!

[didcotdean]

I believe that *technically* a Didcot to London season may be valid routed via Banbury - certainly you can coax an itinerary out of the National Rail planner for this route for a round trip on a one day travelcard. This is though one of those that is difficult to reasonably argue for.

[ChrisB]

I tried a while ago & couldn't find one.

Do you want to try again/give us the details?

More than worth the Didcot pax getting the OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) season now, what with Chiltern's route then being an option too. Real good value now

[JayMac]

I believe that *technically* a Didcot to London season may be valid routed via Banbury - certainly you can coax an itinerary out of the National Rail planner for this route for a round trip on a one day travelcard. This is though one of those that is difficult to reasonably argue for.

I can't find a journey planner that will offer Didcot to London fares valid via Banbury (nor for that matter via Bicester Village). The National Rail website will give you an itinerary, but makes it clear you need more than one ticket for the journey.

The National Rail Routeing Guide shows the only permitted routes from Didcot to London are the direct one to Paddington, or changing at Reading for Waterloo.

ChrisB's suggestion for Didcot to London commuters to buy a Season from Oxford is excellent advice. The monthly and annual 'Any Permitted' are the same price from Didcot and Oxford, but the Oxford one allows travel to London Marylebone in addition to Paddington and Waterloo.

[Oxonhutch]

Try Didcot to West or South Ruislip.  Often the fare via Banbury is cheaper as it is routed "not London". Therefore, "Any Permitted" should accomodate either route.

[JayMac]

Try Didcot to West or South Ruislip.  Often the fare via Banbury is cheaper as it is routed "not London". Therefore, "Any Permitted" should accomodate either route.

And the Any Permitted is the same price as the Oxford - Zones 1-6 Season.

Looking at BRFares I can't see any 'not London' Seasons for Didcot to West or South Ruislip. The only alternative routeing for Seasons is 'AAA Newbury' (Also Available At).