Fare increases - some common journeys (from Melksham) 1.3.2021

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Fares up this morning - "2.6% increase" - what it means in practice with the usual rounding to nearest 10p

Headline - no big surprises noted so far ... no change in what is "peak", no new ticket types being offered that I could spot in a quick look, no ticket types gone.  Here is a selection

For 2020, Melksham to Swindon updated to 2021
Anytime day return £10.50 now £10.80
Anytime single £8.90 now £9.10
Off peak day return £7.80 (Any train after the 07:52 Monday to Friday) now £8.00
Off peak single £7.70 (Any train after the 07:52 Monday to Friday) now £7.90
7 day season ticket - £43.70 now £44.90

For 2020, Melksham to Chippenham updated to 2021
Anytime day return £4.90 now £5.00
Anytime single £4.40 now £4.50
Sorry - there are no reduced fares for off peak travel to Chippenham
7 day season ticket - £21.80 now £22.40

Fares 2020, Melksham to Bristol Temple Meads updated to 2021
Anytime single, £11.50 now £11.80
Anytime day return, £12.40 now £12.70
Off Peak day return, also £12.40 now £12.60
Off Peak single, no ticket offered - use anytime
7 day season ticket, £57.00 now £58.50

Fares 2020, Melksham to Clifton Down and stations to Severn Beach updated to 2021
Anytime single, £11.80 now £12.10
Anytime day return, £12.60 now £12.90
Off Peak day return, £10.50 now £10.70
For Clifton Down and the Severn Beach line, change also at Bristol Temple Meads

London Fares (these are via Swindon) - changes at 1st March 2021
£182.00 up to £186.80 anytime return
£76.70 up to £78.70 off peak return
£56.60 up to £59.10 super off peak return
---
£91.00 up to £93.40 anytime single
£45.30 up to £46.50 off peak single
£33.50 up to £34.40 super off peak single

Also for London (Paddington) via Swindon - prices from 1.3.2021
£297.70 - weekly season ticket
£1015.70 - monthly season ticket
£10580.00 - annual season ticket

[ChrisB]

The super off-peak single to London appears to have *dropped* in price?

[grahame]

The super off-peak single to London appears to have *dropped* in price?

My error - old price quoted was a return.   The danger of rushing things out (and the usefulness of having friends here to quickly help correct errors - thank you!). I have replaced £56.60 by £33.50 in the original post.

[grahame]

Interesting to compare the 1997 fares with today's - from the National Fares Manual



Melksham to Swindon ... day return, up from £5.80 to £10.80

Melksham to London ... any time period return up from £49.00 to £186.80
Melksham to London ...most off peak period return up from £25.00 to £59.10

[ChrisB]

Have you applied 25 years of inflation to those figures to see what they'd be, compared to today's prices?

[grahame]

Have you applied 25 years of inflation to those figures to see what they'd be, compared to today's prices?

That would be interesting. Have you?

[ChrisB]

no, don't have the time currently unfortunately.

[grahame]

Using Bank of England figures at https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator
£10.00 in 1997 was £18.61 in 2020 so £18.90 in 2021 ...

Melksham to Swindon ... day return, up from £5.80 to £10.80

Melksham to London ... any time period return up from £49.00 to £186.80
Melksham to London ...most off peak period return up from £25.00 to £59.10

If figures had risen in line with inflation that would be:

Melksham to Swindon ... day return, up from £5.80 to £10.80 £11.00
Melksham to London ... any time period return up from £49.00 to £186.80 £92.60
Melksham to London ...most off peak period return up from £25.00 to £59.10 £47.25