Another round of Fare Increases

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

This from The Daily Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/5200726/Train-companies-condemned-as-passengers-face-scandalous-price-rises.html

Several companies are planning to push up the cost of tickets, where increases are not capped by the Government, to make up an expected shortfall in fares.

The biggest rises are being drawn up by National Express East Coast, which is ready to push up the cost of some tickets by 11 per cent next month ^ although as a concession, anyone booking these fares via the internet will get a 10 per cent discount. It will push up the cost of a trip from Skipton in Yorkshire to London from ^13.50 to ^15 for a ticket bought in advance.

Another company, East Midlands is looking to push up some fares by five per cent on journeys just outside the morning and evening peak.

Other companies also understood to be planning a round of rises are First Great Western, First Capital Connect and Arriva CrossCountry. However the amount of the proposed rises has yet to be disclosed.

Does anyone know what if any fare increases are planned by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) other than Weekend First?

[devon_metro]

Also worth noting that Railcards are going up:
^24 -> ^26
Network
^20 -> ^25

Minimum fares also to increase.

[Timmer]

All Line Rail Rovers are also increasing from this May, though this is the first increase for several years.

[Ollie]

I have done a brief summary on the blog: http://www.iworkforfgw.com/railblog/

[devon_metro]

Yeh.

Taking a National Express example:

Kings Cross - Edinburgh
Current SVR ^168
May SVR ^171.40

[Btline]

This isn't good in a credit crunch.

System at fault!

[devon_metro]

As Ollie states, Devon & Cornwall local fares going up by about 10p. Second rise in a year. Disgraceful.

[Zoe]

As Ollie states, Devon & Cornwall local fares going up by about 10p. Second rise in a year. Disgraceful.

I went to Penzance on Tuesday, I find the off peak day return fare from Newton Abbot with a railcard to be quite good value at ^9.55.

The new prices are already showing on the NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) website, I note Newton Abbot to Paddington off peak return will be ^69.  This is an increase of ^20 in the cheapest walk-on fare in less than 3.5 years.

[vacman]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) fares  going up on average 3%, twice in one sodding year!

[Timmer]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) fares  going up on average 3%, twice in one sodding year!

They are keeping it very quiet. They, like most TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) were fairly open about the last round of increases that took place in January.

[vacman]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) fares  going up on average 3%, twice in one sodding year!

They are keeping it very quiet. They, like most TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) were fairly open about the last round of increases that took place in January.

Looking through the avantix it seems some local fares go up by around 10p but some don't go up at all

[Timmer]

I have done a brief summary on the blog: http://www.iworkforfgw.com/railblog/

Really useful info regards new fares from May and the new Weekend First structure, thanks Ollie.

[devon_metro]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) fares  going up on average 3%, twice in one sodding year!

They are keeping it very quiet. They, like most TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) were fairly open about the last round of increases that took place in January.

Looking through the avantix it seems some local fares go up by around 10p but some don't go up at all

Looks like it's only really CDRs^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day')) that are effected. Still, that 50p extra per week potentially.

[RichardB]

As Ollie states, Devon & Cornwall local fares going up by about 10p. Second rise in a year. Disgraceful.

Let's be fair.  In 2006, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) reduced the price of Cheap Day Returns throughout Devon & Cornwall. Funnily enough, people like me and the North Devon Rail Users' Group were simply campaigning to lower the Barnstaple - Exeter Cheap Day Return.  The decrease in fares has helped lead to big increases in passenger numbers. = I'll post the here next week.

Given the 2006 reduction, I don't think another 10 or 20p on Devon & Cornwall fares will make any difference.

Richard Burningham,
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership

[devon_metro]

A fair comment, however Devon & Cornwall is hardly the best paid area!