Different Headlines same story

[whole diary]

[basset44]

Hi All,

Looks like fares are going up!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8362167.stm

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/prices-fear-as-rail-fares-rise-in-new-year-skynews-f652ba3b6a90.html?x=0

[inspector_blakey]

I've just merged these two together since they both make the same point so elegantly...

[paul7575]

Yet they are really two separate issues. One is talking about the annual rise, and how TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) might be getting round the RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) based limits, by allegedly upping non-regulated fares, altering restrictions etc.

The Mirror is trotting out the annual Christmas 'non-story' which is that everyone in the know has already bought their Advance tickets [at T-12], and what are left are just the highest priced ones. This happens every year IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly)...

Paul

[inspector_blakey]

Apologies - I f@c*ed that one up...

Have now merged it with the topic I originally intended to (the previous postings about articles in the Mirror detailing the Christmas "rip off"). Serves me right for trying to do things in a hurry...

[Chris from Nailsea]

Don't worry, James: I've done exactly the same, more than once!  

* * *

From the South Wales Evening Post:

Rocketing rail fares for Welsh passengers

Train passengers are facing rocketing fares next year.

Train company chiefs have said fares will go up by an average of 1.1 per cent in January, 2010. But many so-called unregulated fares, such as cheap day returns, will rise by considerably more.

Single supersaver fares on the First Great Western service from Swansea to London, Paddington, for example, will go up 15 per cent in January, 2010, while some advance-purchase tickets on Arriva Trains Wales will increase by 9.4 per cent.

Passenger groups and rail unions have accused train companies of "masking" the high rises by not giving separate figures for unregulated fares.

[Timmer]

According to both today's Times and Daily Telegraph the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) are not so forthcoming with information about the increases coming on unregulated fares.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/6509900/Train-operators-in-spin-row-over-fare-rises.html

Operators, who have been ordered by the Government to cut nearly all commuter fares, have tried to recoup the cash by pushing up the cost of "unregulated" tickets which are not controlled by the Department for Transport.

They were accused of "sleight of hand" by Louise Ellman, chairman of the House of Commons all-party Transport Select Committee.

 
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article6919281.ece

Rail passengers face fare rises of up to 15 per cent from January, with train companies accused of masking the full extent of the price increases.

Train operators said that fares would go up by an average of 1.1 per cent in the new year.

Regulated fares, which include season tickets, will go down by 0.4 per cent because of the low inflation rate. But many unregulated fares, such as cheap-day returns, will rise considerably. First Great Western is increasing its Swindon-London ^super saver single^ by 15 per cent, from ^20 to ^23.

[Timmer]

To bring some balance to this what seems to be a three times a year story of rail fare increases, other ways to travel are going up too:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/6575278/Cost-of-driving-a-car-up-11pc-since-2007.html

Increased insurance premiums and rising motoring taxes mean the annual cost of running a car has risen by 11% since 2007, research suggests. This is 2.68% higher than the 2008 average figure of ^2,277 and 11.33% above the 2007 figure of less than ^2,100.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/6585677/Petrol-prices-on-course-to-increase-26pc-over-2009.html

Petrol prices are on course to have increased 26 per cent since the start of the year, figures show. The average price of a petrol at the pumps is forecast to pass 110p a litre - ^5 a gallon - in the run up to Christmas, the highest level in 15 months.

[Timmer]

More detail from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) regards fare changes in January:
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/travelandtransport/Rail-fares/article-1522701-detail/article.html

Commuters travelling from the west to London at peak times will see their rail fares go up from January.

First Great Western has announced a "mixed bag" of fare changes for the new year, with some prices going up, some going down and others staying the same.

The average journey is set to go up by 0.9 per cent from 2010, the lowest increase since privatisation.

But while regulated services will drop by an average 0.4 per cent, unregulated services are due to go up by an average of 3.5 per cent.

First Great Western spokesman Dan Payne said: "This will be the lowest January increase we've seen since the start of the franchise.

"It's a bit of a mixed bag, but 86 per cent of customers will see no change or a reduction of fares.

"At peak time they are very busy services so people will pay a premium.

"We are trying to encourage people to use off-peak services.

"We have to strike a balance."

[John R]

The 15% increase in HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) super off peak tickets seems excessive. In my mind this is the fare increase that people should be shouting about. Of course, when single fares are quoted they don't seem so bad, but ^40 to ^46 for a Swindon London return suddently looks a lot. Does anyone know what the off peak fares are increasing by?     

[JayMac]

More detail from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) regards fare changes in January:
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/travelandtransport/Rail-fares/article-1522701-detail/article.html

Can you change that to 'More confusion from The Bath Chronicle.....' Timmer? The article is littered with innacuracies and mis-information. If the aim of the article is to inform readers about fare increases/decreases in January it has failed miserably.

Regulated services include local journeys.....

Local journeys can have both regulated and unregulated fares.

Unregulated journeys include tickets for high speed trains.......and long distance journeys

Huh? I can buy a regulated Off Peak (Saver) or standard season for a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) or long distance journey.

.....while standard season tickets are expected to stay the same.

Err....standard seasons have to drop by 0.4%. Thems the rules.

The rail industry does a good enough job of mis-informing the public, without the need for journos to add to the mix.

[rogerw]

I thought that super off peak were now the regulated fares folling the autumn increase

[JayMac]

I thought that super off peak were now the regulated fares folling the autumn increase

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly)... If travelling with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) it depends on the journey. The Super Off Peaks mainly apply to tickets to Didcot/Reading and beyond.

So Plymouth to Westbury for example still has a regulated Off Peak fare with no Super Off Peak available.

[John R]

So if the super off peak is the regulated fare from Swindon to London, how come it is being increased by 15%?

[super tm]

Dont forget that the super off peak single was reduced by 50% a couple of months ago.  FGW^▸ (First Great Western) could if they want increase it by 100% as that would just bring it back to the same level as before.

[Henry]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8362950.stm

 FGW^▸ (First Great Western) a 4% rise on some tickets, quite a leap if you consider the RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) formula used.