Train operators accused of 'astronomical' fare rises

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10103661.stm

Some of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s biggest train operators are being accused of "astronomical" fare rises, as a result of extending peak-time hours.
The rail watchdog Passenger Focus says that some fares have nearly quadrupled since last year. Train companies say the number of people affected by such rises is relatively small. Since January, over 180 trains a week have been rescheduled as "peak-time", a BBC survey found. By redesignating trains as "peak", this allows train companies to increase fares without needing permission from the regulator.

[Bob_Blakey]

According to 'Today' (BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) R4) this morning, TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s are permitted to change the designation of services as 'Peak' or 'Off Peak' without any reference to the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) or DfT^» (Department for Transport - about). VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchise (or, possibly, in a France context, Versement Transport - a payroll tax on employers to fund local transport) ) in particular were criticised.
I personally don't regard this as acceptable and take the view that 'Peak Hour' definitions should be hardcoded into all franchise agreements, on a line-by-line basis where necessary. I also believe that existing franchises should be modified to reflect these new rules.

[Henry]

 Seem to remember FGW^▸ (First Great Western) using similar methods to 'screw their customers' last year.
 
 Once again I have to question the effectiveness of our pressure groups.
 The regular peak-time traveller has been clobbered on a regular basis, although I only speak from the South West point of view.
 I particularly like the line  'people affected by such rises is relatively small'.
 I wonder what percentage of their affected customer's into Waterloo, South West Trains call 'relatively small'.

 Could it be argued that this is the way TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s will tackle overcrowding on services without affecting profit ?

[Timmer]

According to 'Today' (BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) R4) this morning, TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s are permitted to change the designation of services as 'Peak' or 'Off Peak' without any reference to the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) or DfT^» (Department for Transport - about). VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchise (or, possibly, in a France context, Versement Transport - a payroll tax on employers to fund local transport) ) in particular were criticised.
I personally don't regard this as acceptable and take the view that 'Peak Hour' definitions should be hardcoded into all franchise agreements, on a line-by-line basis where necessary. I also believe that existing franchises should be modified to reflect these new rules.

Basically it's a way the TOCs can massively 'increase' fares by stealth but still turn round and say 'we haven't increased fares'.

[readytostart]

A lot of passengers who have to travel on a regular basis on the same trains will hold season tickets so won't be affected, it's those who have some flexibility in when they travel, but choose to travel in the peak that are effectively being priced off the busiest peak trains and onto the quieter off-peak.
At a time when all capacity is being used it seems that those paying the most at least now have a chance of getting a seat!

[moonrakerz]

 The regular peak-time traveller has been clobbered on a regular basis, although I only speak from the South West point of view.

Agree - and more of what were "off peak travellers" will now be available for clobbering in future.

 I particularly like the line  'people affected by such rises is relatively small'.
 I wonder what percentage of their affected customer's into Waterloo, South West Trains call 'relatively small'.

According to SWT^▸ (South West Trains) it's 8% of their services.

Another SWT fare "increase" I have become aware of recently:

I use the BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) to WAT service, buying advance tickets, usually First class. A year ago I could get an advance ticket from WMN^» (Warminster - next trains) to WAT for about ^10.50 (can't remember exact figure), it is now ^11.20.
However the ^11.20 fare has become much more difficult to get, even booking right out to the end of the advance period. BUT - a new advance First class fare has appeared, priced at ^19. This fare seems to be as available as the ^10.50 used to be.

It certainly doesn't get any extra revenue out of me - I am going up next week. First up, Standard back; have done that several times recently. I spend the saving on a couple of small bottles of wine at Waterloo to numb the pain of the journey !

[Henry]

 Actually my son, who travels into Waterloo from Basingstoke, works 12 hour shifts so effectively only works
 3 or 4 days a week.
 So a season ticket is not saving him any money (his shifts also cover Sundays when he has to drive to work).

  He has commented on the change of ticket restrictions etc. but he considers the financial advantages of working in
  London.
  Although over the last 10 years or so he has noticed the 'aggressive' revenue protection methods of South West Trains.

[paul7575]

The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) article is a bit odd, because they are basically trying to explain how various TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have recently altered their morning peak period to make more trains need 'Anytime' fares. 

But SWT^▸ (South West Trains) is a completely different issue, what they have done is ban the use of the Super Offpeak (return halves) out of Waterloo during the evening peak.  They haven't changed the peak/offpeak times in the morning at all AFAICT^▸ ('as far as I can tell').

Likewise the BBC have simply come up with the total number of services leaving Waterloo in the three hour period as being affected. This doesn't mean every passenger is affected, because Super Offpeak returns are not available from stations within the London zones. So for the huge numbers using inner suburban routes, there is no change at all.

Meanwhile over on FGW^▸ (First Great Western), their existing evening peak restrictions are applied to Offpeak tickets aren't they? Like a number of north of London TOCs...

Paul

 

[Ollie]

3 changes to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) I  have seen so far: (from 23rd May)

15:00 Paddington - Bristol will allow Super Off Peak
18:30 Paddington - Weston SM will be a peak service
19:00 Paddington - Bristol will no longer allow Super Off Peak.

[John R]

So a train arriving into Bristol at 2015 is now peak. And for those of us further on, we won't be home until after 9pm if we want to travel off peak. No wonder the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) come in for criticism on this subject

[Ollie]

So a train arriving into Bristol at 2015 is now peak. And for those of us further on, we won't be home until after 9pm if we want to travel off peak. No wonder the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) come in for criticism on this subject

Worth noting restriction only applies if starting at Paddington or Reading.

[inspector_blakey]

Does that one call Didcot?