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All across the Great Western territory => Fare's Fair => Topic started by: plymothian on June 03, 2023, 20:18:03



Title: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: plymothian on June 03, 2023, 20:18:03
Fares will increase by 5% (with a minimum of a 10p increase) on all off peak day fares in Devon and Cornwall including to/from Taunton  and excluding St Erth - St Ives branch from 11 June.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: grahame on June 04, 2023, 08:38:57
Fares will increase by 5% (with a minimum of a 10p increase) on all off peak day fares in Devon and Cornwall including to/from Taunton  and excluding St Erth - St Ives branch from 11 June.

Is there a source for this?  Is this an increase on fares that already increased earlier this year in the "annual" rise?

At this time of year (past years) I have seen changes to ranger and rover prices, and to terms and conditions on things like groupsave that have rocketed prices for people who have previously used them with children (used to be £1, remember?) or on the 09:10 on Monday to Friday to connect to Weymouth (now not valid until the 11:31 here southbound).


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: Bob_Blakey on June 04, 2023, 08:50:23
A quick National Rail EXM >DWL test booking for 05/06 & 12/06 produces an Off-Peak Single fare increase from £8.60 to £9.00 (4.65%) which could indicate that the OP's assertion is correct.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: plymothian on June 04, 2023, 09:10:48

Is there a source for this?  Is this an increase on fares that already increased earlier this year in the "annual" rise?


GWR internal weekly retail circular.
And yes, it appears to be an additional increase.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: grahame on June 04, 2023, 09:12:58

Is there a source for this?  Is this an increase on fares that already increased earlier this year in the "annual" rise?


GWR internal weekly retail circular.
And yes, it appears to be an additional increase.

Thank you.

With my local interest, a test booking just made locally in Wiltshire has shown no similar increase at my local station on the most popular off peak journey.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: ChrisB on June 04, 2023, 14:36:53
I seem to recall that, in the distant past, fares in the SW used to rise in the summer holidays (& return afterwards, just to catch the holidaymakers?)...its a distant memory, possibly from FGW days?


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: grahame on June 04, 2023, 16:19:35
Some examples - off peak day returns prices for 5th June and 12th June

Taunton to Plymouth up from £23.50 to £24.70
Exmouth to Penzance up from £26.50 to £27.80
Exeter St Davids to Paignton up from £9.20 to £9.70
Okehampton to Bere Alston up from £12.80 to £13.40
Plymouth to Looe up from £7.40 to £7.80
Plymouth to Falmouth Town up from £12.80 to £13.40
Truro to Newquay up from £7.90 to £8.30


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: Bryony on June 05, 2023, 14:43:27
Just to clear-up any confusion,  I jave checked and it appears this is not news, just implementation.  This is the anticipated fares increase which we hap notice of in December.  Perhaps someone had sight of a notice to remind ticket staff?
It is a national fare increase, announced by the DfT https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64066678
 
They positioned it as a reduction in the rise that they could have imposed as generally they use the rate of inflation in July, which this year was 12.3%, but it was still a significant rise of 5.9% which applied from March.
 


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: grahame on June 05, 2023, 15:18:09
Just to clear-up any confusion,  I have checked and it appears this is not news, just implementation ...

I've had a hard weekend and, sorry, don't feel cleared up.  Was there a rise on day return fares in March (2023), and if so what was the fare last summer?  Or were these fares left alone in March so it really is the annual rise?


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: PhilWakely on June 05, 2023, 15:34:07
Just to clear-up any confusion,  I have checked and it appears this is not news, just implementation ...

I've had a hard weekend and, sorry, don't feel cleared up.  Was there a rise on day return fares in March (2023), and if so what was the fare last summer?  Or were these fares left alone in March so it really is the annual rise?

Definitely an additional rise. For instance; Newton Abbot to Exeter Central with a Devon and Cornwall Railcard......
< March 2023      : £4.85
March 2023         : £5.10
> 11th June 2023: £5.40

making it an 11.34% rise since the beginning of the year.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: grahame on June 06, 2023, 07:39:28
Correspondence behind the scenes on this one confirms that this is indeed the second rise in a year on these fares, and the total rise is somewhere over 10%

The article last December - referred to above - says (I have quoted selectively)

Quote
Regulated rail fares in England will rise by up to 5.9% from March, the Department for Transport has announced.

The rise is being capped at a level well below inflation, "to help reduce the impact on passengers", the transport secretary said.

Fares will officially rise on 5 March 2023.

Before the Covid pandemic, fares were raised in January each year, based on the retail prices index (RPI) measure of inflation from the previous July.

Inflation is the rate at which prices rise, and the normal formula for fares is RPI plus 1%.

However, the government said that "for this year only" rail fare increases for 2023 would be capped at 5.9%, well below July's RPI figure of 12.3%.

My understanding is that there is not quite a promise in there that this is the only increase for 2023, just that that the regular (routine?) rise will be 5.9%.  Apparently, according to GWR on the normal formula a rise of up to 12.3% is allowed, so this second rise is still within the national rules.    I personally don't buy that interpretation - I think it's a very naughty piece of manipulating indeed of what we were told last December, breaking a promise of increases being limited for 2023 to under 6%.

Having expressed my - disgust - at the way "they" have gone about this second fare rise in a year above the headline rate, I can understand the desire to increase revenue, and to do so from primarily the leisure (off peak) traffic flows rather that the more emotive flows such as commuters to work and school kids.  I also note the increase is on what are typically the lower fare brackets; a double edged sword - on one hand, people (especially irregulars) won't notice "a few pence", but on the other hand they'll need an awful lot of these extra "few pence"s to make a significant percentage gain in the overall farebox income.

We have often said before our fare system is a mess and needs sorting out.  And changes such as the one in this thread will be just a skirmish in a major war if an overall update is sneaked in by the back door.   But, yet, the current system is too complex for its own good, scaring people away, but having to create winners and loser in its correction.   I know the saying is "careful what you wish for", but I wish someone was brave enough to sort it out and not tinker around the edges.

Big "thank you" to correspondents who have helped me understand and clarify.  I don't live in Devon or Cornwall nor visit there very often; not really my battle to fight and I have more relevant fish to fry, so I'm moving on.   But I'm moving on with the acquired knowledge of another trick that's been added to the playlist, and a knowledge that we (travelling customers) must partner with the providers, but maintain our guard and cannot be as trusting as we might like. Pity.





Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: grahame on June 08, 2023, 08:09:35
From Plymouth Live (https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/gwr-train-fare-hikes-confirmed-8502874)

Quote
Great Western Railway train fares for journeys in Devon and Cornwall are set to increase this month. The train operator says this is due to "shifts in customer demand".

Ticket prices for all off peak journeys in Devon and Cornwall, including ones that travel to and from Taunton, will soon be increasing by five per cent as GWR reports changes to customers' habits. They say they are hoping this will also encourage people to travel on quieter trains.

GWR also explained that the increase in fares is also intended to help the company generate a "sensible financial return for government." A spokesperson for GWR said: "From June 11, Off-Peak Day fares within Devon and Cornwall, including fares to/from Taunton, are increasing by 5%. This is designed to help manage shifts in customer demand and encouraging travel on quieter trains, while ensuring we are generating a sensible financial return for government.

"As part of the current National Rail Contracts, all revenue is returned to government and train operators are paid a fixed management fee.

"The Devon & Cornwall Railcard continues to offer 1/3 off all standard class Anytime or Off-Peak tickets to local residents.

"And Off-Peak fares still offer a significant discount against Anytime fares."





Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: plymothian on June 08, 2023, 08:54:31
Don't forget any residents of Devon and Cornwall, you can now purchase a digital Devon and Cornwall railcard through GWR (https://www.gwr.com/your-tickets/railcards/regional-railcards) only.
(They also sell digital national railcards)


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: JayMac on June 08, 2023, 13:40:54
From Plymouth Live (https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/gwr-train-fare-hikes-confirmed-8502874)

Someone may have emailed the Reach titles in the south west suggesting this story...  :-X

The BBC are yet to reply to me...


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: GBM on June 08, 2023, 13:57:22
From Plymouth Live (https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/gwr-train-fare-hikes-confirmed-8502874)

Someone may have emailed the Reach titles in the south west suggesting this story...  :-X

The BBC are yet to reply to me...
NUJ members on strike in some areas, think today is the last day of it.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: RichardB on June 08, 2023, 15:18:43
Don't forget any residents of Devon and Cornwall, you can now purchase a digital Devon and Cornwall railcard through GWR (https://www.gwr.com/your-tickets/railcards/regional-railcards) only.
(They also sell digital national railcards)

That's brand new and a first for a local railcard.  We (Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership) funded the capital cost of the work. GWR identified the opportunity and made it happen.  It's long been an ambition to make the Devon & Cornwall Railcard much easier to buy.  They will still be available to buy at ticket offices as now.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: Alan Pettitt on June 08, 2023, 17:49:01
I did email Devon Live yesterday but I had no response, however this morning it turned up on Plymouth Live.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: Sleepy on June 29, 2023, 16:15:45
From Plymouth Live (https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/gwr-train-fare-hikes-confirmed-8502874)

Quote
Great Western Railway train fares for journeys in Devon and Cornwall are set to increase this month. The train operator says this is due to "shifts in customer demand".

Ticket prices for all off peak journeys in Devon and Cornwall, including ones that travel to and from Taunton, will soon be increasing by five per cent as GWR reports changes to customers' habits. They say they are hoping this will also encourage people to travel on quieter trains.

GWR also explained that the increase in fares is also intended to help the company generate a "sensible financial return for government." A spokesperson for GWR said: "From June 11, Off-Peak Day fares within Devon and Cornwall, including fares to/from Taunton, are increasing by 5%. This is designed to help manage shifts in customer demand and encouraging travel on quieter trains, while ensuring we are generating a sensible financial return for government.

"As part of the current National Rail Contracts, all revenue is returned to government and train operators are paid a fixed management fee.

"The Devon & Cornwall Railcard continues to offer 1/3 off all standard class Anytime or Off-Peak tickets to local residents.

"And Off-Peak fares still offer a significant discount against Anytime fares."




Encourage people to travel on quieter trains ??? When and how - Off Peak being bottom tier in the South West for local journeys, Super off peak fares don't exist for these journeys ?!? ??? IMO the spokesperson is talking b*ll*cks.


Title: Re: June fares increase Devon & Cornwall
Post by: CyclingSid on June 30, 2023, 06:46:47
What do you expect for your money?

A 5% increase in blx, any time.



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