Great Western Coffee Shop

Word reaches me that GWR are not relaxing peak restrictions over the Christmas period as has been the case for many many years previously. Last year, for example, they were lifted on Monday 24th, Thursday 27th, Friday 28th and Monday 31st of December.

They will only be lifted on Friday 27th December this year. Had there been a similar lifting of restrictions this year, then Off Peak and Super Off Peak fares would have been available all day on Tuesday 24th, Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st December. Wednesday 1st January 2020 is a Bank Holiday so restrictions are lifted as normal on public holidays.

And things are even less festive for long distance passengers to the westcountry on Monday 30th December. The
1804 to Penzance and 1904 to Plymouth are retimed to 1800 and 1900. That pushes the former from Off Peak to Anytime and the latter from Super Off Peak to Off Peak. The restriction have not been and will not be adjusted.

The anti-passenger stance of one particular manager in Fares Implementation continues. Scrooge is alive and well and working for GWR. >:( >:( >:(

I have to say that’s not playing very fair by GWR not relaxing restrictions on the 24th of December when Paddington is closed and you have to travel on the slow Waterloo to Reading line to get a GWR train to your destination from Reading.

As for the other days BNM has listed, I agree it’s not a very friendly thing to do; especially at Christmas time.

That really is manipulative. I wonder if they're re-timed in the WTT. Expect a four-minutes-late departure.

At least RDG - WAT is Off Peak on 24th, if they are running

Is it?

Not if you look on SWR's web pages about Christmas - they say things like
No mention of extra off-peak validity that I can see.

If you look at a RDG-WAT CDR Via Staines, its restriction code has no special days over Christmas at all - not even 27th.

If you ask the OJP, it says you can use that CDR to arrive after 10:00, as usual, on 24th - before that it's anytime only. On 27th, you can still only use the Via Staines CDR after 10:00, but if arriving earlier you can use the Any Permitted one - it's valid all day but of course Paddington is closed.

Funny old world.

Looking from a First perspective, they're a business and it's not overall been doing terribly well of late.  How to make it do better?  - cut costs and increase revenue.  We saw just in bus services a week ago in Melksham, Frome, Westbury, Warminster and bus fares are revised (not sure how, but I can guess the direction!) tomorrow. And as part of that overall activity,  the major timetable revision is an opportunity to revise fare structures for First's going business benefit - sadly sweeping away some historic concessions that have become anachronisms and rebalancing what the franchise allows in terms of fare regulation alongside the best interest of the business.  Perhaps so much goodwill has been lost during the chaotic times of rebuilding the GWR mainline while still running trains that First feels on balance that it's not worth buying goodwill and extra festive leisure traffic with a Christmas concession this year?

It will be investing to see what happens with unregulated fares when regulated fares rise in January - whether they rise in line, or differently.

For some passengers, the fare changes will be very painful indeed.  For others, a headlined major increase will be somewhat ameliorated by them changing to another product which - though it used to be more expensive - has now become better value.

I am disappointed in that all the great news of new trains at places like Pewsey, used to keep people informed and onside during the 50 days of bus replacement last year, didn't even have a footnote to tell us that with the regularisation of train services into a two hourly pattern the fare structure would also be regularised.  I can't believe that a big organisation like First hasn't planned their income stream into 2020 ahead of time - thus what they are doing to the fares - in just as much detail as they've been planning the train times.  So - sorry - I feel used and manipulated by not being given any heads up.

Having said all that - I would ask members to reflect that businesses set their managers targets, and that applies across all departments, I'm sure - including requirements on those who set the fare basket.  So anything close to a personal attack on the handful of people we know in the fare setting section is totally inappropriate ... as well as being unacceptable by forum rules.

I had hoped there might have been some more enticing Advance prices offered in order to fill up the extra capacity that I think will be inevitable on some routes particularly in off-peak mid week (indeed this can be seen already). However there is always the case that these can undercut the value consideration of the non-Advance tickets, and that subsequent growth would reduce their availability, so maybe GWR prefers just carting around fresh air.

I have just  noticed on the big screen outside Reading station an advert from TfL. Under 11s travel free from Reading to London. I believe it said upto 4 with an adult. Valid from timetable change. Missed the rest, I was trying to avoid getting run over by the beer lorry, and not running over pedestrians.

GWR might not be happy over that, neither might some of the London taxpayers feeling they are subsidising Reading etc. Having previously muttered about "subsidies" to TfL.

Hey kids, do you want to stand for up to an hour, with no toilet, or go on the nice fast 22m train with plenty of seats, and toilet facilities.  With a family railcard, the adult can get a third off and the kids go for not a lot. I presume with the TFL offer, the adult can't take advantage of a family railcard reduction, which reduces the benefit of the kids going free?

I'm sure GWR won't be happy about it, but it'll do them absolutely no harm to experience a bit of competition.

I read an article somewhere (London Connections possibly?) that talked about all the differences between GWR and TFL. Alcohol on trains, freedom passes, different fares like the one Sid mentions. Could be some interesting discussions with revenue protection officers.

The one I always found a bit frustrating was the free travel for over 60s depending on where you lived and not on where you travelled. I'll probably get even more grumpy now that Londoners can travel to Reading for free and yet I have to pay. Putting aside the minor detail that I'm not actually that close to 60 but I like to plan ahead.

If the alternative is a peak Travelcard or waiting until 1900 then it'll be an attractive option.

During term time I wouldn't expect too many children (5-10) to be travelling with their parents at those times during the week. (Under 5's go free anyway.)

I failed to pick this up at the time, but, in both cases, they regain their 'normal' timetabled paths at Reading  >:(

As forecast by myself, years ago. There was speculation as to how the new shorter trains were to be paid for  with some forecasting large fare increases.
I stated that the "headline" fare increases would be kept to the usual figure but that some clever manipulation would increase fares just as is happening.