Great Western Coffee Shop

Not sure about the 'Millions of passengers face 20% fare rise' headline but the press have discovered the change in rail fares in September:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/6023760/Millions-of-passengers-face-20-per-cent-fare-rise.html


What I dont understand is why don't FGW get in before the press and let passengers know about these changes instead of passengers finding out through the media which will put a very negative slant on it. Millions aren't going to be affected by this change and it can be avoided by booking well in advance or taking advantage of buying an off peak single.

But as discussed in the other thread, the half priced off peak single is only going to be valid for half a return journey where the other half is booked in advance.

That is not the case. You can buy an off peak/super off peak single on its own. Have just tried it on FGW website and it went straight through. There is nothing on the ticket validity page which says you have to book an advance ticket for either the outward or return journey. Obviously if you want to make a saving on buying an off peak return you could book an advance journey one way for the leg you knew you were definately going to be travelling on and an off peak single for the journey you weren't sure about and still make a saving on buying a return.

Yes FGW have moved the goal posts a bit with the ticketing but with a few minutes of research savings can be made. As well as the half price singles, The Telegraph also failed to mention that FGW are now offering 10% off Advance fares booked on their website. However they are correct in saying that FGW have put them up in price by 10%!

your getting confused with the product offered by Virgin West coast,FGW are actually lowering the SVS fare

I'm glad that the press has picked up on the story, perhaps my emails to them had some effect!!

The halving of the cost of Off Peak/Super Off Peak singles is a welcome addition to the available fares. It doesn't, however, negate in any way the huge increases (20% for Off Peak returns, 10-11% for Advance singles) to other fares. I'm just glad that FGW have not introduced a Super Off Peak Day product to also allow them to push up Off Peak Day (CDR, CDS) tickets as well. I expect we'll get that in January!

The 10% off Advance singles online is all well and good (excepting that it is only a discount on the new, 10-11% dearer fares!) for those that can access it. It is not a discount available to all though. No suitable debit/credit card? No access to internet? Then no discount. The increases to Advance fares are likely to effect the less well off in society disproportionately. People who have to go to stations to buy tickets. I'm clued up when it comes to getting the best possible fare for a particular journey, but I can't get the 10% discount because I only have a Solo debit card.

The response of FGW's spokesmen to The Torygraph is also a bit disengenious - "In the current economic climate it is a challenge to balance the need to encourage more customers to use our services, with ensuring we generate enough income...." - This is a fine response from a truly private company, but FGW's revenues are currently protected by the state in the form of the 'cap and collar' agreement. Off Peak fares are also supposedly protected by the state and limited to Retail Price Index + 1% increases. But FGW have used the wizard wheeze pioneered by Stagecoach and introduced another fare (Super Off Peak) to get round the regulated fares increase rules. Shameful manipulation and an own goal so soon after being released from 'remedial measures'.
FGW fully deserve all the brick-bats coming their way on this one.

A bit more detective work and I'm beginning to calm down a bit. FGW it appears are just using the Franchise Agreement's regulated fares rules at their most restrictive to allow the increases to Off Peak fares.

Extract from the Franchise Agreement:-

Protected Return Fare means in respect of a Fare for a Flow:

a) for which there was a Saver Return fare in February 2003, a Return Fare for each such Flow in respect of which the Franchisee is entitled from time to time to set the Price or Child Price under the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, subject to the following addition rights and restrictions:

(i) it shall be valid for no less than one month;

(ii) it shall be valid all day on a Saturday or Sunday and from no later than 1030 on any other day;

(iii) it need not be valid for any journey:

(A) beginning between 1500 and 1900 on any day other than a Saturday or Sunday;

(B) where such a journey begins from a London station or any station between London and Reading station, Watford station, Luton station or Stevenage station (inclusively); and

(C) which is in a direction away from London; or

b) for which there was no Saver Return Fare in February 2003, a Return Fare for each such Flow in respect of which the Franchisee is entitled from time to time to set the price or Child Price under the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.

So it appears that the 'Supers' become the new regulated fares, using the most restrictive timings the Franchise Agreement allows. 'Off Peaks' then become unregulated and can be increased by whatever FGW feel the market can take. I can hear the pips squeaking....

It shouldn't affect too many people. The people who buy the savers to london and reading can probably afford an extra ^10.

And that's okay is it? What a broad sweeping and downright offensive statement. I sodding well can't afford an extra ^10; and remember it's not just ^10, it's ^10 every time you buy an Off Peak return.
My income increases in September by diddly squat percent.

The story has been picked up by the Maidenhead Advertiser:

http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/article-12396-fgw-train-fare-hike-despite-government-orders/

Spot the glaring error anyone?

The whole article?  :D

WCML instead of GWML! ::)

The FGW spokesman said: "...we want to encourage more customers to use services which are quieter towards the middle of the day."

If that's true, then why not adopt London Midland's/Chiltern's approach and introduce CHEAPER super off peak tickets.

People going for a day out have to travel in for about 10 am.

I can guarantee you that the 06.19 and 07.29 truro - london services are a darn sight quieter from Cornwall than the 10.41 yet will now cost 20% more

I thought the print media was bad enough with its errors, but the story has just been covered on BBC Points West and they also made errors.
The introduction by the presenter stated that the fares increases were starting next year. And the piece finished with the reporter stating that the new timetable comes into effect in September. Um, what new timetable? New fares, yes. New timetable, no.
Oh, and does anyone else find 'Vox Pops' on local TV news annoying?

The snag is, yes, the company will have to face the press which it will ignore and just highlight the half price singles and a few letters from disgruntled public, it's the poor b*&%^rs on the front line are the ones who are going to cop it in the face on a daily basis for the next few weeks, that I feel sorry for.

It should of course be noted that half price singles are only available on flows to and from Reading and London (and any routes that pass through)

Which is a shame!

Fly then

It wasn't a good piece in terms of accuracy for sure and I don't say that lightly because its usually a good regional news program that has covered the ups and downs of the West's railways over the past few years very well and accurately but tonight they missed it a bit IMHO.

I would suggest the report was a bit rushed and cobbled together at the last minute as they have often reported on stories like this a day or so later after the story broke in the printed news media with a better report along with an interview with someone from FGW to put their side of the story across. Tonight they just read parts of a statement that was released by FGW. Not on their website I might add. I think FGW have more or less abandoned their news release section of their website but thats another topic for discussion. Do FGW have a website where they release statements to the press that we don't know about?

And that'll save me money with a walk up fare will it? Silly response.

I need valid photo ID to fly. Passport has not been replaced after expiry cos I can't afford it and don't plan going abroad anytime soon.
 
Don't drive (medical reasons) so no driving licence.

Cost of transfers on top of air fare.

All that time to check-in/security, arrivals etc.

5 Flights an hour from Bristol to London? Nope.

Carbon footprint (especially on internal short haul).

Legroom.

Tiny window with a great view of.....sod all.

Engines fail on a train, we slowly grind to a halt. Engines fail on a plane we grind into the ground, fast.

Many more reasons why, despite the 20% fare increase, I'll stick to trains over planes. I ain't happy about the fares increase, but I'm not sufficiently angry to withdraw my custom from FGW, particularly as the alternatives are even more expensive (planes), or less enjoyable (coaches).

In conclusion, FGW have succeeded, more revenue to give to Alistair and crew, but passengers still willing to use the trains.

Yep and FGW and all the other TOCs know this. Yes there will be a bit of hot air from the media for a few days but in a few weeks it will all be forgotten about until January when the process starts all over again.

Yup, that's unfortunately the case for me.
I think though that the money flow is currently in the other direction, what with FGW being in 'revenue support' at the moment. Maybe there has been some behind the scenes political shenanighans to get FGW back in a positon where profits are sufficient to make increased premium payments to the DfT.

FGW need to be careful.

GNER were looking at 3 tph to Leeds. But NX have bumped up fares so much, that off peak demand has gone, and I've seen photos of empty off peak trains which were busier under GNER. Leeds is our third city (?) and NX have succeeded in killing off custom on a potential lucrative route.

I was gonna say you'll be putting Birmingham or Manchester's nose out of joint but they both fully believe they're second so probably no harm done!