Is this a scam or just accepted practice?

[whole diary]

[NickB]

So I received a more thoughtful response from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) today.  Basically nothing is going to change and its not just TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) vs TOC differences, but even internally to FGW which I hadn't even considered!! :

"I am writing further to contact you recently made with Passenger Focus, I am sorry that it has taken some time to get back to you. I have been in discussion with our fares department, regarding your concerns of the differences in cost for underground travel.

The pricing of many of these fares is determined by historic fares regulation, which varied the level of permitted increases by Train Operating Companies for London commuter operators, based on train service performance (the 'FIAP' (Fares Incentive Adjustment Payment) regime, which lasted until 2004). This has led to inconsistencies between the fare charged to 'London Terminals' and the fare charged to 'London Travel card'.  The result of this is that the add-on fare is not consistent through our own network, or with any other company issuing tickets to the same two stations.

We aspire to harmonise the add-on from our own stations, however this is constrained by Fares Regulation (as some would need to go up and some down), and would mean that some fares would need to be significantly increased in order to reduce the difference. This is not something we can look to do given the wider implications of this, but we hope that gradual review of the fares will help somewhat.

Thank you once again for contacting us."

[ChrisB]

Nothing internally...

That response is saying that the flex allowed within the RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector, or Retail Price Index, depending on context)+x% model has wantonly been applied to Travelcard season prices as to London Terminals seasons, without thinking that it would create a differential in the add-on applied to create a Travelcard season from the equivalent Terminals season....

Crazy.

Suggest you go back to Passenger (soon to be Transport) Focus and ask for their help in lobbying the DgT in allowing the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to once again standardise the Travelcard add-on to whatever cost TfL^» (Transport for London - about) are charging for it, without making additional profit. A ToC can't get the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) to allow on their own, will need some external lobbying