Splitting tickets to be banned?

[whole diary]

[super tm]

I have split season tickets:
Swindon - Didcot Parkway
Didcot Parkway - Reading

This has the added advantage of guaranteeing I get a Gold Card, which is generally only available if your season ticket is wholly within the old Network South East area. (But if you renew/get a replacement within the area they may give you a gold card).
It saves me ^372 compared to the Swindon - Reading ticket. It does limit me, but most trains do stop at Didcot. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) claimed to have met their performance & reliability targets last year, so there was not a renewal discount. This made the decision for me. I renew in October so I was hit by the January 2009 rise of 6%

To get a gold card only one of the stations needs to be in the netowrk area.  A Reading to Swindon annual would also be a gold card for discounted travel in the old Network Southeast Area. 

[Tim]

Have you considered that ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here) may not actually need to amend the rules on order to get a few scare-stories and create the impression in the minds of some that splitting tickets is illegal (or at least legally uncertain) even when it isn't.   Would ATOC stoop that low?

[ChrisB]

yes.

[unfarepayingpassenger]

I have contacted fgw customer services and they confirm that Swindon-Reading is eligible for a gold card, but this is not the opinion of all fgw ticket sales staff. Those at Swindon station will not issue an initial gold card, but will issue a replacement. To get the first one the ticket needs to be purchased from a 'network' station (rightly or wrongly). The thing is you can't argue with toc staff because they think they're right and if you carry on they will probably get the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) or private security thugs.

[super tm]

I have contacted fgw customer services and they confirm that Swindon-Reading is eligible for a gold card, but this is not the opinion of all fgw ticket sales staff. Those at Swindon station will not issue an initial gold card, but will issue a replacement. To get the first one the ticket needs to be purchased from a 'network' station (rightly or wrongly). The thing is you can't argue with toc staff because they think they're right and if you carry on they will probably get the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) or private security thugs.

It used to be the case that all ticket offices carried gold card ticket stock.  A few years ago it was decided that stations outside the network area no longer needed to do so.  I dont know why it may have been to reduce the amount of ticket stock held.  For example Glasgow Central would not sell many gold cards. 

So stations outside the network area no longer issue the ticket on gold card stock but it is still a gold card.  Best if you buy the ticket from Reading that way you can guarantee it will be gold card on gold card stock.

And the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) staff at Swindon are correct so please dont argue with them.

[super tm]

Annual Season tickets and Annual Travelcards should be issued as Gold Cards when either of the following conditions are met:-

^  The 'origin' station is within the Network Railcard area (click here for map).

^  The issuing station AND either the origin station, destination station or both, are within the Network Railcard area (click here for map).

The is quoted from the current ticket office manual so as you can see Swindon does not meet either of these conditions.  Recommend you buy your season ticket at Reading.

[unfarepayingpassenger]

I don't feel I explained myself very well. I meant I've seen other people argue with toc staff and seen what's happened. I contact their customer services, not go off on a rant. Which is why I had to email about the goldcard before I did my split because one of the staff at Reading refused to issue me a Swindon-Reading goldcard.

[ChrisB]

If that happens, ask to dspeak to the Station Manager.