Back in 1996, an SDS (then known as Standard Day Single, and now called Anytime Day Single) from York to Scarborough was a reasonable £7.90. From Howden it was £9.10.
However over the years, TPE have increased numerous flows priced by them to ludicrous levels. In many cases, it is cheaper to buy fares priced by Northern.
TPE have been very aggressive with York to Scarborough. Current fares are bonkers:
Fares from Howden to Scarborough are more reasonable, because they are priced by Northern (though, of course, they are arguably still too high for what is a subsidised public service)
According to a friendly TPE Guard, TPE attempted - unsuccessfully I am pleased to say - to convince Northern to increase the price of Howden to Scarborough, in order to allow TPE to continue their relentless overcharging of customers. It is claimed that Northern, quite rightly, refused to do so.
As a result of it becoming common knowledge (and some staff recommending this to customers) that it was cheaper to buy a Howden to Scarborough ticket - thus giving some of the revenue for York to Scarborough passengers to Northern, TPE therefore had no choice but to reduce their fares.
So now passengers travelling from York to Scarborough can simply buy a ticket for their intended journey, without having to specifically request the ticket be issued from Howden, and without being penalised. But such adjustments are rare, and it is not the outcome TPE would have wanted.
Sadly York to Middlesbrough passengers, who have also faced unjustifiable fare rises in recent years, are out of luck, as their fares will not be reducing to match the cheaper fares from stations on the Saltburn/Whitby branches, which staff were actively recommending to customers (ensuring the anomalies rapidly came to the attention of TPE pricing managers).
As TPE price the cheaper fares between York and stations on the Saltburn & Whitby branches, TPE were able to simply increase the price those fares (in contrast to the Howden situation above). The CDR from York to Saltburn will increase by a whopping 17.5%. There is absolutely nothing to stop TPE doing this; there is no body with the powers to reign them in.
What few York to Whitby rail passengers there were left, will now surely defect to the more comfortable, more frequent, faster and cheaper Coastliner buses. Not that TPE will care; they'll still get their subsidy and they know that for journeys like York to Middlesbrough, there is no alternative but to take the train, so there'll still be plenty of people to pay the higher fares, so a few lost customers for other journeys isn't of any concern to them.
If anyone spots any more TPE fare adjustments feel free to post them here (though can we keep this particular thread for fares affecting TPE flows please), but I would advise against posting details of any loopholes/anomalies which can currently be used to undercut TPE priced flows, as TPE may take steps to remove them if they become aware of them (or if they become aware of high awareness of them), and not all Northern priced fares are as clear-cut as Howden to Scarborough, so could be at risk of being re-routed.
However over the years, TPE have increased numerous flows priced by them to ludicrous levels. In many cases, it is cheaper to buy fares priced by Northern.
TPE have been very aggressive with York to Scarborough. Current fares are bonkers:
- SOR £27.70 (Anytime Return)
- SDR £24.00 (Anytime Day Return)
- SVR £21.30 (Off Peak Return)
- CDR £18.90 (Off Peak Day Return)
- SDS £20.60 (Anytime Day Single)
- CDS £18.80 (Off Peak Day Single)
Fares from Howden to Scarborough are more reasonable, because they are priced by Northern (though, of course, they are arguably still too high for what is a subsidised public service)
- SHR £22.20 (Anytime Short Return)
- SDR £20.00
- CDR £17.00
- SDS £17.80
- CDS £16.90
According to a friendly TPE Guard, TPE attempted - unsuccessfully I am pleased to say - to convince Northern to increase the price of Howden to Scarborough, in order to allow TPE to continue their relentless overcharging of customers. It is claimed that Northern, quite rightly, refused to do so.
As a result of it becoming common knowledge (and some staff recommending this to customers) that it was cheaper to buy a Howden to Scarborough ticket - thus giving some of the revenue for York to Scarborough passengers to Northern, TPE therefore had no choice but to reduce their fares.
So now passengers travelling from York to Scarborough can simply buy a ticket for their intended journey, without having to specifically request the ticket be issued from Howden, and without being penalised. But such adjustments are rare, and it is not the outcome TPE would have wanted.
Sadly York to Middlesbrough passengers, who have also faced unjustifiable fare rises in recent years, are out of luck, as their fares will not be reducing to match the cheaper fares from stations on the Saltburn/Whitby branches, which staff were actively recommending to customers (ensuring the anomalies rapidly came to the attention of TPE pricing managers).
As TPE price the cheaper fares between York and stations on the Saltburn & Whitby branches, TPE were able to simply increase the price those fares (in contrast to the Howden situation above). The CDR from York to Saltburn will increase by a whopping 17.5%. There is absolutely nothing to stop TPE doing this; there is no body with the powers to reign them in.
What few York to Whitby rail passengers there were left, will now surely defect to the more comfortable, more frequent, faster and cheaper Coastliner buses. Not that TPE will care; they'll still get their subsidy and they know that for journeys like York to Middlesbrough, there is no alternative but to take the train, so there'll still be plenty of people to pay the higher fares, so a few lost customers for other journeys isn't of any concern to them.
If anyone spots any more TPE fare adjustments feel free to post them here (though can we keep this particular thread for fares affecting TPE flows please), but I would advise against posting details of any loopholes/anomalies which can currently be used to undercut TPE priced flows, as TPE may take steps to remove them if they become aware of them (or if they become aware of high awareness of them), and not all Northern priced fares are as clear-cut as Howden to Scarborough, so could be at risk of being re-routed.
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