Will Northern ever be tempted to axe the 'evening peak' restrictions?

[johntea]

I had a somewhat amusing exchange with a Northern guard who inspected my ticket this evening, they glanced at it, started to walk away then backtracked and 'just be careful using an off peak return on this ser...oh wait never mind it is past 18:29 anyway sorry about that!'

I did decide to then point out it wouldn't have made a difference anyway as my particular ticket was cross boundary so the 'evening peak' restriction wouldn't have applied to begin with which seemed to baffle them and they just carried on their way

It got me thinking how it was introduced almost a decade ago now and if they would ever consider getting rid of it as all it seems to do other than perhaps earning them an extra few quid is cause widespread confusion for both passengers and staff! (also it is rather noticable they would rather upsell the Anytime Day Return to a passenger who is unsure when they may be making a return journey rather than pointing out the fact it should be perfectly fine to buy the off peak and then excess it...)

This isn't particularly a one off case, I often get stopped at the barriers too if my ticket can't be read and straight away the excuse is 'you're trying to use an off peak ticket in the evening peak!' until they work out the ticket restriction code and
begrudgingly let me through

 

[HST43257]

Are their restrictions 0700-0930 and 1630-1830 or something like that?

 

[JonathanH]

Are their restrictions 0700-0930 and 1630-1830 or something like that?

Off Peak tickets valid for departures between 0930 and 1600, then again from 1830.

It might be noted that any move to single leg pricing in the future, in line with RDG's 2019 fairer fares consultation, and extension of PAYG in London to other areas comes with evening restrictions, so the concept is unlikely to be high on the agenda for removal anywhere.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Off Peak tickets valid for departures between 0930 and 1600, then again from 1830.

It might be noted that any move to single leg pricing in the future, in line with RDG's 2019 fairer fares consultation, and extension of PAYG in London to other areas comes with evening restrictions, so the concept is unlikely to be high on the agenda for removal anywhere.

Removal no, but only applying the evening peak out of the big city seems to be the trend.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Off Peak tickets valid for departures between 0930 and 1600, then again from 1830

But no evening peak for cross-boundary journeys, certainly from Manchester into West Yorkshire

 

[JonathanH]

But no evening peak for cross-boundary journeys, certainly from Manchester into West Yorkshire

Indeed, but the fares for longer distance journeys are generally at a higher rate in the first place.

 

[deltic08]

Are their restrictions 0700-0930 and 1630-1830 or something like that?

I stopped using rail and used the car because to attend a monthly meeting in Leeds starting at 19;00, I had to use the 18.13 from Harrogate which is a peak price. The peak flow at this time is Leeds-Harrogate so my journey is contra peak flow and has never been anywhere near capacity as far back as I can remember.
The return journey had to be at 21:28 to catch the last bus from Harrogate to Ripon at 23:05 which arrives in Ripon at 23:35. A journey time of 125 minutes to travel 30 miles. Slower than a galloping horse. This is because the train arrival time of 22:04 if on time misses the 22:05 bus to Ripon. So much for integration.

 

[yorksrob]

The evening peak was only introduced as a sop by Eric (too many lime) Pickles to David Cameron's austerity drive.

It should be done away with.

 

[JonathanH]

The evening peak was only introduced as a sop by Eric (too many lime) Pickles to David Cameron's austerity drive.

Northern had to come up with a range of options which would increase revenue. The introduction of evening peak restrictions was the one chosen.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...vening-peak-restrictions.102771/#post-1839322