On BBC Radio Oxford this morning a spokesman from Chiltern Rail was trying to justify the increase the annual season ticket prices. (8% from Bicester North & 6% from Banbury)
Part of the reason was that when they start to run Oxford - Marylebone services fares have to be the same as FGW from Oxford
As its using a completely different route I just wondered if this was the case
Yes fares will likely be the same, but not in quite the same way as the carp they have come out saying here for short term PR damage limitation and opportunist gains.
What will happen (I expect) is that a "Bicester Stations" group will be created and much like the case of Dorchester there will be a via Oxford route and one via High Wycombe.
Of course they could always follow the Yeovil example, but then they are set by the respective TOC's separately and I think Chiltern as the fare setter for both Town and North stations would have a job to justify the disparity, particularly when they are (will be) on the same line and you can walk between them.
Mind you they could rally fleece the passenger by increasing them so they are the same and create an "any permitted" fare and then a couple of years later additional introduce the 2 separate routings and increase the any permitted under the pretence that most passengers go to X terminal and therefore the few that want the additional and rather generous flexibility should pay for it rather than the hard pressed commuter who goes in and out the same way day in day out.
