Greenfield-Horwich Parkway

[clagmonster]

Looking in Avantix for Greenfield-Horwich fares, with a YP railcard, I have found that the only route available is Metrolink (GM). Greenfield to nearby stations to Horwich, ie Blackrod, Bolton, produces the expected route any permittted, yet any east Manchester station (that I have tried) to Horwich gives the route Metrolink. Some south Manchester stations, such as Stockport and Cheadle Hulme have both Metrolink and any permitted tickets, with the any permitted costing more. Is there a logical reason for this, or is it just a glitch in the system? Would guards on BR trains accept the tickets? One solution I have thought about is getting a Piccadilly-Horwich day return, and then getting an overdistance excess, priced at zero to get me out out of Greenfield, or would this then make it a route Metrolink ticket?

 

[yorkie]

You don't have to get Metrolink; it's just a free option if you wish to transfer between stations. If you can find a journey that avoids the need to change between Picc/Vic then that's fine.

 

[clagmonster]

I see. It's still strange though that for the likes on Greenfield-Blackrod this is not allowed, or is this like the LUL transfer whereby some tickets have the +, and others just say any permitted but are valid? It also seems strange that any permitted tickets from south Manchester are more expensive.

 

[yorkie]

I could be wrong but my theory is that if both origin and destinations are places where the only trains to/from Manchester go to a common terminal then it isn't allowed.

So in the case of Bolton it is allowed even though the journey can be done avoiding Metrolink on the basis that it may be convenient to go from Vic to Pic.

I could be wrong but that appears to be the logic.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Most fares in Greater Manchester are set by GMPTE but where two routes exist, the 'rte Metrolink' fare is set by GMPTE and the 'rte Any Permitted' fare is set by Northern.

By the rules, 'rte Metrolink' tickets must only be valid that way, ofcourse with Stockport to Bolton there are two ways to get there, hence two routes. 'Rte Any Permitted' fares would be valid on the tram as both origin and destination are within Greater Manchester and the fare is greater than the 'rte Metrolink' ticket.

EDIT: All tickets for journies wholly within Greater Manchester have use of the tram in the centre zone. I doubt most guards would actually care about your use of Metrolink or not.

 

[glynn80]

From the FRPP

Tickets showing “route Metrolink” are valid on Metrolink in the City Zone to allow transfer between Piccadilly, Victoria and Deansgate stations. This applies only to appropriate journeys which both start and finish in Greater Manchester. It is shown automatically on the ticket where this applies. Where this is not shown, passengers must purchase a separate Metrolink ticket on their arrival in Manchester if they wish to transfer between stations using Metrolink.

 

[323235]

Most fares in Greater Manchester are set by GMPTE but where two routes exist, the 'rte Metrolink' fare is set by GMPTE and the 'rte Any Permitted' fare is set by Northern.

By the rules, 'rte Metrolink' tickets must only be valid that way, ofcourse with Stockport to Bolton there are two ways to get there, hence two routes. 'Rte Any Permitted' fares would be valid on the tram as both origin and destination are within Greater Manchester and the fare is greater than the 'rte Metrolink' ticket.

EDIT: All tickets for journies wholly within Greater Manchester have use of the tram in the centre zone. I doubt most guards would actually care about your use of Metrolink or not.

I have always been issued with a metrolink (gm) ticket when going from Stockport to Bolton and have never (1) Used the Metrolink with it (2) been bothered by any Conductor , be it TPE or Northern

I would never pay the any permitted fare anyway even if I did get Queried, because its a rediculous situation when a majority (99.9%) of the fares in GMPTE land are £2.00 or £2.10 with a Railcard, yet this one is £2.10 (Metrolink - the most indirect and time wasting route possible) £3.30 (Any Permitted)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

EDIT: All tickets for journies wholly within Greater Manchester have use of the tram in the centre zone.

:???: Really? Even on journeys that don't go anywhere near the Manchester Central Zone? For example: Stockport to/from Hazel Grove, or Urmston to/from Flixton.

 

[scrapy]

:???: Really? Even on journeys that don't go anywhere near the Manchester Central Zone? For example: Stockport to/from Hazel Grove, or Urmston to/from Flixton.

Stockport-Hazel Grove, or Urmston-Flixton definitely not valid on Metrolink city zone unless it's a season ticket, when it's valid for rail travel at weekends/bank holidays ANYWHERE in GMPTE area including Metrolink City Zone

Manchester Stations are Piccadilly, Victoria, Oxford Rd or Deansgate.

If the destination on your ticket is Manchester Stations it is not valid on Metrolink. Manchester Stations are Piccadilly, Victoria, Oxford Rd or Deansgate. (this ticket will have been bought outside Greater Manchester)

If the destination on your ticket says Manchester Ctlz (Central Zone) it is valid on Metrolink in the city zone to continue your journey from either Deansgate, Oxford Road, Piccadilly or Victoria. (it will be a single, return or season ticket from a Greater Manchester station (or Disley, New Mills Ntwn/Ctl, Knutsford, Ashley or Mobberley) to a 'Manchester Station'.

If the destination on your ticket is Metrolink City it is either
i)a ticket from stations between Hale on Mouldsworth allowing travel via Sale to any station in the Metrolink City Zone
or ii) a ticket from a station outside the GMPTE area with an add on to a city zone station eg. Blackburn - Market St, similar to a London Zone 1 add on to a London Terminals ticket.

If your ticket says Route Metrolink, you may use the Metrolink (for a cross city journey) You do not have to use Metrolink, and may travel via Salford Crescent (e.g Stockport - Rochdale) or Stalybridge (e.g Stockport - Greenfield).

The confusion arises because any permitted tickets are still in the system and allowed cross city travel eg. Stockport - Bolton via Stalybridge (before Metrolink and the Windsor link (Deansgate-Salford Crescent was built), and when there were frequent trains between Stockport and Stalybridge), these tickets were more expensive but meant passengers didn't have to get a bus between Piccadilly and Victoria. They remain in the system as 'any permitted' but are really obsolete and have no relevance today (and off peak a GM Rail Ranger is cheaper).

 

[northwichcat]

:???: Really? Even on journeys that don't go anywhere near the Manchester Central Zone? For example: Stockport to/from Hazel Grove, or Urmston to/from Flixton.

No it's tickets to Manchester from stations in Greater Manchester plus Disley, New Mills Ntwn/Ctl, Knutsford, Ashley and Mobberley. If your ticket doesn't say a specific Metrolink station or zone e.g. Manchester Central Zone or Manchester Metrolink City then it's no valid on the Metrolink. (Manchester Metrolink City allows travel from Manchester to Altrincham by tram and Deansgate GMex is the name of the train station in Manchester, not the tram stop.)