Hillside - Burscough Bridge Season ticket

[Gathursty]

I was hoping you could make use of the EP trick but it doesn't exist as a season ticket option.

Any advice to make this very cheap for the next 10 weeks?

 

[bb21]

What's the EP trick?

 

[Romilly]

Likewise, I have no idea what the EP trick is.

But, two thoughts. First, buy a first season from Monday in Week 1 to Friday in Week 5, and the second from Monday in Week 6 to Friday in Week 10. That way, all travel will be at monthly rates, and the number of non-travelling days paid for will be minimised (I assume that there is no need for a ticket for the weekend between Weeks 5 and 6).

Second, I note that season tickets from Hillside to Burscough Junction (via Southport and with a walk from Burscough Bridge to Burscough Junction) are cheaper than season tickets from Hillside to Burscough Bridge (£112.60 for a monthly instead of £124.50). And a Hillside to Ormskirk monthly is also £112.60, and seems to be valid via Burscough or via Sandhills (i.e. the National Rail Enquiries website offers both routes for the £6.50 anytime day return from Sandhills to Ormskirk). I assume this is because the only Hillside-Ormskirk return is the £6.50 anytime day return, whereas there are anytime day returns and offpeak day returns between Hillside and Burscough Bridge. Indeed, if all Monday to Friday travel will be after 0929, buying a £4.80 Hillside to Burscough Bridge offpeak day return each day may prove marginally cheaper.

 

[rownd]

Likewise, I have no idea what the EP trick is.

I'm guessing Gathursty is referring to the oddly priced flow from somewhere south-east of Southport, to somewhere west of Helsby.

 

[Merseysider]

I'm guessing Gathursty is referring to the oddly priced flow from somewhere south-east of Southport, to somewhere west of Helsby.

Which if bought on an individual daily basis would be cheaper than a season but would most likely draw attention to said flow :cry:

 

[Romilly]

With the help of that clue, I think that I could get a monthly down to £104.50 but I may be looking at the wrong ticket as that monthly price seems to be cheaper than buying daily return tickets would be.

 

[kieron]

Which if bought on an individual daily basis would be cheaper than a season but would most likely draw attention to said flow :cry:

So are you saying that Gathursty should buy 10 week's worth of tickets now from the Southern site (so he doesn't lose out if there's a change of plan and he doesn't need half of the tickets) before they have chance to change anything?

 

[Merseysider]

So are you saying that Gathursty should buy 10 week's worth of tickets now from the Southern site (so he doesn't lose out if there's a change of plan and he doesn't need half of the tickets) before they have chance to change anything?

Nope, I did not say that

 

[Gathursty]

Not quite sure I follow with the Southern suggestion..

 

[Merseysider]

Not quite sure I follow with the Southern suggestion..

I think the Southern suggestion was relevant because it isn't them that prices the flow so they'd have (theoretically) no interest in the removal of any oddly priced flows priced by another TOC. Whereas buying from the TOC that has set the price would lead to it being removed / marked up.

 

[bb21]

I think it was in reference to Southern's Money Back Guarantee.

 

[Merseysider]

I think it was in reference to Southern's Money Back Guarantee.

Ooooh I'd forgotten about that. Good point

 

[kieron]

I think it was in reference to Southern's Money Back Guarantee.

Yes, sorry, that's why I mentioned them. It saves having a large number of cheap tickets you don't know you'll use.