The new Northen Leeds-Nottingham service stating today is a great idea and a much needed new through service between the east Midlands and West Yorkshire. However, I don't think it will reach its full potential regarding attracting passengers to make through journeys betwwen Nottingham and Leeds unless fares are reduced.
With the cheapest return fare being £26.50 for an off peak return and £35 for a peak return it is not going to attract off peak day visitors and shoppers etc. Unless Northern introduce some Cheap Day Return Fares of well under £20 it will not be a very attractive route for leisure travellers. Fares from Barnsley and Wakefield to Nottingham are also very high - again a big discouragement to off peak travel for shoppers etc.
This is made worse by the fact that Northern do not offer any advance purchase cheap tickets. An advance single from Nottingham to Leeds changing at Grantham is only £8.45 and it is also under £10 for an advance single changing at Derby.
With the cheapest return fare being £26.50 for an off peak return and £35 for a peak return it is not going to attract off peak day visitors and shoppers etc. Unless Northern introduce some Cheap Day Return Fares of well under £20 it will not be a very attractive route for leisure travellers. Fares from Barnsley and Wakefield to Nottingham are also very high - again a big discouragement to off peak travel for shoppers etc.
This is made worse by the fact that Northern do not offer any advance purchase cheap tickets. An advance single from Nottingham to Leeds changing at Grantham is only £8.45 and it is also under £10 for an advance single changing at Derby.
