March fare increases - where to find them?

[Haywain]

I travel to wolves every weekend to get my son and bring him to London and take him back on the Sunday.

Open return super off peak was £38.50. Adults Off peak open return is £64.40 That's not marginal, its daylight robbery!!!

Considering I would need to buy two adult tickets this new price makes it unaffordable for me to travel via avanti.

Instead I now need to use London midland which are slow and not even direct and will take the best part of 3 hours.

It's nothing but a stealth price increase!!

I don't see how they can justify removing the super off peak open return when an off peak return is so much more expensive.

Do you have a Family & Friends railcard?

 

[dk1]

Do you have a Family & Friends railcard?

Do you not have to have a child with you at all times though?

 

[JonathanH]

Do you not have to have a child with you at all times though?

Yes, but the OP was describing making one return journey with a child and one without.

 

[dk1]

Yes, but the OP was describing making one return journey with a child and one without.

Oh I see what you mean yes. Just that I know several guards who are very strict about that rule.

 

[JonathanH]

Just that I know several guards who are very strict about that rule.

I'd like to think all guards are strict about that rule.

 

[dk1]

I'd like to think all guards are strict about that rule.

Like all things it can be hit & miss with some.

 

[Liger05]

Do you have a Family & Friends railcard?

Thanks. Just bought one

 

[Haywain]

Thanks. Just bought one

You can now buy discounted tickets for the return trip with your son (your son, if under 5, will also require a ticket) and only need the undiscounted ticket for the return journey you make on your own. It helps a bit.

 

[OscarH]

Looks like Avanti's ticket office software suffers the same problem, I bought a West Midlands Day Ranger for the 18th March today to try and get old fare, but I ended up getting charged £19.80 not £19.00

I queried Avanti over charging the new fares too early, but I got a predictably useless response:

Thank you for contacting Avanti West Coast in regards to the price increase to your Day Rover Ticket.

I can confirm to you that any tickets purchased are charged for the day of travel not the date they were purchased, in your case as you were travelling on the 18th March the price for that ticket will include any price increase.

If you think of paying a deposit for a new car to be released in April, you would pay a deposit in March, the actual price would be the price for April,not the price for the same car in March, just because you entered into the agreement in March.

I hope this has explained as to why you were charged the new price for your ticket, but if you have any further queries in regards to this please do contact us again.

 

[Watershed]

I queried Avanti over charging the new fares too early, but I got a predictably useless response:

Ah, the typical attempt to shoehorn in an unhelpful metaphor from a completely different industry... Surprised they didn't try and quote one with BA and Virgin - that's the usual refrain (even though of course the rail industry works under completely different principles)!

If they want to go down that road, perhaps you should reply that it's perfectly normal for retailers to encourage short-term sales growth by allowing people to lock in current prices when a price rise is announced - even if the goods or services are only provided after the price rise takes effect.

Ultimately, the issue you have is that there's no question of them misleading you or otherwise being in breach of contract or consumer law. They quoted you a price, you agreed to it and a contract was formed on those terms. So you are essentially reliant on their goodwill to get your partial refund.

There's nothing stopping you from ultimately taking it to the Ombudsman though, if you feel thus inclined.

 

[alistairlees]

I queried Avanti over charging the new fares too early, but I got a predictably useless response:

Thank you for contacting Avanti West Coast in regards to the price increase to your Day Rover Ticket.

I can confirm to you that any tickets purchased are charged for the day of travel not the date they were purchased, in your case as you were travelling on the 18th March the price for that ticket will include any price increase.

If you think of paying a deposit for a new car to be released in April, you would pay a deposit in March, the actual price would be the price for April,not the price for the same car in March, just because you entered into the agreement in March.

I hope this has explained as to why you were charged the new price for your ticket, but if you have any further queries in regards to this please do contact us again.

This is just complete and utter rubbish. I mean, I don't know where to start. An irrelevant analogy, factually entirely incorrect, and seemingly no intention to engage with the question.