Mid year ticket price rises

[Mark J]

What is with prices rising during the latter part of the year?

We are all used to the yearly inflationary increases, however it seems prices also rise during the year, on top of these yearly increases.

I had to do a double take on a ticket that used to cost £15.90 last month, now it is £16.05, and will be likely be increased again early next year.

Another that was £12.45 (in August), is now £12.55.

I thought we get the one yearly increase, then that is it until the following year. Since when has rises during the year been policy?

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is because of the one-off change in the Railcard discount level from 34% to actually one third. (I can tell it's Railcard fares you're quoting, because undiscounted fares are generally multiples of 10p).

 

[James H]

This is likely due to the change in railcard discount rounding explained here

Railcard discounts to be reduced to 33.4%

National Railcard Discounts are being changed from 34% to 33.4%, apparently. Assume this is to make more money, cheeky.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Mark J]

Oh right.

Does this rounding apply to all railcards that are a ⅓ off based?

I had assumed this wasnt occurring until a later date, hence why I was querying prices.

Also when looking at BR Fares, there is a drop down box for 'fares period', so thought this might of related to changes in prices during the year.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does this rounding apply to all railcards that are a ⅓ off based?

Yes.

 

[Wallsendmag]

There are multiple fares rounds each year, it's just the media only make a fuss about the first one.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Non-regulated fares can change at any time.
TfW has just increased its Rover/Ranger fares for the second time this year.
The regulator is of course the government.

 

[cool110]

Also worth noting that Merseyrail had a 6 month fare freeze, so their yearly increase was delayed until a few weeks ago.

 

[Mark J]

Having a further look at this, some of the increases are quite substantial.

Reading to Paddington with zones 1-6 travelcard. Railcard price:

Pre 15th Sept - £21.05
Now - £21.90

An 85p increase.

Obviously I'm limited to the South East with a Network Card. However, those with a national railcard will see increases in pounds, going further afield.

 

[Blackpool boy]

im not sure i would class 85p as a substantial rise its less than 5% especially with the benefits a travelcard gets you

 

[Haywain]

There will sometimes be fare changes at this stage of the year that are adjustments to correct discrepancies that were missed at an earlier fares round.

 

[Mark J]

im not sure i would class 85p as a substantial rise its less than 5% especially with the benefits a travelcard gets you

Disagree. If you do the journey regularly at the weekend, it is a substantial amount over a number of journeys.

If you purchased this ticket, say x25 a year, that is an extra £21.25 a year - per person.

Also the prices will be going up again next year.

There are ways and means of getting passenger revenue up. A good start would be to ensure people have a ticket. The barriers were open at Reading at 9:30pm yesterday evening. A perfect opportunity for those that travel without payment, especially when longer distance services are still running that time of night.

 

[Blackpool boy]

If you purchased this ticket, say x25 a year, that is an extra £21.25 a year - per person.

Which still isnt a large amount of money either over the year for 25 trips. Especially as you are already getting a discount with your railcard

 

[CyrusWuff]

Having a further look at this, some of the increases are quite substantial.

Reading to Paddington with zones 1-6 travelcard. Railcard price:

Pre 15th Sept - £21.05
Now - £21.90

An 85p increase.

Obviously I'm limited to the South East with a Network Card. However, those with a national railcard will see increases in pounds, going further afield.

GWR have applied an increase to Off-Peak fares on London & Thames Valley (former First Great Western Link) routes as part of their September fares work.

The regulated fare for the affected journeys will be the Anytime.

 

[Hadders]

im not sure i would class 85p as a substantial rise its less than 5% especially with the benefits a travelcard gets you

But this is on top of the increase in March, which itself was larger than normal due to a deal between TfL and National Rail operators to retain One Day Travelcards.

 

[Mark J]

GWR have applied an increase to Off-Peak fares on London & Thames Valley (former First Great Western Link) routes as part of their September fares work.

The regulated fare for the affected journeys will be the Anytime.

I've also had a look at non railcard fares.

For example:

Reading to Maidenhead return was £8 exactly (until March '24), then raised to £8.40 (until Sept 15th), now £8.80.

So that is a 10% rise since March this year.

I don't call that a 'small' rise in price.

No doubt fares will be going up again in around six months time. For which, I predict the route I've provided as an example will probably be around the £9.25 figure. That will be around 14.5% higher than March this year.

it is also not only GWR. SWR has also seen ticket price rises too.

What does annoy me is that the inflationary increases each year are well publicised. Yet these increases, which are of similar value, haven't been.

 

[redreni]

I've also had a look at non railcard fares.

For example:

Reading to Maidenhead return was £8 exactly (until March '24), then raised to £8.40 (until Sept 15th), now £8.80.

So that is a 10% rise since March this year.

I don't call that a 'small' rise in price.

No doubt fares will be going up again in around six months time. For which, I predict the route I've provided as an example will probably be around the £9.25 figure. That will be around 14.5% higher than March this year.

it is also not only GWR. SWR has also seen ticket price rises too.

What does annoy me is that the inflationary increases each year are well publicised. Yet these increases, which are of similar value, haven't been.

Yes, I agree with all of that.

Shows the importance of regulated fares. When fares are unregulated, the prices can be increased whenever you're not looking.

 

[Stompa]

Hmmm, I've just noticed a fairly hefty increase on a GA Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard (with Railcard) from Cambridge to London Liverpool Street.

On Jul 27 I paid £14.30, for tomorrow it's £16.25, that's a 13.6% increase.

 

[Mark J]

Hmmm, I've just noticed a fairly hefty increase on a GA Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard (with Railcard) from Cambridge to London Liverpool Street.

On Jul 27 I paid £14.30, for tomorrow it's £16.25, that's a 13.6% increase.

Certainly more than the mass promoted 4.9% headline figure stated this year.

It is obviously an issue concerning regulated Vs non regulated fares.

Quite simply, all fares need to be regulated. As it currently stands we are subject to a 'we'll charge what we like' for off peak services. When in many cases those services are heavily overcrowded and late.