National Routeing Guide update

[Watershed]

Actually, I still have the return portion of an off-peak return Dartford to Waterbeach. The only remaining validity that ticket has now is Slade Green to Dartford (which I may or may not want to use), but it is unmarked and the only gateline it's been through is Tottenham Hale (to exit the NR station). So if not for the fact I've already used it, it would have been valid to go from St Pancras to Gravesend on HS1 before the routeing guide change. Assuming I also held a valid ticket, I could probably use that to test the barriers at St Pancras HS1? Alternatively I could just put it in the barrier and see if it opens without actually going anywhere on HS1?

The Routeing Guide couldn't lawfully be retrospective in terms of changes, so you can still travel along any permitted route that was valid when you bought it.

 

[Kite159]

I'm sure the DfT will fix the issue by introducing a new higher priced "Via Gravesend" fare for those wanting to travel to Dartford etc via Gravesend. With the existing fares changed to "Not via Gravesend" from any permitted

 

[redreni]

The Routeing Guide couldn't lawfully be retrospective in terms of changes, so you can still travel along any permitted route that was valid when you bought it.

I bought it five days after the change removing map HK (though I was unaware of the change and nobody told me about it when I bought the ticket).

(I suspect this is where one rubs up against the view of some in the rail industry that if I wanted to go via Gravesend - which I didn't, particularly, on this occasion - I should have attempted to get an itinerary via Gravesend, which would have prompted me to investigate why I couldn't get one.)

 

[Watershed]

I bought it five days after the change removing map HK (though I was unaware of the change and nobody told me about it when I bought the ticket).

(I suspect this is where one rubs up against the view of some in the rail industry that if I wanted to go via Gravesend - which I didn't, particularly, on this occasion - I should have attempted to get an itinerary via Gravesend, which would have prompted me to investigate why I couldn't get one.)

The fact that the industry has a habit of removing long-standing permitted routes without notice is very poor, in my view.

 

[redreni]

Well, the barrier didn't open. Annoyingly, I couldn't read the error code as the display just said "seek assistance - error" but then the number was flickering and too faint for me to read. I tried again but just got 134 (previously used) the second and subsequent times.

The chap on the gateline confirmed Dartford any permitted tickets had always been valid as far as he knew. He hadn't been told anything different. Said he would have just let me through.

EDIT: Just to add, I did consider that it might have been the fact the ticket is discounted with a Network Railcard, but I don't think it was that, as those particular barriers normally open with Network Railcard-discounted paper tickets. It's also weird that it would say "previously used" when the barrier didn't open the first time. As I say, the only gateline that ticket has been through before is to exit Tottenham Hale NR, and from there it would unquestionably have been valid (before the recent routeing guide change) to take the Vic line to St Pancras then HS1 to Gravesend.

So it does look rather as if the barriers have been reprogrammed to reject 'Any Permitted' tickets to Dartford and the staff haven't been told (or, at the very least, one of them hasn't).

Unless, of course, they just routinely reject tickets if you make the return journey across multiple days? The exit at Tottenham Hale was over a week ago now.

 

[infobleep]

The Routeing Guide couldn't lawfully be retrospective in terms of changes, so you can still travel along any permitted route that was valid when you bought it.

That is true but it would still be s good way to test the barriers.

 

[kieron]

Some changes were published in the routeing guide on Thursday.

Changes from 24 Apr 2025 (561) to 01 May 2025 (562).

Easement changes:

Removed:

030039 (Fare route) Journeys priced on routes (00267) VIA BANBURY, (00305) VIA HIGH WYCOMBE, (00362) VIA HIGH WYC&SHR, (00363) VIA HWYC & BHM, (00364) CH & TFW ONLY, (00402) AP HIGH WYCOMBE, (00432) AP H WYC & SHREW and (00435) AP CH AND TFW ONLY may travel via Aylesbury during engineering work closures on 04/01/2025, 05/01/2025, 11/01/2025, 12/01/2025, 08/02/2025, 09/02/2025, 16/02/2025, 02/03/2025, 29/03/2025 and 30/03/2025. This Fare route easement will apply in both directions​

This was an old easement to let people use "via High Wycombe" tickets via Aylesbury. It was restricted to the above dates in December, and they have now all passed.

Added:

701348 (Fare route) Journeys priced on routes (00267) VIA BANBURY, (00305) VIA HIGH WYCOMBE, (00362) VIA HIGH WYC&SHR, (00363) VIA HWYC & BHM, (00364) CH & TFW ONLY, (00402) AP HIGH WYCOMBE, (00432) AP H WYC & SHREW and (00435) AP CH AND TFW ONLY may travel via Aylesbury during engineering work closures on 31/08/2025. This Fare route easement will apply in both directions.​

Both lines Chiltern use from Marylebone are closed for some of the day, and the service to Aylesbury is due to be limited throughout the day.

This is the same as 30039 except for the dates, and lets people travel via Aylesbury instead of High Wycombe with various route codes. It's been planned to far in advance for me to check how web sites accommodate this easement.

701349 (Map) During engineering closures 10-11 May 2025, customers travelling from Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcestershire Parkway, and Aschurch for Tewkesbury, to destinations (except to or beyond Didcot Parkway), whose normal route would include travel via Cam & Dursley OR Stroud, may travel via Lydney, Newport (South Wales) Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway. This map easement applies in both directions.​

No trains are due to go between Gloucester and Swindon next weekend, and the few trains which go between Gloucester and Bristol are diverted via Newport, passing through Severn Tunnel Junction twice.

The data for this easement doesn't have the same effect in each direction.

For tickets from Ledbury, Colwall, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Aschurch for Tewkesbury and Lydney (but not Great Malvern, Worcester Shrub Hill or Worcestershire Parkway) which aren't for routes to or via Didcot, this is a map easement with applicable locations of Worcester Group, Gloucester, Newport, most of Bristol Group (but not Bristol Temple Meads), Bootle Oriel Road and Cambridge North.

For tickets to Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcestershire Parkway, and Aschurch for Tewkesbury (but not Worcester Foregate Street) which aren't for routes to or via Didcot, this is a map easement with applicable locations of Worcester Group, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Newport and most of Bristol Group (but not Ashley Down or Lawrence Hill).

701351 (Routeing Point) During engineering works from Sunday 17th May to Sunday 27th July 2025 inclusive, tickets from Westcombe Park travelling to Lewisham, Blackheath or Kidbrooke do not have to travel via Charlton. This routeing point easement applies in both directions.

701352 (Map) During engineering works from Sunday 17th May to Sunday 27th July 2025 inclusive, tickets starting between Lewisham and Kidbrooke and ending between Westcombe Park to Abbey Wood will be valid for travel via London Bridge. This map easement applies in both directions.

701353 (Fare route) During engineering works from Sunday 17th May to Sunday 27th July 2025 inclusive, tickets priced on (00700) NOT VIA LONDON from Westcombe Park travelling to Lewisham, Blackheath or Kidbrooke may travel via London Bridge. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

The direct line between Blackheath and Charlton is closed for 10 weeks. There are bus and DLR options then, and the line through Slade Green is open as usual. These easements are intended to make London Bridge an option for some tickets.

701351 is a bit cryptic, but the data lets London Bridge be used as a routeing point for Westcombe Park for a journey to Lewisham or Blackheath. There are no Westcombe Park–Kidbrooke fares in the NFM64 table, so there are no mapped routes with or without this easement.

701352 is a map easement which affects tickets between Lewisham, Blackheath or Kidbrooke and Westcombe Park, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal, Plumstead or Abbey Wood, and has London Bridge, New Cross and Lewisham as applicable locations.

The only map for Charlton–Blackheath or Charlton–Lewisham journeys is BR, which does not include a Charlton–London link. I think this means the easement would have to include Charlton to let retailers permit Charlton–London–Blackheath/Lewisham journeys.

This doesn't help with journeys between Kidbrooke and anywhere east of Charlton. Slade Green is a common routeing point for those journeys, so a local easement would be needed to allow itineraries via London.

701353 lets "not via London" tickets be used via London Bridge as if they were "any permitted" ones. The data affects the same stations as 701352, although not all pairs have "not via London" tickets.

 

[redreni]

I asked Southeastern customer relations about the removal of Dartford to London Group via Gravesend and this was their response:

Thank you for contacting us on 1 May. Following the correspondence you received from [name redacted], I understand you would like clarification why there's been a change in a permitted route from Dartford to various destinations.


Having been in contact with our Fares team, I can confirm the permitted routes from Dartford to Waterbeach are the following:


-Direct services – none exist
-Shortest route by rail + 3miles – which is via London Bridge [London Bridge is within 3 miles of the shortest route but is not the shortest route. Nor is it the quickest of the routes within 3 miles of shortest, nor has it been the route most people would take since the Elizabeth Line opened]
-Any other map permissions as shown within the routing guide

In this instance it’s item 3 that has been amended.


The changes are as a result of both the extension of Contactless on Southeastern with a desire to better align both Swanley and Dartford to the current zonal fares structure. And also to lay the groundwork for the further extension beyond Dartford and Swanley in due course. [Should we read into this that they're worried about fares to Dartford from or via London undercutting fares to Ebbsfleet and Gravesend once the Dartford fares have been Ovalised?]


Since journeys to London and via London are not always mutually compatible, it was felt that making the change ahead of time so that any issues arising, could be dealt with now rather than leaving it until later when issues would be harder to resolve. [If anybody here understands this I'd be really grateful if they could explain it to me? The system has long been tickets to London carry a premium if you want to use HS1, while tickets to destinations further afield do not. Could they really be intending to raise the fares to London to such a level that it would be cheaper to buy a ticket to somewhere miles away if you want to use HS1?]


Whilst we believe that travel via Gravesend to London was never intended [what a convenient thing to believe under these circumstances], but due to an oversight on what the map permissions allowed – it was aimed at Dartford to Kent rather than Dartford to London [Dartford is in Kent. There is no journey from Dartford to anywhere else in Kent where anybody would want or need to use HS1 between Gravesend and St Pancras. Do they mean Essex, perhaps? That would make sense in terms of the amendment of the map itself to take out the Stratford International to St Pancras segment, but doesn't explain why Dartford to London Group has lost the map containing HS1 entirely] – there is no desire to withdraw anything from those genuinely making longer distance journeys [So, what, slip of the mouse, was it?].


The consequences of the change are still being examined at to find a solution that best serves everyone.


Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us, and I hope the information above has been helpful.

Is anyone here a member of, or do they have a contact for, the Dartford Rail Travellers' Association? They appear to be on Facebook but I'm not. It would be interesting to speak to them about this.

 

[MikeWh]

London Bridge is within 3 miles of the shortest route but is not the shortest route. Nor is it the quickest of the routes within 3 miles of shortest, nor has it been the route most people would take since the Elizabeth Line opened

I would urge you to take this up with them. I assume it's Dartford to Abbey Wood to Whitechapel to Stratford and onwards.

Should we read into this that they're worried about fares to Dartford from or via London undercutting fares to Ebbsfleet and Gravesend once the Dartford fares have been Ovalised?

I'm not sure. The St Pancras International SE gateline ought to allow fares to be set appropriately, along with the Stratford International gateline.

Since journeys to London and via London are not always mutually compatible, it was felt that making the change ahead of time so that any issues arising, could be dealt with now rather than leaving it until later when issues would be harder to resolve.

I think they're alluding to the additional systems that would need to be updated were any unforeseen consequences discovered after Oval has been switched on. It's similar to the change to zonal pricing within zones 1-6 which happened a few years before Oyster went live. One unforseen issue they found during the interim was the effect of a fares group including Lewisham and St Johns which was put in zone 2 despite Lewisham being on the boundary of 2 and 3. Loads of fares via Lewisham where both ends came to/from the Kent end were wrong as a result.

Extending Oval beyond Dartford is going to have some interesting consequences and I'm eagerly awaiting finding out how these are handled.

 

[kieron]

Some more changes were published in the routeing guide this afternoon.

Changes from 01 May 2025 (562) to 07 May 2025 (563).​

​

Permitted Route changes:​

​

Bristol Group (G05) to Kettering (KET) gain PB+BY+MI​

This adds mapped routes via Coventry and via Tamworth.

Easement changes:

Removed:

701326 (Fare route) During engineering diversions of South Western Railway services on the 05 and 06 April 2025, tickets priced on (00840) VIA HONITON will be valid on journeys via Westbury and Yeovil Pen Mill. This fare route easement will apply in both directions

701337 (Map) Due to engineering works, Rail Replacement bus will operate between Milton Keynes Central and Bedford between 18-21 April 2025 and the 4 - 5 May 2025. This map easement will create temporary permitted routes via West Hampstead to London. It will apply in both directions

701338 (Fare route) During engineering works, between 18-21 April 2025 and the 4-5 May 2025. Customer with tickets priced on (00452) AWC & CONNECTIONS will be able to us the Rail Replacement bus that will operate from Milton Keynes Central to Bedford . This fare route will apply in both directions

701339 (Map) During engineering works on Sunday 20 April 2025, customers travelling from Margate, Broadstairs and Dumpton Park may travel via Deal, Dover Priory and Ashford International. This map easement applies in both directions

701340 (Routeing Point) During engineering works on Sunday 20 April 2025, customers travelling from Margate, Broadstairs and Dumpton Park may travel via Deal, Dover Priory and Ashford International to London on tickets priced on (00000) ANY PERMITTED, (00130) NOT HS1 and (00131) PLUS HS1 to be valid for travel via Ramsgate. This routeing point easement applies in both directions​

These were all temporary easements, and the dates have passed.

 

[kieron]

Some more changes were published in the routeing guide over the last couple of weeks. Sorry about the delay.

The following changes were published on 14th May.

Changes from 07 May 2025 (563) to 14 May 2025 (564).

Easement changes:

Added:

701354 (Fare route) During engineering works from Sunday 17th May to Sunday 27th July 2025 inclusive, passengers from Westcombe Park, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal, Abbey Wood and Belvedere who would otherwise travel via Lewisham may travel via London Bridge. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

This is another fare route easement for the same line closure as 701353. The text is broader, allowing tickets to one of the above 6 stations to be used via London Bridge.

The data is asymmetric. It allows "not via London" tickets to Westcombe Park, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal, Abbey Wood or Belvedere (but not Plumstead) to be used via Lewisham if the go via London Bridge.

It also allows "not via London" tickets from Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal, Abbey Wood, Belvedere or Walmer (on the Kent coast) to be used via London Bridge or Lewisham.

There are a few other easements for these dates, so I don't know how much this particular easement changes things.

The following changes were published on Wednesday.

Changes from 14 May 2025 (564) to 21 May 2025 (565).

Easement changes:

Added:

701355 (Fare route) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill from 18th to 24th August 2025, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

There are no trains via Evesham then, so this lets people with "via Evesham" tickets (but not, for instance, "via London and Evesham" ones) use another route.

The data for this easement lets tickets from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway with "via Evesham" tickets be used via Stroud and Swindon if an any permitted ticket would allow it. The rules for tickets to those stations are similar, except that the dates listed for them are in May rather than August.

701356 (Map) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill from 18th to 24th August 2025, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud. This map easement applies in both directions.​

This adds a map easement (again, for journeys and from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway for an itinerary via Stroud) with Cheltenham and Gloucester as applicable locations.

701357 (Fare route) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud from 18th to 21st August 2025. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

This is a second fare route easement, and this one applies for 4 days rather than 7. Again, it's for "via Evesham" tickets to and from most of the stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway, but this is valid for journeys via Bristol Parkway. The data doesn't apply it to journeys to Ledbury, although it does for ones from there.

701358 (Fare route) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud from 22nd to 24th August 2025, after 15:00 and before 10:00. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

The only difference between the text here and 701357 is with the dates and times covered, although the data has some other inconsistencies. It applies the easement to journeys from Cam & Dursley on 22nd and 23rd, but not otherwise. And it doesn't apply to journeys to Worcestershire Parkway on the 24th.

701359 (Map) On Sunday 15th June 2025, passengers travelling on Great Western services whose journey would normally be via the Severn Tunnel may use the replacement bus service between Bristol Parkway and Newport. This easement applies in both directions.​

The Severn Tunnel is closed from 9th-20th June, but there are only direct buses between Newport and Bristol Parkway on the Sunday. Perhaps they feel there are enough trains on other days.

The data for this is a map easement containing Bristol Parkway, Newport and Cardiff for travellers who use a GWR service during the journey.

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The following post was made on 29th May 2025.

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== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 May 2025 ==

Some changes were published in the routeing guide yesterday.

Changes from 21 May 2025 (565) to 28 May 2025 (566).

Easement changes:

Removed:

701327 (Fare route) During engineering diversions on 09 and 16 March 2025 and the 03 to 05 May 2025. Customers travelling with tickets priced on (00635) VIA WOKING will be able to travel via Guildford. This Fare route easement applies in both directions.

701332 (Fare route) During engineering work closures from the 03 to 05 May 2025, customers travelling with tickets priced on fare route (00807) VIA STROUD, may use the fast Rail replacement Bus services that do not call at Stroud. This fare route easement applies in both directions

701333 (Map) During engineering closures 3 - 5 May 2025, customers travelling from Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcestershire Parkway, and Aschurch for Tewkesbury, to destinations (except to or beyond Didcot Parkway), whose normal route would include travel via Cam & Dursley OR Stroud, may travel via Lydney, Newport (South Wales) Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway. This map easement applies in both directions.

701334 (Map) During engineering closures 3 - 5 May 2025, customers travelling from Cheltenham Spa and Gloucester to destinations whose normal route would include travel via Cam & Dursley OR Stroud, may travel via Lydney, Newport (south Wales), Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway. This map easement applies in both directions.

701335 (Map) During engineering closures, 3 to 5 May 2025 customers travelling from Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill and Worcestershire Parkway, to or beyond Didcot Parkway with tickets priced on route (00803) EVESHAM/STROUD whose normal route would include travel Cam & Dursley OR Stroud, may travel via Lydney, Newport (South Wales) Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway. This map easement applies in both directions.

701349 (Map) During engineering closures 10-11 May 2025, customers travelling from Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcestershire Parkway, and Aschurch for Tewkesbury, to destinations (except to or beyond Didcot Parkway), whose normal route would include travel via Cam & Dursley OR Stroud, may travel via Lydney, Newport (South Wales) Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway. This map easement applies in both directions.​

These were temporary easements, and the dates have all passed.

Added:

701360 (Fare route) During engineering work between Swindon and Gloucester from 26 to 30 August 2025, passengers travelling to and from Gloucester on tickets with route 00807 VIA STROUD may use any Great Western service via Bristol Parkway. This route easement applies in both directions.​

The line through Stroud is closed then, and, most of the replacement buses are either Gloucester-Kemble or Stonehouse-Stroud ones, making Gloucester-Stroud-Swindon journeys rather slow.

This lets "via Stroud" tickets to and from Gloucester be used via Bristol Parkway from, to or via Swindon. It has no effect on "via Stroud, Reading and London" tickets or on advance tickets.

Route changes:

Changed (added sections in red, removed ones in green):

SWR & FIRST BUS (00338) (131 records)
must only use SW
must include bus or train​

This route code is used for various tickets to Bridport, Gosport and Lyme Regis. This change means the rail systems treat them as being valid on trains. It doesn't let you buy a ticket with an itinerary, though, as the buses they need don't appear in rail schedules.

 

[kieron]

Some changes were made to the routeing guide data this afternoon.

Changes from 28 May 2025 (566) to 30 May 2025 (567).​

The data for easement 701359 was changed today (it also changed on Wednesday, but I presume GWR weren't satisfied with that version). It remains a map easement for a Sunday during a longer closure of the Severn Tunnel, but the data now has extra applicable locations.

As well as Bristol Parkway, Newport and Cardiff, it also includes Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester. I don't know who this easement is intended for, but I know one bus is scheduled to run non-stop from Newport to Bristol Temple Meads.

Adding Gloucester permits some of the train-only journeys via Gloucester which easement 701310 allows on other dates. It doesn't include Cheltenham, but GWR trains all stop in Gloucester anyway.

The text remains:

701359 (Map) On Sunday 15th June 2025, passengers travelling on Great Western services whose journey would normally be via the Severn Tunnel may use the replacement bus service between Bristol Parkway and Newport. This easement applies in both directions.​

 

[kieron]

Some changes were made to the routeing guide last week. Sorry about the delay.

Last Monday, the following changes were made:

Changes from 30 May 2025 (567) to 02 Jun 2025 (568).

Easement changes:

Added:

701361 (Map) On Sunday 15th June 2025, passengers travelling on Great Western services between Cardiff Central and Bristol Parkway may use the direct replacement bus service. This map easement applies in both directions.​

This is the same date as 701359, part way through a longer closure of the Severn Tunnel.

The data for this is a map easement with no applicable locations, and I don't think there's a way to buy this ticket with an itinerary.

In addition, the "SWR & FIRST BUS" (00338) route code has had its validity on buses removed. You can't buy these with an itinerary, so this shouldn't matter.

The following changes were published last Wednesday:

Changes from 02 Jun 2025 (568) to 04 Jun 2025 (569).

Easement changes:

Added:

701362 (Local) Passengers from or via Glasgow Central to Hamilton West may doubleback from Hamilton Central. This local easement applies in both directions.​

No eastbound trains are due to stop at Hamilton West until 30th August, so this in intended to give an alternative route to some of those affected.

The data refers to journeys via Glasgow Central, but not to ones to or from there.

701363 (Circuitous Route) Passengers from or via Glasgow Central to Hamilton West may doubleback from Hamilton Central. This circuitous route easement applies in both directions.​

The text for this easement is identical to 701362. The data lists it as a positive circuitous route easement. Page F10 of the routeing guide says "Circuitous route easements are always negative." so I don't know what this is intended to do.

In any case, nre.co.uk doesn't show any of the journeys I looked at as being valid with the double back at Hamilton Central.

In addition, the data for 701361 has been changed to only apply it to "via Newport" tickets. It still does nothing.

The following changes to the routeing data were published last Friday:

Changes from 04 Jun 2025 (569) to 06 Jun 2025 (570).​

The data for easements 701311 and 701313 was changed to give validity via Cheltenham rather than just via Gloucester. The text remains:

701311 (Fare route) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel on 09 to 14 June and 16 to 20 June 2025 tickets priced on (00843) VIA SEVERN TUNNEL JUNCTION and (00911) VIA SEVERN TUNNL, to Chepstow and Lydney will be valid on services diverted via Gloucester. This fare route easement applies in both directions

701313 (Routeing Point) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, customers from Yate travelling to or via Newport (South Wales) may travel via Gloucester. This routeing point easement will overcome NFM64 fares checking during the disruption dates.​

Easement 701312 has been restricted to apply to fewer journeys. Until this Saturday, it only applies to journeys which go via Chinley in Derbyshire (as well as Gloucester and Yate). Next week, it only applies to journeys via Cheltenham. The text remains:

701312 (Local) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, tickets to Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicott, Chepstow and Lydney from local stations in Bristol for travel via Bristol Parkway will be valid on diverted via Gloucester. This local easement applies in both directions​

Easement 701314 was changed to only apply to journys via Cheltenham (Cheltenham was also added as an applicable location, but none of the stations are associated with Cheltenham so I don't think this does anything). The text remains:

701314 (Routeing Point) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, tickets to Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicott, Chepstow and Lydney from local stations in Bristol for travel via Bristol Parkway will be valid on diverted via Gloucester. This routeing point easement will overcome NFM64 fares checking and applies in both directions​

The data for easement 701315 has had Cheltenham added as an applicable location (it already included Gloucester). I don't know what exactly this does, but nre.co.uk doesn't currently show a Caldicot-Cam & Dursley journey as being valid via Cheltenham or Gloucester. The text remains:

701315 (Local) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 20:00 to midnight on 16 February 2025, tickets to Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicott, Chepstow and Lydney from Yate and Cam & Dursley will be valid on trains via Gloucester. This local easement applies in both directions​

 

[redreni]

I asked Southeastern customer relations about the removal of Dartford to London Group via Gravesend and this was their response:

Just sharing some further correspondence with Southeastern about the detrimental changes to mapped routes between Dartford and London:

Dear [-------]

Thank you for your email, which is helpful up to a point.

It is helpful to know that there is no desire to withdraw anything from those making longer journeys (I assume this means longer than just Dartford to London). I regularly make longer journeys from Dartford via London and a longstanding permitted route has been withdrawn from me. Perhaps this could be logged as one of the consequences of the change? I am disappointed there was no prior consultation.

The routeing guide change affects any journey from the Dartford routeing point to anywhere via the London Group routeing point (there are hundreds of such destinations across Great Britain), the number of people affected must be non-trivial. That is why I pointed out to you that, although the ticket office clerk did nothing wrong, if you make a unilateral and restrictive change to the Routeing Guide and you don't tell anyone that you have done it, you will get situations like the one I found myself in when I purchased an off-peak return from Dartford to Waterbeach a few days after the Routeing Guide change.

I am a commuter who also makes leisure journeys by rail, so I travel a lot. I am not in the habit of checking the Routeing Guide every time I travel to make sure the rail industry hasn't removed a longstanding permitted route quietly and without warning. Nor do I necessarily go on National Rail Enquiries every single time in order to plan each and every journey and to make sure the route I want to take is offered alongside the ticket I hold. What I do is buy the ticket I always buy and then, when I'm ready to set out, see what train is coming. If, for instance, I had just missed a Thameslink train towards Abbey Wood, I would likely want to take a Thameslink train towards Gravesend (which arrives a few minutes later), assuming a convenient onward connection to St Pancras was available. It's a turn-up and go service - people don't necessarily plan this out in advance. I'll take whichever permitted route is convenient on the day. It's the same for the return leg. Lots of passengers do this.

It is monumentally unhelpful, therefore, to have a mapped permitted route withdrawn without notice, because the first I'm going to know about it is when my ticket doesn't work at the barrier (although in practice I would have just been allowed through), and then I'm unknowingly travelling without a valid ticket and at risk of being penalty fared or prosecuted.

So for the third time of asking, could you please explain to me why this change was made without consulting anybody or even telling anybody? Why was it possible for me to buy a ticket for this journey at a ticket office without being asked what route I intended to take and/or told that travel via Gravesend is no longer permitted? Why, when I checked last Monday to see if my (already used but unmarked) return portion of my Dartford to Waterbeach ticket would be accepted at St Pancras HS1 gateline, did the staff say they knew nothing about any routeing guide change and would have just let me through?

For online ticket sales, the same concern arises - okay, passengers will no longer see journeys via Gravesend in the search results (which they would have done previously), but as I'm buying an open return, many websites will sell that ticket without the need to select a specific journey for the return leg. And even if the passenger selects a specific journey via London Bridge or Abbey Wood, since they're buying a flexible ticket, they are not agreeing to necessarily stick to that itinerary. If you don't tell the passenger that the route they have taken in the past, which they were allowed to take until very recently, is no longer permitted, they are not going to know.

There are consequences to messing around with the routeing guide without telling anybody. Making the change and then working out the consequences is an entirely backwards method of achieving whatever goals you're trying to achieve. [Yours, etc]

I understand you remain unhappy with our response relating to the permitted routing for tickets from Dartford to London and beyond. I'll be happy to revisit this here.

I've taken careful note of what you've said, and I can appreciate your reasons for dissatisfaction. I've raised your latest comments with our Fares Managers for further clarification. They have advised that given that some of the decisions which affect this were taken over many years ago and much of the fares data has since been achieved it is hard to find supporting documentation to support either side of this debate. However, they have confirmed that there was never an intention to allow travel from Dartford to be made via Gravesend and Ebbsfleet to St Pancras or beyond. To clarify, route "Any Permitted" was withdrawn in September 2009 and replaced by route "Plus High Speed" to block travel via Gravesend. This was as part of a response to instances of abuse by some who intentionally found flows where the route was still "Any Permitted" which allowed travel on highspeed services to undercut the intended fare.

That said, given the main focus then was mainly on our customers on our network, the full ramification of route [Any Permitted] were not appreciated or acted upon. Had that been the case then I expect different steps would have been taken. So, this error has existed for some time.

As a result of the extension of Transport for London (TfL) Contactless travel to Sevenoaks issues were identified with future tickets from Dartford to London and other stations in the revised Contactless areas being routed "Any Permitted" after the next extension. In laying the groundwork for that, an unintended consequence has been to rectify the existing error, bringing it in line with the original expectations. While the matter is not fully closed, it appears that it’s not possible to separate "Any Permitted" to London from other destinations outside of the Contactless area.

In terms of consultations, this is an issue which would need to be resolved for TfL Contactless to be implemented and we gather is on-going. In relation to briefing staff, whilst ideal, in terms of practicality it’s unrealistic to advise staff of all changes that occur. But, they do have the necessary tools and resources to check should the need arise. In terms of what information should be exchanged at the time of the sale, this depends much on the circumstances and the interaction between staff and customer.

The aims of the changes have been made successfully but, of course there is always a balance to be had in trying to find a way to honour a mistake made years ago, without compromising the intended changes made.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us. I hope this information has been helpful and has clarified our position around the Any Permitted routed fares.

Quite a good response by general TOC customer services standards, I would say.

I remain unimpressed but I am doubtful much else can be done. The local rail travellers' association appears to be uncontactable without signing up to Facebook, which I'm not about to do. I must say I think Southeastern's attitude to making routeing guide changes without telling anyone is staggering: apparently it would be impractical to tell their own staff, but their RPIs will still expect passengers to know. The fact they can send that out without reading it back first and realising how ludicrous a position to take it is, boggles the mind.

Also, there is no evidence here of any attempt to balance honouring what they describe as a 'mistake' made years ago with what they now want to do and claim they always intended. They have ignored the former and done the latter - no balancing has occurred.

 

[miklcct]

Just sharing some further correspondence with Southeastern about the detrimental changes to mapped routes between Dartford and London:




Quite a good response by general TOC customer services standards, I would say.

I remain unimpressed but I am doubtful much else can be done. The local rail travellers' association appears to be uncontactable without signing up to Facebook, which I'm not about to do. I must say I think Southeastern's attitude to making routeing guide changes without telling anyone is staggering: apparently it would be impractical to tell their own staff, but their RPIs will still expect passengers to know. The fact they can send that out without reading it back first and realising how ludicrous a position to take it is, boggles the mind.

Also, there is no evidence here of any attempt to balance honouring what they describe as a 'mistake' made years ago with what they now want to do and claim they always intended. They have ignored the former and done the latter - no balancing has occurred.

I am now checking some fare data and, indeed, Southeastern is now Ovalising fares from Dartford.

Using a fare from Dartford to West Hampstead Thameslink as an example, which is a journey travelling beyond London, the Any Permitted Anytime Day Single was £23.40 and the via City Thameslink Anytime Day Single was £15.20. Now there is only one fare, the Any Permitted Anytime Day Single at £10.40. For reference, the contactless fare is £10.40 using the tube and £9.60 on National Rail only for the same journey, but there is no longer a "via City Thameslink" paper fare matching the £9.60 contactless fare. Therefore it is necessary to block all Ovalised journeys from travelling on the HS1, unless the journey itself is going to St Pancras or Stratford International (in such case the a corresponding "Plus High Speed" fare will be provided on paper).

When Gravesend and Ebbsfleet joins the contactless area, the contactless system will charge the correct HS1 fare since both Stratford International and St Pancras High Speed have separate HS1 stations, and there is no OSI (out of station interchange) between the HS1 stations and the non-high-speed stations in London. If this is replicated in paper, that means two tickets are required. The previous (since 2009) intention that "Kent - London journey is distinguished by HS1 and not HS1, Kent - beyond London journey doesn't have HS1 premium" is incompatible with the treatment that "no OSI exists between St Pancras International and other non-high speed stations" for contactless cross-London journeys.

Similar problem appears on the other two premium contactless routes, Heathrow Express or Gatwick Express as well.

A proper fix will require other train companies to cooperate as well by changing "Any Permitted" journeys for long-distance fares (beyond the Oval area) to "Plus High Speed", for example, Dartford to Didcot Parkway is priced by GWR.

For Heathrow Express, there is no attempt to harmonise paper and contactless fares for through journeys. On paper, all through cross-London (with marker) journeys to Heathrow are priced by the London fare + £28 which is interavailable between the two operators, while on contactless Heathrow Express always charge a separate fare as there is no OSI at Paddington, and the Elizabeth line Oval fare is not available on paper for journeys such as Berkhamsted to Heathrow.

For Gatwick Express, the Ovalised paper fares (for example, Watford Junction to Gatwick Airport) now actually undercuts the Gatwick Express fare as they are set to be the same as the through journey, which is not available due to the lack of OSI at Gatwick. For example, the Off-Peak Day Single from Watford North to Gatwick Airport, Any Permitted, is now £21.00 and it is indisputably valid on the Gatwick Express (and also Southern). The WMT fares from Watford Junction to south of Zone 6 are also Ovalised in the National Rail fare database, but they are still more expensive than the actual Oyster / contactless fares which have been in place for a decade - they are set by Southern which have not been Ovalised yet.

 

[kieron]

Some changes were published in the routeing guide yesterday.

Changes from 06 Jun 2025 (570) to 12 Jun 2025 (571).​

The data for easement 701318 has been changed so that it no longer applies to journeys from, to or via Crewe or Stoke-on-Trent. Someone who (say) plans to travel between Crewe and Selby next Thursday is still allowed to go via Hebden Bridge.

The text remains:

701318 (Map) This map easement is to accommodate engineering diversions of Trans Pennie services via Wakefield Kirkgate. It applies in both directions.​

 

[redreni]

I am now checking some fare data and, indeed, Southeastern is now Ovalising fares from Dartford.

Yeah, some of those fares undercut the Gravesend to St Pancras route Plus High Speed fares (and the contactless equivalents when they come) by quite a bit. I can understand doing this. What I object to is saying it would be impractical to tell ticket office staff, but that this is okay because they can look stuff up if they need to. If you remove a longstanding permitted route, neither regular passengers using that route nor ticket office staff regularly selling tickets that had hitherto been valid on that route are going to look it up, unless you tell them it's changed. Why would they?

 

[kieron]

Two sets of changes have been made to the routeing guide so far this week.

The following changes were published on Wednesday:

Changes from 12 Jun 2025 (571) to 18 Jun 2025 (572).​

​

Removed:​

​

701359 (Map) On Sunday 15th June 2025, passengers travelling on Great Western services whose journey would normally be via the Severn Tunnel may use the replacement bus service between Bristol Parkway and Newport. This easement applies in both directions.​

​

701361 (Map) On Sunday 15th June 2025, passengers travelling on Great Western services between Cardiff Central and Bristol Parkway may use the direct replacement bus service. This map easement applies in both directions.​

These were temporary easements for a date which has now gone.

Added:​

​

701364 (Map) During engineering works, when Rail Replacement Services are operating, passengers travelling between Guildford and Gatwick Airport with tickets routed VIA GOMSHALL (00615) may use the direct bus service. This map easement applies in both directions.​

There's no dates in the text, but the data restricts it to 19th-27th September.

The data has the easement as a map easement for passengers which use GWR trains using "via Gomshall" tickets, and it has Guildford and Gatwick as applicable locations.

These dates are still some way off, and I haven't yet found a way to test what effect the data actually has.

701367 (Routeing Point) Passengers from Guildford to Gatwick Airport may use the direct replacement bus service during engineering works between 19 and 27 September 2025. This routeing point easement applies in both directions.​

This easement (which applies on the dates in the data for 701364) allows a number of stations to be valid routeing points for a ticket between Guildford and Gatwick. As both stations are themselves routeing points, this does nothing.

701368 (Fare route) Passengers from Guildford to Gatwick Airport with tickets on route (00615) VIA GOMSHALL may use the direct replacement bus service during engineering works between 19 and 27 September 2025. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

The data for this easement allows a "via Gomshall" Guildford-Gatwick ticket to be used via one of a number of locations, including via Guildford or Gatwick. This means that ticket is valid on a non-stop bus, at least according to redspottedhanky.com.

701365 (Map) Passengers travelling to Edinburgh and beyond, whose normal route is via Newcastle and Berwick upon Tweed, may travel via Carlisle during engineering works on the weekends of 13-14 and 20-21 September 2025. This map easement applies in both directions.​

There are no trains scheduled to go north from Newcastle on the above dates. Some replacement buses are in the schedule, but some are still missing, including any through Berwick. A few trains are due to go between Newcastle and Edinburgh via Carlisle.

The data has this as a map easement for journeys via Carlisle which includes Newcastle, Carlisle, Carstairs, Edinburgh and Haymarket (but not the rest of Edinburgh Group) and applies to any mapped route via Carlisle.

701366 (Map) Passengers travelling to Edinburgh and beyond, whose normal route is via Newcastle and Berwick upon Tweed, may travel via Carlisle with tickets priced on (00421) AP BERWICK, during engineering works on the weekends of 13-14 and 20-21 September 2025. This map easement applies in both directions.​

This is a second map easement for the same line closure. The data only has Carstairs as an applicable location and applies to "AP Berwick" tickets set by LNER.

The data for "AP Berwick" tickets excludes routes via Carlisle, and requires routes via Berwick, so I don't think this has any effect by itself.

The following were published yesterday (Thursday):

Changes from 18 Jun 2025 (572) to 19 Jun 2025 (573).​

​

Easement changes:​

​

Changed (added sections in red, removed ones in green):​

​

701367 (Routeing Point) Passengers from Guildford to Gatwick Airport may use the direct replacement bus service during engineering works between 19 15 and 27 September 2025. This routeing point easement applies in both directions.​

​

701368 (Fare route) Passengers from Guildford to Gatwick Airport with tickets on route (00615) VIA GOMSHALL may use the direct replacement bus service during engineering works between 19 15 and 27 September 2025. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

The dates for these have been extended, but not for 701364.

In addition, the data for easement 14 has been amended to include from and to locations, so that it now only covers journeys between the stations between Hooton and Birkenhead Hamilton Square inclusive and Helsby, Frodsham or Runcorn East. The text remains:

000014 (Local) Journeys via or from Frodsham to stations between and including Hooton and Birkenhead Hamilton Square may go via Chester. This easement applies in both directions.​

The data previously affected journeys via Chester which did not go via Shotton. It still didn't affect (say) Bromborough-Runcorn tickets as it only affects the local part of the journey (Bromborough-Hooton in that case).

This change isn't as restrictive as it may sound as there are also "routeing point easement" versions of this easement (easements 700038, 700430 and 700853). Tickets like Bromborough-Frodsham ones need a local easement as Hooton is a common routeing point. Ones like Bidston-Helsby do not.

---

The following post was made on 24 June 2025.

---

Some changes were published in the routeing guide yesterday. There had also been an update on Friday, but that only changed some route code restrictions.

Changes from 20 Jun 2025 (574) to 23 Jun 2025 (575).​

The data for easement 701354 was modified yesterday. It no longer affects journeys from Walmer. The text remains:

701354 (Fare route) During engineering works from Sunday 17th May to Sunday 27th July 2025 inclusive, passengers from Westcombe Park, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal, Abbey Wood and Belvedere who would otherwise travel via Lewisham may travel via London Bridge. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

As a "fare route" easement which doesn't mention any fare routes, the text of this easement isn't particularly enlightening.

My understanding of the data is that it allows "not via London" tickets from or to one of the stations in the list to be used via London Bridge, except that it doesn't apply to journeys from Westcombe Park (so nre.co.uk shows a Hayes-Westcombe Park "not via London" ticket as being valid via Lewisham and London, but doesn't allow a Westcombe Park-Hayes ticket in the opposite direction).

 

[kieron]

Some changes were published in the routeing guide yesterday.

Changes from 23 Jun 2025 (575) to 25 Jun 2025 (576).​

​

Easement changes:​

​

Removed:​

​

701310 (Map) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 June and 16 to 20 June 2025, tickets to South Wales will be diverted via Gloucester, Severn Tunnel Junction and Newport (South Wales). This map easement applies in both directions​

​

701311 (Fare route) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel on 09 to 14 June and 16 to 20 June 2025 tickets priced on (00843) VIA SEVERN TUNNEL JUNCTION and (00911) VIA SEVERN TUNNL, to Chepstow and Lydney will be valid on services diverted via Gloucester. This fare route easement applies in both directions​

​

701312 (Local) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, tickets to Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicott, Chepstow and Lydney from local stations in Bristol for travel via Bristol Parkway will be valid on diverted via Gloucester. This local easement applies in both directions​

​

701313 (Routeing Point) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, customers from Yate travelling to or via Newport (South Wales) may travel via Gloucester. This routeing point easement will overcome NFM64 fares checking during the disruption dates.​

​

701314 (Routeing Point) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, tickets to Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicott, Chepstow and Lydney from local stations in Bristol for travel via Bristol Parkway will be valid on diverted via Gloucester. This routeing point easement will overcome NFM64 fares checking and applies in both directions​

​

701315 (Local) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, tickets to Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicott, Chepstow and Lydney from Yate and Cam & Dursley will be valid on trains via Gloucester. This local easement applies in both directions​

​

701323 (Map) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 June and 16 to 20 June 2025, Customers travelling from Bath spa and Chippenham to South Wales will be able to travel via Swindon. This map easement easement applies in both directions​

​

701345 (Fare route) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, customers travelling on tickets priced on (00817) VIA BRISTOL may travel via Gloucester. This fare route easement will apply in both directions.​

​

701346 (Doubleback) During the closure of the Severn Tunnel from 09 to 14 and 16 to 20 June 2025, customers whose journey would otherwise have been via the Severn Tunnel may interchange at Cheltenham Spa and doubleback through Gloucester. This doubleback easement will apply in both directions.​

These were all temporary easements for the recent Severn Tunnel closure, and their dates have now all passed.

Added:​

​

701369 (Routeing Point) Passengers from Slaithwaite and Marsden travelling to London Euston with tickets routed (00000) ANY PERMITTED may travel via Manchester. This routeing point easement applies in both directions.​

There are "any permitted" and "via Manchester" Slaithwaite-London and Marsden-London tickets, and the "any permitted" ones are generally cheaper.

This easement allows "any permitted" tickets to be used via Stalybridge without relying on the shortest route rule (the shortest route is via Manchester and Macclesfield, but retailers are obliged to act as though it goes via the Stockport-Stalybridge line instead).

The text above says "Manchester" rather than Stalybridge, but that wouldn't work for a Routeing Point easement as the only routeing points which are associated with the stations in question are Huddersfield Group and Stalybridge.

Changed (added sections in red, removed ones in green):​

​

701358 (Fare route) (Map) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud from 22nd to 24th August 2025, after 15:00 and before 10:00. This fare route map easement applies in both directions.​

This has changed from a fare route easement to a map one. The text and data are otherwise unchanged.

According to the data for the easement, it's now a map easement with Cheltenham and Gloucester as applicable locations. It applies to some journeys to or from one of the stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive between 21st and 24th October, although not to journeys to Worcestershire Parkway on Sunday 24th. These journeys have to go via Bristol Parkway or Swindon and use "via Evesham" tickets.

In addition, the data for two other easement connected with these engineering works has changed.

The data for easement 701355 now permits "via Evesham" tickets to be used via Cam & Dursley, provided the tickets are from one of the stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive and are used via Stroud and Swindon while catching at most one train which stops in Stonehouse. I don't know if there's a way to do all of that. The text remains:

701355 (Fare route) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill from 18th to 24th August 2025, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

The data for easement 701356 has also changed, but this has no effect as the dates given in the data have already passed. The text remains:

701356 (Map) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill from 18th to 24th August 2025, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud. This map easement applies in both directions.​

---

The following post was made on 28th June 2025.

---

Some changes were published in the routeing guide yesterday.

Changes from 25 Jun 2025 (576) to 27 Jun 2025 (577).​

​

Easement changes:​

​

Added:​

​

701370 (Local) Passengers travelling from Plumpton to Cooksbridge may travel via either Lewes or Wivelsfield. This Local easement applies in both directions.​

Few trains stop at both Plumpton and Cooksbridge other than on Sundays.

The routeing guide says that, if there is a common routeing point, the route followed by direct trains to or from the common routeing point is allowed if the journey is made on those trains. Both stations are associated with Lewes and Wivelsfield, but retailers would normally only show the route via the closer routeing point (Lewes here) as being permitted.

This easement is intended to let them show journeys via Wivelsfield as being allowed.

701371 (Circuitous Route) Passengers travelling from Plumpton to Cooksbridge may travel via either Lewes or Wivelsfield. This Circuitous Route easement applies in both directions.​

​

701372 (Doubleback) Passengers travelling from Plumpton to Cooksbridge may travel via either Lewes or Wivelsfield. This Doubleback easement applies in both directions.​

These have the same text as 701370 but I don't know if they have any effect. 701371 is a positive circuitous route easement, and I don't know what that means. 701372 is a doubleback easement, but my understanding is that 701370 should allow the double back by itself.

These easements don't appear to have any effect on the valid routes nre.co.uk finds for a journey between Cooksbridge and Plumpton, however.

In addition, the data for some other easements has been changed.

Easement 701355 now permits travel via Cam & Dursley (rather than Canterbury West) for journeys from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive which go via Stroud or Swindon. The text remains:

701355 (Fare route) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill from 18th to 24th August 2025, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

The data for easement 701356 has also changed, but this has no effect as the dates given in the data have already passed. The text remains:

701356 (Map) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill from 18th to 24th August 2025, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud. This map easement applies in both directions.​

The data for easement 701357 has changed. It now allows "via Evesham" tickets to Ledbury (rather than London Bridge) to be used via Cheltenham or Gloucester on journeys via Bristol Parkway and Swindon. The text remains:

701357 (Fare route) During engineering closures between Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill, passengers with tickets on route 00805 (VIA EVESHAM) from stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, for destinations to, from or via Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington, may travel via Stroud from 18th to 21st August 2025. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

 

[kieron]

The following changes were published in the routeing guide on Thursday:

Changes from 27 Jun 2025 (577) to 03 Jul 2025 (578).

Easement changes:

Added:

701373 (Map) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh from 18th and 24th August, passengers with walk-up tickets from Hereford to Worcestershire Parkway inclusive may travel via Birmingham using West Midlands Trains services and then to London Marylebone using Chiltern services. This easement applies in both directions.

701374 (Map) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh, from 18th and 21st August passengers with walk-up tickets from Hereford to Worcestershire Parkway inclusive may travel via Birmingham using West Midlands Trains or CrossCountry services and then to London Marylebone using Chiltern services. This easement applies in both directions.​

This covers the same line closure as easements such as 701355. The two easements are almost identical, except that 701373 applies for longer (Monday-Sunday rather than Monday-Thursday) but doesn't permit travel with Crosscountry. Neither lets you use GWR.

The text refers to tickets from Hereford to Worcestershire Parkway inclusive, but the data applies instead to journeys between London Marylebone and a stations between Hereford and Worcestershire Parkway inclusive.

Looking at the routes within the data, it doesn't actually do anything for tickets between London and Worcestershire Parkway as none of the route codes allow travel via Birmingham. It doesn't do that much for tickets between Hereford and London as easement 700388 prevents the tickets from being used via Birmingham New Street. And, while the text says that the easements affect walk-up tickets, the data omits most of the single tickets.

Changed (added sections in red, removed ones in green):

700022 (Routeing Point) Customers travelling from Tunbridge Wells or High Brooms to Sevenoaks and beyond, and whom who are in possession of tickets routed Any Permitted, may travel via Tonbridge. This easement applies in both directions.

700023 (Routeing Point) Customers travelling from Staplehurst or Headcorn to Ebbsfleet International or beyond, and whom who are in possession of tickets routed Plus High Speed, may travel via Ashford International. This easement applies in both directions.

700024 (Routeing Point) Customers travelling from Hook or Winchfield via Woking and whom who are in possession of tickets routed (00486) AP EMR & CONNECT, may travel via Farnborough Main. This easement applies in both directions.

700037 (Circuitous Route) Customers travelling from Nafferton, Driffield, Hutton Cranswick, Arram, Beverley and Cottingham to York and whom who are in possession of tickets routed via 'Hull', may not travel via Doncaster. This easement applies in both directions.​

This changes the wording. The data is unchanged.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Looking at easement 700022. Can you travel Tunbridge Wells to Sevenoaks without going through Tonbridge?

700022 (Routeing Point) Customers travelling from Tunbridge Wells or High Brooms to Sevenoaks and beyond, and whom who are in possession of tickets routed Any Permitted, may travel via Tonbridge. This easement applies in both directions.

 

[Haywain]

Changed (added sections in red, removed ones in green):

700022 (Routeing Point) Customers travelling from Tunbridge Wells or High Brooms to Sevenoaks and beyond, and whom who are in possession of tickets routed Any Permitted, may travel via Tonbridge. This easement applies in both directions.

700023 (Routeing Point) Customers travelling from Staplehurst or Headcorn to Ebbsfleet International or beyond, and whom who are in possession of tickets routed Plus High Speed, may travel via Ashford International. This easement applies in both directions.

700024 (Routeing Point) Customers travelling from Hook or Winchfield via Woking and whom who are in possession of tickets routed (00486) AP EMR & CONNECT, may travel via Farnborough Main. This easement applies in both directions.

700037 (Circuitous Route) Customers travelling from Nafferton, Driffield, Hutton Cranswick, Arram, Beverley and Cottingham to York and whom who are in possession of tickets routed via 'Hull', may not travel via Doncaster. This easement applies in both directions.This changes the wording. The data is unchanged.

There's a pedant on the loose!

 

[jfollows]

There's a pedant on the loose!

I should think so, too!
It’s bad enough when people don’t use “whom” when it would be proper to do so, but I’ve come to accept that, but using “whom” incorrectly is a huge error, I’m glad to see it’s been corrected.

 

[Watershed]

Looking at easement 700022. Can you travel Tunbridge Wells to Sevenoaks without going through Tonbridge?

700022 (Routeing Point) Customers travelling from Tunbridge Wells or High Brooms to Sevenoaks and beyond, and whom who are in possession of tickets routed Any Permitted, may travel via Tonbridge. This easement applies in both directions.

The point is that it allows Tonbridge as a Routeing Point, when it might otherwise fail the fares check. If it fails the fares check (and Hastings would likely do so too for destinations to the north) then it's possible no fares would be returned by a journey planner, as journeys might not follow the absolute shortest route.

The fares check might fail due to a lack of fares in September 1996 (NFM64) or because the Tunbridge Wells fares were marginally more expensive than those from Tonbridge for example. There may also be no comparable fare routes now vs then (especially with the addition of plus HS1/not HS1 routed fares).

 

[redreni]

I should think so, too!
It’s bad enough when people don’t use “whom” when it would be proper to do so, but I’ve come to accept that, but using “whom” incorrectly is a huge error, I’m glad to see it’s been corrected.

If we're being pedantic, should it specify that the route 'Any Permitted' ticket that the customer has to possess in order to benefit from the easement must be the ticket they're travelling on? I've got half a dozen expired tickets routed any permitted knocking around...

 

[kieron]

Some changes were published in the routeing guide on Wednesday.

Changes from 03 Jul 2025 (578) to 09 Jul 2025 (579).​

​

Added:​

​

701375 (Map) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh from 18th and 24th August, passengers with walk-up tickets travelling from Hereford, Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern and Malvern Link to destinations via Didcot, Reading and London with walk-up tickets routed Evesham/Stroud (00803) or Via Evesham (00805) may travel via Newport. This map easement applies in both directions.​

This is another map easement for the same dates as easement 701373. It's supposed to let you go via Newport with (say) a "via Evesham" Great Malvern-Reading ticket. It doesn't override the "via Evesham" restriction, but easement 701357 does for journeys via Cheltenham, at least until the 21st.

The data doesn't seem to give the desired effect as it doesn't explicitly let you go via Newport. Gloucester-Reading (for one) only has LH as a map combination, and that doesn't include Newport either.

701376 (Map) During engineering works from 2nd to 28th August, CrossCountry passengers from Stoke on Trent to Birmingham New Street may travel on East Midlands services to Derby and then by the replacement bus service. This map easement applies in both directions.​

The line through Stockport is due to be closed from the 2nd, leading to a lot of timetable changes. Crosscountry trains to and from Manchester are only due to stop in Wilmslow between Manchester and Stafford. While Stoke-on-Trent is open as normal, it also has a lot of rail replacement buses to Stafford and Macclesfield. There are no buses scheduled between Derby and Birmingham on the dates I checked but there are trains.

This is a map easement, and the applicable stations include every station between Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham New Street via Derby except for Stoke, Derby, Peartree, Willington and Birmingham. The data affects journeys from Stoke to Birmingham New Street. It would affect travel in the other direction, except that it expects "via Stoke" tickets, and there are none. It doesn't work in either direction on nre.co.uk, however.

701377 (Fare route) During engineering works from 2nd to 28th August, CrossCountry passengers from Macclesfield to Birmingham New Street with tickets routed via Stoke on Trent (00313) may use the replacement bus service from Macclesfield to Wilmslow. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

This lets people use Macclesfield-Wilmslow buses with a "via Stoke" Macclesfield-Birmingham ticket. Other flexible tickets, such as Congleton-Birmingham or Macclesfield-Wolverhampton ones, cannot be used this way.

In addition to the above, the data for 701373 & 701374 has changed. Each easement now only affects journeys via High Wycombe. The text remains:

701373 (map) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh from 18th and 24th August, passengers with walk-up tickets from Hereford to Worcestershire Parkway inclusive may travel via Birmingham using West Midlands Trains services and then to London Marylebone using Chiltern services. This easement applies in both directions.​

​

701374 (Map) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh, from 18th and 21st August passengers with walk-up tickets from Hereford to Worcestershire Parkway inclusive may travel via Birmingham using West Midlands Trains or CrossCountry services and then to London Marylebone using Chiltern services. This easement applies in both directions.​

The easements do still let you use an "any permitted" Great Malvern-London ticket to go to London via Birmingham and Banbury. Travel via Birmingham and Rugby isn't covered, but is permitted without an easement anyway.

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The following post was made on 18th July.

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The following changes were published in the routeing guide on Wednesday.

Changes from 09 Jul 2025 (579) to 16 Jul 2025 (580).​

​

Easement changes:​

​

Removed:​

​

030190 (Circuitous Route) Customers travelling from London Victoria to Horley may not travel via Gatwick Airport. This easement applies in both directions.​

Gatwick Airport isn't a valid routeing point for Horley for a London-Horley ticket, but the stations are close enough together for it to be within 3 miles of the shortest route.

Deleting this easement has no effect as easement 30062 has been expanded to make it redundant.

Added:​

​

701378 (Routeing Point) Passengers travelling from Reading to Birchwood with tickets on route (00267) Via Banbury may travel via Stockport. This Routeing Point easement applies in both directions and overrides the fares check in journey planners.​

nre.co.uk does not show travel via Stockport as being valid with a "via Banbury" Reading-Birchwood ticket. I don't know why as their routeing point calculator shows Deansgate and Reading as being appropriate routeing points, the route between them appears on the RM map and I can find no relevant negative easements.

This easement appears to be an attempt to change how the web site behaves. It doesn't seem to work, possible because the easement data tries to make Stockport a valid routeing point despite the Stockport routeing point not being associated with Birchwood or Reading.

701379 (Circuitous Route) Passengers from Teynham to Sittingbourne may not travel via Faversham. This negative Circuitous Route easement applies in both directions.​

​

701380 (Local) Passengers from Teynham to Sittingbourne may not travel via Faversham. This negative Local easement applies in both directions.​

Faversham is a common routeing point for Teynham and Sittingbourne, and so Teynham-Faversham-Sittingbourne would normally be a valid route for a through ticket. These easement are an attempt to forbid the route.

701381 (Fare route) During engineering works between 30th August and 29th September, passengers from Slaithwaite to Leeds with tickets on route (00092) VIA HUDDERSFIELD may travel on the direct replacement bus between Brighouse and Marsden. This easement applies in both directions.​

The line through Huddersfield station is closed then with no trains between Stalybridge, Mirfield and Penistone. Most buses from Slaithwaite are due to go to Huddersfield, but there are a few between Marsden and Brighouse which only call at Slaithwaite on the way, and are treated as not going through Huddersfield.

This easement lets a "via Huddersfield" Slaithwaite-Leeds ticket be used on those buses (the "TPE only" ones are allowed that way regardless). Other tickets, such as Brighouse-Marsden ones, are unaffected.

701382 (Map) During engineering work between Shrewsbury and Crewe on the weekends of 19-20 and 26-27 July 2025, passengers between Cardiff Central and Manchester Piccadilly may travel via Chester. This easement applies in both directions.​

Some trains are going from Cardiff to Crewe via Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Chester.
This easement is intended to let tickets between Cardiff Central and Manchester Picadilly (only) be used via Chester. The data represents it as a map easement with Chester as the only applicable location.

For a route to benefit from this easement (on nre.co.uk, anyway), it needs to follow a mapped route to Chester. This is straightforward if you're going from Cardiff as AW includes the route all the Cardiff-Chester trains will take then. If you're going from Manchester, CL includes the route to Chester via Newton-le-Willows (with hourly trains from Mancheter Picadilly) but none of the map combinations allows travel to Chester via Crewe (or Northwich, I suppose).

Changed (added sections in red, removed ones in green):​

​

030062 (Circuitous Route) Journeys to or from Horley via Redhill may not doubleback Passengers travelling from Horley to Earlswood or beyond, including journeys to London, may not travel via Gatwick Airport. This Circuitous Route easement applies in both directions.​

This has been reworded, but the key change is that it now affects journeys to or via Earlswood rather than just ones via Redhill. This matters as every Gatwick-London train is treated as though it goes through Earlswood whereas only some go through Redhill.

The data hasn't changed. It had been more restrictive than the text it was meant to implement for years.

701375 (Map) (Fare route) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh from 18th and 24th August, passengers with walk-up tickets travelling from Hereford, Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern and Malvern Link to destinations via Didcot, Reading and London with walk-up tickets routed Evesham/Stroud (00803) or Via Evesham (00805) may travel via Newport. This map fare route easement applies in both directions.​

This changes it from a map easement to a fare route one.

The data changed a little more, as it now requires travel via Newport in both directions. This doesn't affect a "via Evesham" Gloucester-Reading ticket as there is (as far as I know) no valid route via Newport for it.

 

[akm]

Changed (added sections in red, removed ones in green):

030062 (Circuitous Route) Journeys to or from Horley via Redhill may not doubleback Passengers travelling from Horley to Earlswood or beyond, including journeys to London, may not travel via Gatwick Airport. This Circuitous Route easement applies in both directions.​

This has been reworded, but the key change is that it now affects journeys to or via Earlswood rather than just ones via Redhill. This matters as every Gatwick-London train is treated as though it goes through Earlswood whereas only some go through Redhill.

The data hasn't changed. It had been more restrictive than the text it was meant to implement for years.

Except of course travel via Gatwick Airport is allowed if using Oyster or Contactless, so long as you stay within MJT. I note that Horley only has direct services to eg Clapham Junction in the morning peak; after that time, according to fastjp, the quickest journey is often via Gatwick Airport. The same will be true of many other destinations within London. Seems a bit harsh to disbenefit people with actual tickets...

 

[4COR]

Except of course travel via Gatwick Airport is allowed if using Oyster or Contactless, so long as you stay within MJT. I note that Horley only has direct services to eg Clapham Junction in the morning peak; after that time, according to fastjp, the quickest journey is often via Gatwick Airport. The same will be true of many other destinations within London. Seems a bit harsh to disbenefit people with actual tickets...

Yes, but by allowing travel via Gatwick Airport, a holder of a ticket to/from Horley could stop/start short at Gatwick, and significantly undercut the fares to the airport. Unfortunately, they get caught up in the method of stopping that happening (London to Horley, anytime single £14.40 Vs London to Gatwick Anytime single £21.30).

 

[kieron]

Some changes were published in the routeing guide yesterday.

Changes from 16 Jul 2025 (580) to 23 Jul 2025 (581).

Easement changes:

Removed:

701336 (Fare route) During engineering closures 3 - 5 May 2025, customers travelling from Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, and Worcestershire Parkway, to or beyond Didcot Parkway with tickets priced on route (00803) EVESHAM/STROUD whose normal route would include travel Cam & Dursley OR Stroud, may travel via Swindon. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

This was a temporary easement which had no effect after May.

Added:

701383 (Fare route) During engineering works between 4 and 6 November 2025, passengers travelling on Great Western services on route (00842) VIA TAUNTON from the southeast to, from or via Exeter may travel via Honiton. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

There are no GWR trains through Taunton then, with Exeter-London trains diverted via Yeovil and Castle Cary.

This is intended to let people with (e.g.) a "via Taunton" Plymouth-Gatwick ticket go via Honiton instead, provided they use a GWR service during the journey. I don't know if there's a way to check this far in advance (GWR can't find any trains although realtimetrains.co.uk can), but I'm concerned that a map easement may also be needed before this works properly.

701384 (Fare route) During engineering works between 30th August and 29th September 2025, passengers from Marsden to Brighouse, Mirfield, Dewsbury and Leeds with tickets on route (00092) VIA HUDDERSFIELD may travel on the direct weekday replacement bus between Brighouse and Marsden. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

This easement affects the same dates as easement 701381. Its data lets a "via Huddersfield" ticket between Marsden and Brighouse, Dewsbury, Leeds or Mirfield be used via Brighouse or via any of the stations between Slaithwaite and Leeds inclusive.

701385 (Fare route) During engineering works between 30th August and 29th September 2025, passengers from Marsden to Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden, Wakefield and Castleford with tickets on route (00261) HDFD NOT LEEDS may travel on the direct weekday replacement bus between Brighouse and Marsden. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

This data for this easement (for the same dates as 701384) lets a "via Huddersfield not Leeds" ticket between Marsden and Castleford, Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden or Wakefield be used via Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield Group, Leeds, Mytholmroyd or Slaithwaite.

701386 (Fare route) During engineering works between 2 and 22 August 2025, passengers from stations Delamere to Hale (inclusive) to Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Victoria and Deansgate with tickets on route (00325) VIA STOCKPORT may travel via Altrincham. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

This easement is for similar dates to 701377, dates on which the line through Stockport is closed. The easement lets a "via Stockport" ticket between Manchester and stations between Hale and Delamere inclusive. It doesn't affect tickets between Manchester and Altrincham or Navigation Road, or longer journeys such as Delamere-Guide Bridge.

701387 (Map) Passengers travelling from Birmingham New Street to Doncaster may travel via Swinton. This map easement applies in both directions.​

This is a map easement intended to let Birmingham-Doncaster tickets be used via Swinton in Yorkshire. The data has Swinton as an applicable location. As Swinton is part of the shortest route between Birmingham New Street and Doncaster, and the only valid map combination for the journey (BH) only permits routes via Swinton, I don't know what the purpose of this is.

Changed (added sections in red, removed ones in green):

701381 (Fare route) During engineering works between 30th August and 29th September, September 2025, passengers from Slaithwaite to Leeds with tickets on route (00092) VIA HUDDERSFIELD may travel on the direct weekday replacement bus between Brighouse and Marsden. This easement applies in both directions.​

This rewords the easement. The data is unchanged. In particular, it applies every day for that month (although the Brighouse-Marsden buses do not).

In addition to the above, the data for some easements has changed.

Easement 701366 now only applies to journeys via Carlisle. The text remains:

701366 (Map) Passengers travelling to Edinburgh and beyond, whose normal route is via Newcastle and Berwick upon Tweed, may travel via Carlisle with tickets priced on (00421) AP BERWICK, during engineering works on the weekends of 13-14 and 20-21 September 2025. This map easement applies in both directions.​

I don't know how to buy a ticket which makes use of this easement. This change doesn't affect the situation.

Easements 701373 and 701374 no longer have any applicable locations, and so have no effect. The text remains:

701373 (Map) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh from 18th and 24th August, passengers with walk-up tickets from Hereford to Worcestershire Parkway inclusive may travel via Birmingham using West Midlands Trains services and then to London Marylebone using Chiltern services. This easement applies in both directions.

701374 (Map) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh, from 18th and 21st August passengers with walk-up tickets from Hereford to Worcestershire Parkway inclusive may travel via Birmingham using West Midlands Trains or CrossCountry services and then to London Marylebone using Chiltern services. This easement applies in both directions.​

Easement 701375 has had Newport added as an applicable location (in addition to Didcot, Reading and London Paddington). The text remains:

701375 (Fare route) During engineering works between Worcester Shrub Hill and Moreton-in-Marsh from 18th and 24th August, passengers with walk-up tickets travelling from Hereford, Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern and Malvern Link to destinations via Didcot, Reading and London with walk-up tickets routed Evesham/Stroud (00803) or Via Evesham (00805) may travel via Newport. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

It doesn't seem to help with a "via Evesham" Gloucester-Reading ticket, at least on nre.co.uk. I think it may need an additional map easement before it accepts the route.

 

[redreni]

Some changes were published in the routeing guide yesterday.

​

Added:​

​

701383 (Fare route) During engineering works between 4 and 6 November 2025, passengers travelling on Great Western services on route (00842) VIA TAUNTON from the southeast to, from or via Exeter may travel via Honiton. This fare route easement applies in both directions.​

There are no GWR trains through Taunton then, with Exeter-London trains diverted via Yeovil and Castle Cary.

This is intended to let people with (e.g.) a "via Taunton" Plymouth-Gatwick ticket go via Honiton instead, provided they use a GWR service during the journey. I don't know if there's a way to check this far in advance (GWR can't find any trains although realtimetrains.co.uk can), but I'm concerned that a map easement may also be needed before this works properly.

​

Thanks, as ever.

Quick question: why would somebody with a Plymouth to Gatwick Airport ticket routed 'via Taunton' not be able to use SWR services from Exeter to Clapham Junction or London via Honiton? There's no actual TOC restriction on that ticket, unless I'm missing something? Even without the easement or the engineering works, it's hard to see what would stop you using SWR services on that ticket as long as you'd observed the 'via Taunton' restriction (e.g. by changing at Castle Cary and Yeovil Junction)?