NEXUS take-over ?

[TheGrandWazoo]

If it was up to you, would you advocate deregulation in London?

I wouldn't change it now. The privatisation of LBL was done under certain auspices as was the sale of various NBC/Council/PTE firms.

We are where we are!

 

[radamfi]

Deregulation for London was still proposed well into the 90s, well after privatisation of LBL. But the Government kept postponing and the last thing I remember was that they would wait until after the 97 election.

I reckon the Government realised tendering was best but they didn't want to admit it.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

More likely that rail privatisation took priority. That and the Maastricht rebels, the ERM debacle, MOD options for change. A lot of parliamentary time was taken up with those.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I'm not too familiar with Tyneside but I will try to give an example to clarify.

A trip from Chichester near South Shields to Newcastle can be undertaken by a direct Metro train.

A trip from Cleadon Park near South Shields to Newcastle requires a combination of Metro and bus.

Why should the latter cost more than the former?

Because of the split modes. It is the same in London, where we can assume Nexus are basing their QC ideas on. If you get a tube you pay a tube fare, if you get a bus you pay a bus fare, and if you get a bus and a tube you pay both.

There is a direct bus to Newcastle, Stagecoach's X34, from that part of South Shields if you prefer the bus fares. Judging by the fact they've had to convert it to deckers for capacity, lots of South Shields people do prefer the bus.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Why would you base your ideas on London's messy fare system when a true German style Verbundtarif would be better?

Neil

 

[radamfi]

If you get a tube you pay a tube fare, if you get a bus you pay a bus fare, and if you get a bus and a tube you pay both.

And why is this a good thing?

The only 'excuse' I can think of in London is that the Tube is very full, so they want to encourage some people to use the bus to relieve the Tube a little. But that still doesn't account for why you have to pay twice as much for a single bus trip in London if you change buses.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

And why is this a good thing?

The only 'excuse' I can think of in London is that the Tube is very full, so they want to encourage some people to use the bus to relieve the Tube a little. But that still doesn't account for why you have to pay twice as much for a single bus trip in London if you change buses.

Rather than guess, why not ask both TfL and Nexus, then report back.

 

[Bletchleyite]

And why is this a good thing?

The only 'excuse' I can think of in London is that the Tube is very full, so they want to encourage some people to use the bus to relieve the Tube a little.

That and demographics, i.e. the bus is far cheaper which means those who can't afford the Tube have an option.

However that isn't a reason why an interchange shouldn't be free, nor why there shouldn't be two fare levels, bus only and everything, rather than a fare per mode.

The answer is no doubt "because we've always done it that way", with a measure of "because the accounting is easier" and "because some people would whine if we changed it". Oyster was a wonderful chance to redesign the fare structure, and contactless another, but instead they overcomplicated it by making it deal with the nuances of a fare structure built up over time rather than designed.

Neil