Simplification looms
ATOC have been very keen to announce that from 7 September the fares will be "simplified" and how wonderful this will be for passengers. They even have the cheek to claim that they did this of their own free will at the request of passengers, "Passengers have told us that they want a simpler fares system. We are listening and responding," said David Mapp, commercial director of ATOC. But is this true? The Government's White Paper, Delivering a Sustainable Railway, directed ATOC to implement simplification.
Unfortunately the Government failed to specify the terms of simplification, so we are completely at the mercy of ATOC, whose idea of simplification does not match what I consider to be a genuine use of the term.
Sadly, it appears to be nothing more than a re-branding exercise, at least as far as walk-on tickets are concerned, with a few minor changes that will make very little difference. David Mapp claimed "These changes will enable people to buy train tickets more easily and with greater confidence," but I do not see how anyone would feel more confident purchasing an "Off Peak" than a "Saver" - the names are meaningless as in both cases the restriction codes must be consulted to determine the true validity.
We do know that Saver fares will, in general, be re-named "Off Peak", but what has not been made clear is how 8A (any train) Savers will be named. Take York-Sheffield, there is no Standard Open fare, the Saver Return costs more than the Standard Day. I can only assume that, in this case, the Saver will be re-named "Anytime". However this will increase costs for young people travelling before 10am who will no longer benefit from a railcard discount (minimum fare pre-10am is £8 Savers and £16 Day or Open returns). If this Saver is renamed "Off Peak", then it would not make sense that an "Off peak" ticket is valid on any train.
Like York-Sheffield, Savers from York-Peterborough are also code 8A 'Valid on any train'. So, will they become Anytime? If so, the current Standard Open will be abolished, but that would preven NXEC charging people more to buy onboard and I can't see that happening. If it becomes "Off peak" it will result in a so-called "Off peak" ticket being valid at any time! Interestingly, XC have avoided this scenario by restricting their "Valid at any time" Savers to "Valid after 0500", this could be followed by other TOCs but it is not yet clear.
And what of London to York? The business saver is presumably going to be called Off Peak, and the Saver will surely be called Super Off Peak. Rather like the old days of Savers and SuperSavers but with higher-than-inflation rises justified by the change of names. This will create an interesting anomaly out of King's Cross, as an "Off Peak" (formerly Business Saver) to Peterborough will be valid in the evening peak. There is no day equivalent of the business saver, so will the Cheap Day return become Off Peak Day or Super Off peak? If the latter, then passengers may be confused at the lack of an Off Peak day on this route. If the former, then passengers may be confused at being allowed to use an Off Peak on the 17:03 yet not allowed to use an Off Peak Day on the same train. Which is it to be? It is not yet clear.
Finally, we come to the issue of Break of Journey (BoJ). This is currently allowed on just about all walk-on ticket types, with the exception of the outward portions of Savers. Early indications are that, as Savers will become Off Peak, break of journey will be allowed on Off Peak tickets so that is a genuine improvement and could make things "simpler" however ATOC have scored an own-goal by stating "Break of journey is now permitted on all Off-Peak tickets unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket’s validity code. Therefore, Saver fares that are currently restricted may allow break of journey from 7 September when they become Off-Peak fares. If a customer indicates that they want to break their journey, please see the relevant validity code to check restrictions." So, at present, a Saver is not valid for BoJ on the outward portion but in future an Off Peak is valid for BoJ unless the restriction code says otherwise, so to find out if your ticket is valid for BoJ you need to look up the restriction code. Is that really simplification? I think not.
By this time next month, all should be clear. Watch this space...!
The above article appeared in the August edition of Railtalk magazine, before the effects of Simplification were known.
Part 2 - the conclusion
Last month I identified several potential issues with the new "Simple" fares introduced by the train operating companies (TOCs) with effect from 7 September.
Well, all is now clear - clear as mud that is! - and we know that ATOC has given every TOC a free reign to do whatever they like. Of course, it goes without saying that each TOC has done their own thing, resulting in a system that really isn't "simple" by any sane definition of the word!
Last month I noted that if Savers were renamed Anytime it would cause fare rises for 16-25 holders travelling before 0800, and indeed this has happened. First Great Western (FGW), Northern and London Midland (LM) have done this, resulting in these increases taking place. Sadly the pricing manager at FGW (who I am told is an enthusiast!) had not read the article and was apparently blissfully unaware of this result. To their credit, FGW have now pledged to fix this as a matter of urgency, but how they will achieve this remains to be seen.
TPE, Virgin, and others, set their 'Code 8A - Valid on any train' Savers to be called Off Peak tickets, but they are in fact, valid at any time. With Break of Journey (BoJ) now possible on the outward portion, they are now identical to the equivalent Anytime tickets on some routes. Anytime being the replacement for the Standard Open, but the outward portion is now only valid for one day. This effectively creates penalty fares by the backdoor on some routes, for example Penrith to Preston where the Off Peak return is £25.70 and the Anytime return is £42.00. What do you get for your extra £16.30? Nothing. ATOC actually admitted that anyone purchasing a ticket from a ticket office should be sold the lower fare and that the higher fare would only be sold on board where a customer had boarded at a staffed station.
National Express East Coast (NXEC) followed CrossCountry's model - implemented last May - by introducing phoney 'peak' restrictions on their Off Peak tickets. The restriction is 'Valid on any train, except those timed to depart between 0115 and 0400 inclusive.' NXEC do not run any trains that are timed to pick up within those times. So a York to Grantham 'Off Peak' is not valid in the early hours - when no trains run anyway - but is, in fact, valid on any train, but not at 'any time'!
NXEC and Northern's differing policies will cause confusion, as a holder of a 16-25 card informed me, his regular journey from Hull to York, was £12.80 for a 'Route direct' Saver; the 'Any permitted' being £15.10. This the 'Direct' is now Anytime so he has to pay the £16.00 minimum fare for this ticket. The 'Any permitted' is priced by NXEC so is an Off peak ticket valid on any train, and is therefore only £15.10. So his fare is up by 18%, because he is travelling at 'peak' time, but on an Off Peak ticket.
ATOC stated that where two Off Peak fares existed, the more restrictive would be called Super Off Peak. However this has proven not to be the case. On many routes Off Peak Day is not valid until several hours after Off Peak tickets become valid. Using the York-Grantham example, an Off Peak is effectively valid on any train but the Off Peak Day is not valid until 09:15. But what difference does the word 'Day' mean? Travel back the same day? Yes, but sadly, it also means a whole new set of restrictions. Simple? I think not!
Super Off Peak fares exist for some routes, the new fares include the former SuperSavers, among others. By rights, the East Coast route should have SuperSavers in this category but somehow Savers to London have become Super Off Peak. Sadly, GNER withdrew SuperSavers on this route, they then increased the restrictions on the Saver to make them roughly in line with the old Super Savers. A new ticket, with roughly the same validity of the old Saver was introduced, called a Business Saver. The Business Saver has become 'Off Peak' and is valid on any train in the evening peak out of King's Cross. Grand Central decided to do their own thing, and their ticket with the equivalent validity of the Super Off Peak on this route is called an Off Peak. Confused? You will be. It is permitted to use an Off Peak 'Route Any Permitted' ticket on the 08:21 from York to London and 16:50 return, but an Off Peak 'Route Grand Central' is not valid. In this case, just changing the route makes an apparently valid ticket, invalid. At King's Cross in the evening rush hour, Off Peak tickets are valid, off peak Grand Central tickets are not valid, and Off Peak Day tickets are not valid. This makes no sense.
LM have not only increased fares for 16-25 holders, but they decided to replace the Saver with two products. One of these is the same price as the Saver and is called Off Peak. While previously, LM Savers were valid at any time, the Off Peak tickets are not valid until 09:00. Replacing a ticket with the same validity of the Saver is Anytime, but this costs more - a rise of 6% on average. Worse, these fares will rise considerably in future. The Saver was protected, but LM will argue that the true continuation of the Saver is the Off Peak fare, therefore the cost is 'regulated' to the rate of Inflation +1%. The Anytime ticket is not 'regulated' so, come January, you can be sure these fares will rise by a hefty amount.
Finally, we come to break of journey. This is now possible on the outward and return tickets of all walk-on fares, which is welcome. However there is a catch, "Break of journey is now permitted on all Off-Peak tickets unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket’s validity code." Again this is not simple, but early indications are that only NXEC are introducing this restriction, which applies to the outward journey only. It's unenforceable and I suspect it will be quietly dropped in future.
To go back to the original point, "Passengers have told us that they want a simpler fares system. We are listening and responding," said David Mapp, commercial director of ATOC. Their response appears to be to confuse us to the point that our brains hurt. They want customers to "buy their tickets with confidence", but I am not aware of anyone looking to the 7th of September with any "confidence", least of all guards who are given the impossible job of enforcing these ludicrous restrictions. I hope you have understood this article, but if you have any questions or concerns about any of your regular journeys, please feel free to ask them in the 'Fares, Tickets & Routeing' forum at railforums.co.uk.
ATOC have been very keen to announce that from 7 September the fares will be "simplified" and how wonderful this will be for passengers. They even have the cheek to claim that they did this of their own free will at the request of passengers, "Passengers have told us that they want a simpler fares system. We are listening and responding," said David Mapp, commercial director of ATOC. But is this true? The Government's White Paper, Delivering a Sustainable Railway, directed ATOC to implement simplification.
Unfortunately the Government failed to specify the terms of simplification, so we are completely at the mercy of ATOC, whose idea of simplification does not match what I consider to be a genuine use of the term.
Sadly, it appears to be nothing more than a re-branding exercise, at least as far as walk-on tickets are concerned, with a few minor changes that will make very little difference. David Mapp claimed "These changes will enable people to buy train tickets more easily and with greater confidence," but I do not see how anyone would feel more confident purchasing an "Off Peak" than a "Saver" - the names are meaningless as in both cases the restriction codes must be consulted to determine the true validity.
We do know that Saver fares will, in general, be re-named "Off Peak", but what has not been made clear is how 8A (any train) Savers will be named. Take York-Sheffield, there is no Standard Open fare, the Saver Return costs more than the Standard Day. I can only assume that, in this case, the Saver will be re-named "Anytime". However this will increase costs for young people travelling before 10am who will no longer benefit from a railcard discount (minimum fare pre-10am is £8 Savers and £16 Day or Open returns). If this Saver is renamed "Off Peak", then it would not make sense that an "Off peak" ticket is valid on any train.
Like York-Sheffield, Savers from York-Peterborough are also code 8A 'Valid on any train'. So, will they become Anytime? If so, the current Standard Open will be abolished, but that would preven NXEC charging people more to buy onboard and I can't see that happening. If it becomes "Off peak" it will result in a so-called "Off peak" ticket being valid at any time! Interestingly, XC have avoided this scenario by restricting their "Valid at any time" Savers to "Valid after 0500", this could be followed by other TOCs but it is not yet clear.
And what of London to York? The business saver is presumably going to be called Off Peak, and the Saver will surely be called Super Off Peak. Rather like the old days of Savers and SuperSavers but with higher-than-inflation rises justified by the change of names. This will create an interesting anomaly out of King's Cross, as an "Off Peak" (formerly Business Saver) to Peterborough will be valid in the evening peak. There is no day equivalent of the business saver, so will the Cheap Day return become Off Peak Day or Super Off peak? If the latter, then passengers may be confused at the lack of an Off Peak day on this route. If the former, then passengers may be confused at being allowed to use an Off Peak on the 17:03 yet not allowed to use an Off Peak Day on the same train. Which is it to be? It is not yet clear.
Finally, we come to the issue of Break of Journey (BoJ). This is currently allowed on just about all walk-on ticket types, with the exception of the outward portions of Savers. Early indications are that, as Savers will become Off Peak, break of journey will be allowed on Off Peak tickets so that is a genuine improvement and could make things "simpler" however ATOC have scored an own-goal by stating "Break of journey is now permitted on all Off-Peak tickets unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket’s validity code. Therefore, Saver fares that are currently restricted may allow break of journey from 7 September when they become Off-Peak fares. If a customer indicates that they want to break their journey, please see the relevant validity code to check restrictions." So, at present, a Saver is not valid for BoJ on the outward portion but in future an Off Peak is valid for BoJ unless the restriction code says otherwise, so to find out if your ticket is valid for BoJ you need to look up the restriction code. Is that really simplification? I think not.
By this time next month, all should be clear. Watch this space...!
The above article appeared in the August edition of Railtalk magazine, before the effects of Simplification were known.
Part 2 - the conclusion
Last month I identified several potential issues with the new "Simple" fares introduced by the train operating companies (TOCs) with effect from 7 September.
Well, all is now clear - clear as mud that is! - and we know that ATOC has given every TOC a free reign to do whatever they like. Of course, it goes without saying that each TOC has done their own thing, resulting in a system that really isn't "simple" by any sane definition of the word!
Last month I noted that if Savers were renamed Anytime it would cause fare rises for 16-25 holders travelling before 0800, and indeed this has happened. First Great Western (FGW), Northern and London Midland (LM) have done this, resulting in these increases taking place. Sadly the pricing manager at FGW (who I am told is an enthusiast!) had not read the article and was apparently blissfully unaware of this result. To their credit, FGW have now pledged to fix this as a matter of urgency, but how they will achieve this remains to be seen.
TPE, Virgin, and others, set their 'Code 8A - Valid on any train' Savers to be called Off Peak tickets, but they are in fact, valid at any time. With Break of Journey (BoJ) now possible on the outward portion, they are now identical to the equivalent Anytime tickets on some routes. Anytime being the replacement for the Standard Open, but the outward portion is now only valid for one day. This effectively creates penalty fares by the backdoor on some routes, for example Penrith to Preston where the Off Peak return is £25.70 and the Anytime return is £42.00. What do you get for your extra £16.30? Nothing. ATOC actually admitted that anyone purchasing a ticket from a ticket office should be sold the lower fare and that the higher fare would only be sold on board where a customer had boarded at a staffed station.
National Express East Coast (NXEC) followed CrossCountry's model - implemented last May - by introducing phoney 'peak' restrictions on their Off Peak tickets. The restriction is 'Valid on any train, except those timed to depart between 0115 and 0400 inclusive.' NXEC do not run any trains that are timed to pick up within those times. So a York to Grantham 'Off Peak' is not valid in the early hours - when no trains run anyway - but is, in fact, valid on any train, but not at 'any time'!
NXEC and Northern's differing policies will cause confusion, as a holder of a 16-25 card informed me, his regular journey from Hull to York, was £12.80 for a 'Route direct' Saver; the 'Any permitted' being £15.10. This the 'Direct' is now Anytime so he has to pay the £16.00 minimum fare for this ticket. The 'Any permitted' is priced by NXEC so is an Off peak ticket valid on any train, and is therefore only £15.10. So his fare is up by 18%, because he is travelling at 'peak' time, but on an Off Peak ticket.
ATOC stated that where two Off Peak fares existed, the more restrictive would be called Super Off Peak. However this has proven not to be the case. On many routes Off Peak Day is not valid until several hours after Off Peak tickets become valid. Using the York-Grantham example, an Off Peak is effectively valid on any train but the Off Peak Day is not valid until 09:15. But what difference does the word 'Day' mean? Travel back the same day? Yes, but sadly, it also means a whole new set of restrictions. Simple? I think not!
Super Off Peak fares exist for some routes, the new fares include the former SuperSavers, among others. By rights, the East Coast route should have SuperSavers in this category but somehow Savers to London have become Super Off Peak. Sadly, GNER withdrew SuperSavers on this route, they then increased the restrictions on the Saver to make them roughly in line with the old Super Savers. A new ticket, with roughly the same validity of the old Saver was introduced, called a Business Saver. The Business Saver has become 'Off Peak' and is valid on any train in the evening peak out of King's Cross. Grand Central decided to do their own thing, and their ticket with the equivalent validity of the Super Off Peak on this route is called an Off Peak. Confused? You will be. It is permitted to use an Off Peak 'Route Any Permitted' ticket on the 08:21 from York to London and 16:50 return, but an Off Peak 'Route Grand Central' is not valid. In this case, just changing the route makes an apparently valid ticket, invalid. At King's Cross in the evening rush hour, Off Peak tickets are valid, off peak Grand Central tickets are not valid, and Off Peak Day tickets are not valid. This makes no sense.
LM have not only increased fares for 16-25 holders, but they decided to replace the Saver with two products. One of these is the same price as the Saver and is called Off Peak. While previously, LM Savers were valid at any time, the Off Peak tickets are not valid until 09:00. Replacing a ticket with the same validity of the Saver is Anytime, but this costs more - a rise of 6% on average. Worse, these fares will rise considerably in future. The Saver was protected, but LM will argue that the true continuation of the Saver is the Off Peak fare, therefore the cost is 'regulated' to the rate of Inflation +1%. The Anytime ticket is not 'regulated' so, come January, you can be sure these fares will rise by a hefty amount.
Finally, we come to break of journey. This is now possible on the outward and return tickets of all walk-on fares, which is welcome. However there is a catch, "Break of journey is now permitted on all Off-Peak tickets unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket’s validity code." Again this is not simple, but early indications are that only NXEC are introducing this restriction, which applies to the outward journey only. It's unenforceable and I suspect it will be quietly dropped in future.
To go back to the original point, "Passengers have told us that they want a simpler fares system. We are listening and responding," said David Mapp, commercial director of ATOC. Their response appears to be to confuse us to the point that our brains hurt. They want customers to "buy their tickets with confidence", but I am not aware of anyone looking to the 7th of September with any "confidence", least of all guards who are given the impossible job of enforcing these ludicrous restrictions. I hope you have understood this article, but if you have any questions or concerns about any of your regular journeys, please feel free to ask them in the 'Fares, Tickets & Routeing' forum at railforums.co.uk.
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(or you've been brainwashed by David Mapp, in which case I expect you to buy CDs instead of doing leisure journeys
)
