Would it be a good idea to allow travel of the cheapest routed ticket on a route where it is not normally valid, but the trains on the valid route have ended for the night? This would encourage the use of these services and for people to use trains to go out for the evening - and help people who do not have a choice but to take the train (other than say, an expensive taxi) take an evening out. It also seems a little like penalising passengers who must travel but the railway does not provide a service into the night.
For example, often services will operate to and from major centre will run late into the night. Radial services, however, will not, and I think that tickets routed via the radial route should be valid via said major centre after the last radial train has departed, where trains will run later.
As a specific example, the last coast train from Brighton towards western coastway destinations towards Southampon departs at 10pm, but London services to both cities run until 12-1am or thereabouts, offering later departures of over an hour. Tickets valid via London and not restricted to the coastway route are significantly more expensive (nearly double the price).
Despite the complexity of my explanation above, I think this could be communicated quite simply - perhaps: No matter what route your ticket is, it's valid on the last train between the stations on it. We'll get you home.
Does anyone know of any examples where this would help?
Additionally, although it may be abused, this would be limited to people travelling in one direction, which I assume is minimal on later services.
For example, often services will operate to and from major centre will run late into the night. Radial services, however, will not, and I think that tickets routed via the radial route should be valid via said major centre after the last radial train has departed, where trains will run later.
As a specific example, the last coast train from Brighton towards western coastway destinations towards Southampon departs at 10pm, but London services to both cities run until 12-1am or thereabouts, offering later departures of over an hour. Tickets valid via London and not restricted to the coastway route are significantly more expensive (nearly double the price).
Despite the complexity of my explanation above, I think this could be communicated quite simply - perhaps: No matter what route your ticket is, it's valid on the last train between the stations on it. We'll get you home.
Does anyone know of any examples where this would help?
Additionally, although it may be abused, this would be limited to people travelling in one direction, which I assume is minimal on later services.
on an Off-Peak ticket then you must always buy a brand new ticket and cannot then get a refund on the old ticket. When the reality is that they'll only be asked to buy a brand new ticket if that is cheaper than an excess.