Mizter T wrote:


So here are my comments on this...

Since beginning of this year all point-to-point *non-season* tickets -
i.e. single and day returns - for journeys wholly within London (i.e.
zones 1-6) have had their prices set on a zonal basis (although they
are still issued on a named origin and destination basis and
validity). At the time we were told that season tickets would also
eventually also be priced on this bases.

Southern seem to have annual seasons priced on a zonal basis. I buy an
annual season for a journey entirely in one zone, so rather than buy a
ticket for the trip I actually do most days, I buy a season ticket
between the last stations within the zone, so if I ever need to go to
them it costs me nowt extra. The first time I bought such a ticket the
staff seemed a bit surprised, but they weren't this year and I guess it
must be pretty common by now - you'd be daft not to. I've also found a
bit of a validity loophole, which the staff accept is valid, but I'm
keeping quiet on that one :-)

The main thing that the report lacks clarity on is whether rail-only
season tickets are to be withdrawn completely and commuters moved over
on to Travelcard seasons, or whether rail-seasons might continue to
exist, albeit priced on a zonal basis.

A couple of years or so ago they abolished single zone annual seasons,
so anyone needing say a z5 annual travelcard had to get a z4-5 (or z5-6)
instead, which meant a massive increase in price. At that point I
switched to a point-to-point rail only season instead. A single zone
travelcard was worth the extra cost for the "free" bus and tram use, but
a two-zone travelcard was so much more expensive it was only worthwhile
for very frequent travellers.

Reading between the lines the report would appear to presume the
former course of action - i.e. withdrawal of rail-only season tickets
altogether.

OTOH, if the Evening Standard reported that the moon was made of rock, I
would get a second opinion from a cheese expert.

I say this because it states that a Surbiton to London
annual season ticket would rise in price by £630 to £1800. AFAICS the
current price of a rail-only season ticket is £1280, whilst the
current price of a zone 1-6 ticket (Surbiton being on zone 6) is £1720
- that's actually a price difference of £440 at current prices, so
perhaps the Standard calculator is broken, they know next years fares
already, or I'm stupid and have got it all wrong.

Nevertheless given this price difference the presumption in the
article is that rail-only season tickets will go. I wonder if this has
a basis in fact or not? It'd certainly be a very controversial move,
given that many rail-only commuters would end up paying more. The
counter argument to any grumbles from rail commuters could be to
compare the situation with that which Underground commuters encounter
- they already have to pay up for a season Travelcard, as there aren't
Underground-only season tickets these days (and haven't been for a
long while).



--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK