I did an un-planned set of trips on Wednesday, which quite by chance
emulated the Oyster capping conundrum discussed here recently.

viz: Several trips within Z12, all charged to £2.10 each until I hit the
off-peak cap of £7, and then later in the day a sole Z13 trip.

If I had bought that last trip in isolation it would have cost £3.20
because it was during the evening peak, but because the *cap* doesn't
have an evening peak period I was only charged 70p, via the higher Z13
cap of £7.70

This lack of triggering a Z123 peak cap, within the journey scenario
above, makes it moot whether the day's travel would be charged at the
Z13 peak cap (£10.60), or the sum of a Z12 offpeak Travelcard (£7.30) +
a peak Z23 single (£1.60) - which totals £1.70p less.

I hope that's completely put the conundrum to bed!
--
Roland Perry

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

I did an un-planned set of trips on Wednesday, which quite by chance
emulated the Oyster capping conundrum discussed here recently.

viz: Several trips within Z12, all charged to £2.10 each until I hit
the off-peak cap of £7, and then later in the day a sole Z13 trip.

If I had bought that last trip in isolation it would have cost £3.20
because it was during the evening peak, but because the *cap* doesn't
have an evening peak period I was only charged 70p, via the higher
Z13 cap of £7.70

This lack of triggering a Z123 peak cap, within the journey scenario
above, makes it moot whether the day's travel would be charged at the
Z13 peak cap (£10.60), or the sum of a Z12 offpeak Travelcard (£7.30)
+ a peak Z23 single (£1.60) - which totals £1.70p less.

I hope that's completely put the conundrum to bed!

I don't understand. Did we discuss which of the latter two options would
apply and overlook the actuality you got?

Colin Rosenstiel

In message , at 09:04:57
on Sat, 27 Apr 2013, remarked:
I did an un-planned set of trips on Wednesday, which quite by chance
emulated the Oyster capping conundrum discussed here recently.

viz: Several trips within Z12, all charged to £2.10 each until I hit
the off-peak cap of £7, and then later in the day a sole Z13 trip.

If I had bought that last trip in isolation it would have cost £3.20
because it was during the evening peak, but because the *cap* doesn't
have an evening peak period I was only charged 70p, via the higher
Z13 cap of £7.70

This lack of triggering a Z123 peak cap, within the journey scenario
above, makes it moot whether the day's travel would be charged at the
Z13 peak cap (£10.60), or the sum of a Z12 offpeak Travelcard (£7.30)
+ a peak Z23 single (£1.60) - which totals £1.70p less.

I hope that's completely put the conundrum to bed!

I don't understand. Did we discuss which of the latter two options would
apply and overlook the actuality you got?

Yes, that's what happened. The whole discussion would have ended much
sooner had someone remembered the off-peak cap thing.

Which just goes to show how misunderstood the Oyster charging scheme is.
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message ...

I did an un-planned set of trips on Wednesday, which quite by chance
emulated the Oyster capping conundrum discussed here recently.

viz: Several trips within Z12, all charged to £2.10 each until I hit the
off-peak cap of £7, and then later in the day a sole Z13 trip.

If I had bought that last trip in isolation it would have cost £3.20
because it was during the evening peak, but because the *cap* doesn't have
an evening peak period I was only charged 70p, via the higher Z13 cap of
£7.70

This lack of triggering a Z123 peak cap, within the journey scenario above,
makes it moot whether the day's travel would be charged at the Z13 peak cap
(£10.60), or the sum of a Z12 offpeak Travelcard (£7.30) + a peak Z23
single (£1.60) - which totals £1.70p less.

I hope that's completely put the conundrum to bed!

I am not sure how making a number of journeys that were all in the off-peak
capping window proves anything.

Had you started with a peak Z23 journey (£1.60), then made several off-peak
Z12 trips, I suspect you would have been charged £10.60 rather than £7.30 +
£1.60.

Peter Smyth

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at
09:04:57 on Sat, 27 Apr 2013, remarked:
I did an un-planned set of trips on Wednesday, which quite by chance
emulated the Oyster capping conundrum discussed here recently.

viz: Several trips within Z12, all charged to £2.10 each until I hit
the off-peak cap of £7, and then later in the day a sole Z13 trip.

If I had bought that last trip in isolation it would have cost £3.20
because it was during the evening peak, but because the *cap* doesn't
have an evening peak period I was only charged 70p, via the higher
Z13 cap of £7.70

This lack of triggering a Z123 peak cap, within the journey scenario
above, makes it moot whether the day's travel would be charged at the
Z13 peak cap (£10.60), or the sum of a Z12 offpeak Travelcard (£7.30)
+ a peak Z23 single (£1.60) - which totals £1.70p less.

I hope that's completely put the conundrum to bed!

I don't understand. Did we discuss which of the latter two options would
apply and overlook the actuality you got?

Yes, that's what happened. The whole discussion would have ended much
sooner had someone remembered the off-peak cap thing.

Which just goes to show how misunderstood the Oyster charging scheme
is.

If you remember I also reported that the 4 pm Peak start time isn't rigidly
enforced either. No cap involved.

Colin Rosenstiel

In message , at 21:46:57 on Sat, 27
Apr 2013, Peter Smyth remarked:
I did an un-planned set of trips on Wednesday, which quite by chance
emulated the Oyster capping conundrum discussed here recently.

viz: Several trips within Z12, all charged to £2.10 each until I hit
the off-peak cap of £7, and then later in the day a sole Z13 trip.

If I had bought that last trip in isolation it would have cost £3.20
because it was during the evening peak, but because the *cap* doesn't
have an evening peak period I was only charged 70p, via the higher Z13
cap of £7.70

This lack of triggering a Z123 peak cap, within the journey scenario
above, makes it moot whether the day's travel would be charged at the
Z13 peak cap (£10.60), or the sum of a Z12 offpeak Travelcard (£7.30)
+ a peak Z23 single (£1.60) - which totals £1.70p less.

I hope that's completely put the conundrum to bed!

I am not sure how making a number of journeys that were all in the
off-peak capping window proves anything.

All it shows is that the £7 cap had been reached.

Had you started with a peak Z23 journey (£1.60), then made several
off-peak Z12 trips, I suspect you would have been charged £10.60 rather
than £7.30 + £1.60.

Right, so that's the original conundrum which I posed, but turned inside
out. Although actually wouldn't another possibility be £1.60 + £7 (the
Z23 Peak fare plus the Z12 offpeak cap?)

Looks like someone could save £2 by having two Oyster cards.

[I'm also assuming that you have to touch out, and back in (after a
suitable pause or walk between stations) after 9.29 in order to 'mark'
your second leg as off-peak].
--
Roland Perry