(that is THEIR title for the article. I'm not trying to make a pun
about the weather here)

c2c, part of the National Express Group and the most punctual commuter
railway in the country is giving its customers something else to smile
about. From later this year Oyster pre-pay - already available at
c2c stations between Fenchurch Street and Upminster - will be extended
to Dagenham Dock and Rainham. But c2c's determination to improve
the travel experience for its customers does not stop there. The
company is already working with TfL to extend Oyster outside the London
area and plans to have it available at Purfleet, Grays, Chafford
Hundred and Ockendon by the summer of 2008.
Commenting on this exciting development c2c Managing Director Mark
Hopwood said: "We have accepted Oyster pre-pay on c2c since January
2005 between Fenchurch Street and Upminster. We have now agreed with
TfL to extend Oyster pre-pay to Dagenham Dock and Rainham as soon as
TfL is able to provide the necessary equipment. Meanwhile discussions
with TfL to extend this beyond the Greater London area boundary to
Grays via both Purfleet and Ockendon are well advanced.
"We very much welcome the convenience that Oyster offers our
customers and are pleased to be at the forefront of its development on
national rail in and beyond the greater London area."
Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "This is extremely good news and will
bring real benefits to the commuters who use these services. I welcome
c2c's decision to adopt Oyster at their stations allowing their
passengers to get the full benefit of Oyster including pay as you go.
"This represents a unique opportunity for passengers to benefit from
the convenience and cheaper travel available through Oyster, and a
fully integrated ticketing system in London."

I thought Chiltern were the most punctual!

c2c, part of the National Express Group and the most punctual commuter
railway in the country is giving its customers something else to smile
about.

www.waspies.net wrote:

c2c, part of the National Express Group and the most punctual
commuter railway in the country is giving its customers something
else to smile about.

I thought Chiltern were the most punctual!

Not recently. c2c pinched the crown a couple of years ago (marginally!).

"sweek" wrote in message
ps.com...
(that is THEIR title for the article. I'm not trying to make a pun
about the weather here)

TfL is able to provide the necessary equipment. Meanwhile discussions
with TfL to extend this beyond the Greater London area boundary to
Grays via both Purfleet and Ockendon are well advanced.

It would be interesting to know what the ODTC capping
arrangements are for this type of journey.

Does anyone know when we might find out.

tim

c2c, part of the National Express Group and the most punctual
commuter railway in the country is giving its customers something
else to smile about.

I thought Chiltern were the most punctual!

Not recently. c2c pinched the crown a couple of years ago (marginally!)

c2c also give a toss about customers on other than their core routes,
too.

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:42:27 -0000, "tim....."
wrote:


"sweek" wrote in message
ups.com...
(that is THEIR title for the article. I'm not trying to make a pun
about the weather here)

TfL is able to provide the necessary equipment. Meanwhile discussions
with TfL to extend this beyond the Greater London area boundary to
Grays via both Purfleet and Ockendon are well advanced.

It would be interesting to know what the ODTC capping
arrangements are for this type of journey.

Does anyone know when we might find out.

No but complete and utter speculation might suggest the normal ODTC plus
out boundary return price less 50p.

Of more interest is whether there will be special pre-pay fares between
C2C stations or whether they start to do clever things with directional
pricing. Not sure what capability they purchased in their system but I
know from many years back that they were interested in those
possibilities as growing usage to fill contra peak or off peak trains
was seen as very important. The other element is whether you get
discounted TfL - C2C through fares for those destinations. I'm not sure
how that will fit around the rules in the Through Ticketing Agreement.

Still exciting times ahead.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

wrote:

c2c also give a toss about customers on other than their core routes,
too.

????

Chiltern only have two routes (Marylebone - Aylesbury and Marylebone -
Banbury - Birmingham - Kidderminster) so all of their customers lie on their
core routes and their customer service is generally very good.

"Jack Taylor" wrote in message
news
wrote:

c2c also give a toss about customers on other than their core routes,
too.

????

Chiltern only have two routes (Marylebone - Aylesbury and Marylebone -
Banbury - Birmingham - Kidderminster) so all of their customers lie on
their core routes and their customer service is generally very good.

To be fair, they do have some London commuter stations
that they don't give a toss about.

tim

Does anyone know when we might find out.

No but complete and utter speculation might suggest the normal ODTC plus
out boundary return price less 50p.


For reference, the ODTC fares for Ockendon, Chafford Hundred and Grays
are £14 peak and £11 offpeak.

Dagenham Dock is £11.20 peak and £6.70 offpeak.
Rainham is £13.20 peak and £6.70 offpeak

tim..... wrote:

To be fair, they do have some London commuter stations
that they don't give a toss about.

Despite what Barry Doe continually bleats, there is little or no commercial
justification for the existence of the Sudburys and stopping at them
interferes with the running of fast services. Even TfL show little interest
in them. If TfL were seriously concerned about services for that part of
North West London they should consider funding the re-creation of platform
loops, to allow stoppers to be overtaken by fast trains.

Taking a c2c analogy, it would be like stopping services at both Limehouse
and a station in the vicinity of Gas Factory Junction - the difference being
that Limehouse does actually generate some useful revenue!