Regulation of peak fares - which are regulated?

[WesternLancer]

The “morning peak” trains into London are quieter, but for those who use the service at any other time EMR IC services are regularly full and standing Possibly this is partly down to fewer seats due to no HSTs, but on the ground you’d struggle to tell the difference between now and 2019.

mods note - split from this thread

Presume EMR could alter the morning loadings by changing their definitions of peak / off peak or releasing more cheap advance tickets at what were traditional commuter times. But I have certainly experience over crowded MML trains north of the Thameslink / Corby area.

 

[43066]

Presume EMR could alter the morning loadings by changing their definitions of peak / off peak or releasing more cheap advance tickets at what were traditional commuter times. But I have certainly experience over crowded MML trains north of the Thameslink / Corby area.

My understanding is the DfT control “peak” fares, so there’s little TOCs can do (others may be able to confirm on this point).

 

[WesternLancer]

My understanding is the DfT control “peak” fares, so there’s little TOCs can do (others may be able to confirm on this point).

Thanks - at one time TOCs could adjust those times but that may be long gone (eg thameslink created the eve peak restrictions they have IIRC). Or is it that DfT control the fares but nit the times when said fares apply? Mind you now they probably control all of it...

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

DfT only explicitly control season tickets and some off-peak returns, in the form of the annual fares round.
But they do approve TOC business plans to increase revenue, with peak times coming into that.
And today they can control everything if they want to, as the TOC is not taking the revenue risk.

 

[43066]

DfT only explicitly control season tickets and some off-peak returns, in the form of the annual fares round.
But they do approve TOC business plans to increase revenue, with peak times coming into that.
And today they can control everything if they want to, as the TOC is not taking the revenue risk.

Also anytime fares “around major cities”, not sure how far out that extends.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Also anytime fares “around major cities”, not sure how far out that extends.

Generally if there's any Anytime Day Return (rather than an Anytime Return) it and the seasons will be regulated and the Off Peak Days won't. If there's an Anytime Return then it'll generally be the Off Peak Return that's regulated (Super Off Peak in some cases where the Off Peak is the former Business Saver) and not the Anytime or seasons.

Not 100% consistent, but it's roughly the situation.