table38
Established Member
Of course, another advantage of driving is that when you get there, you have a car
I find that often is a disadvantage!Of course, another advantage of driving is that when you get there, you have a car
I agree. And that opportunity may be to use the value-added time in a non-productive manner such as sleeping.Indeed people often forget the opportunity cost of using the time on the train in a value-adding manner.
I find that often is a disadvantage!
I'd have to find somewhere to park it. In the centre of London a car is the last thing I'd want to be burdened with!
I wouldn't drive into London either, but then the train service to London is different to everywhere else. Newcastle to Liverpool, Birmingham to Leeds, Edinburgh to Manchester and many other similar non London journeys require special feats of endurance, especially on Sundays.
And rail travel is - often - a lot less hassle and more enjoyable than sitting in a car, often in a traffic jam.
I'll concede "standing for hours" (well maybe 40-45 minutes) but only if travelling in the morning peak into London from here - the rest of the time I always get a seat.
Not travelled Off Peak with CrossCountry then? Far from unusual to be standing for long periods of time particularly Friday and Sunday afternoons.
I find CrossCountry are generally pretty easy to avoid for my journeys. Other than that, just things like arriving in plenty of time, being on the platform ready when the train pulls in, having luggage ready etc. are just a few ways passengers could help themselves if they wanted seats.
One misconception local to me.
"I can hop on the Metrolink on my Macclesfield to Rochdale ticket"
(Stations chosen as a random example)
Are the railways being unique as the only non-police/CPS body who criminally prosecute (ignoring the odd private prosecution such as Stephen Lawrence, etc)?
If I didn't enjoy my meal in a restaurant I don't pay. And I don't pay safe in the knowledge that the waiter can't whip a pad out and write an MG11 out.
If I put something in my Tesco basket which I later change my mind about and remove it, I remove it safe in the knowledge that the store manager can't prosecute me in the magistrates court (or any court) - including even if I have read the magazine or newspaper.
If I read a newspaper of the guy next to me in the park bench, I am secure that he can't suddenly take me to court for not paying to read half his paper.
Why are the railways different? The answer I believe is a mixture of their archaic rules, the lack of a tangible product, and the industry's reluctance to provide the framework for 100% tickets bought before entering barriers.
Regarding the OP, I wouldn't claim to be familiar with the rules in Wales, however here (West Yorkshire) child tickets are until 31st Aug after the 16th birthday (as child tickets require a Metro half fare permit to purchase them). Others can comment on wales or other areas.
One advantageous misconception to those "in the loop" is the fact you have to sit in the reserved seat that accompanies your Adavanced 1st Class Ticket.
Hence on East Coast where they are all packed into Coach M you can utilise a "four" for sole use in an carriage that will be virtually empty.
Another misconception is that all 1st Class Fares are prohibitively expensive when on occasion they can be cheaper than 2nd class.
If I told someone I got a 1st Class Single from Falkirk to Berwick Upon Tweed for less than £9 with catering thrown in no one would believe me.
Exactly my point. A Chiltern route Super Off Peak from Chatham to (say) Stratford-upon-Avon is valid for travel departing Chatham 24/7/365. The restrictions only apply to journeys the other way - TOWARDS London (am) or OUT OF London (pm), presumably because those are the peaks Chiltern care about and they set the fare.
When I said TOCs should give their staff a list of off-peak times, I meant a list showing the off-peak times, for each restriction, for each station. They could display this to customers too, to be helpful, once the restriction codes are shown on the tickets.
It would avoid people inadvertently buying a peak ticket instead of a super offpeak, in the scenario I set out above, believing that "it must be peak because it's 0800 (or whatever)".