Route restricted vs Any Permitted - Selling Obligations

[Bill Badger]

Where an any permitted ticket, costs less than a route restricted ticket, is there any requirement for ticket office staff to offer the cheaper, more felxible, ticket when just asked for a return between the two stations?

Happened to me yesterday, when I noticed just after walking away from the counter. I took them back and they were refunded and exchanged without a problem, but I then wondered if they should have been offered in the first place?

 

[yorkie]

Yes, they should.

 

[Haywain]

Where an any permitted ticket, costs less than a route restricted ticket, is there any requirement for ticket office staff to offer the cheaper, more felxible, ticket when just asked for a return between the two stations?

Happened to me yesterday, when I noticed just after walking away from the counter. I took them back and they were refunded and exchanged without a problem, but I then wondered if they should have been offered in the first place?

Yes they should. However, just after a fares round there can be changes that catch staff out. Before the recent change, for example, London Terminals to Bury St Edmunds was cheaper by route Any Permitted than by route Cambridge. This has now switched to route Cambridge being the cheaper, which is more logical.

 

[First class]

Some variations do apply, for example, an Any Permitted ticket may not allow you to travel via a route which a more expensive route specific fare would.

 

[bb21]

Some variations do apply, for example, an Any Permitted ticket may not allow you to travel via a route which a more expensive route specific fare would.

That is one of the exceptions I can think of. Indeed if the route restricted ticket covered routes which are not permitted by the Any Permitted fare then the cheaper Any Permitted fare cannot always be sold instead.

If the route-restricted fare offered more favourable time restrictions, it can also be sold where appropriate.

Of course if the route-restricted fare offered no advantage whatsoever then it should not be sold over a cheaper Any Permitted fare.