Evening peak restrictions for Thames Valley

bnm said:

All those semi-fast listed, except the 1707 and 1807, are currently barred for Off Peak tickets according to the unpublished restrictions used by journey planners and booking engines (see below).

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What ticket are you looking at - the C7 restriction on a Reading to London Paddington off-peak day travelcard matches the current list that cactustwirly and I posted. Is there another ticket where the unpublished restrictions have been updated prematurely?

http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=RDG&dest=PAD&grpo=0403&grpd=0035&tkt=ODT

JonathanH said:

What ticket are you looking at - the C7 restriction on a Reading to London Paddington off-peak day travelcard matches the current list that cactustwirly and I posted. Is there another ticket where the unpublished restrictions have been updated prematurely?

http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=RDG&dest=PAD&grpo=0403&grpd=0035&tkt=ODT

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Sorry, I was looking at the Off Peak Day Single from Paddington.

If that picture is to be believed, they are imposing the new restrictions on all passengers boarding at Paddington, irrespective of actual origin and destination. Someone affected should at least make sure Transport Focus and the DfT were made aware of, fully understood, and approved what is either a substantial fares increase or an extension to journey times (according to your ability to pay).

furlong said:

new restrictions on all passengers boarding at Paddington, irrespective of actual origin and destination.

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No, there are journeys on which the restrictions do not apply - e.g. Reading to Potters Bar - just as the current restrictions do not apply.

furlong said:

DfT were made aware

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Surely the DfT are very aware of this and could well have encouraged it. I note that the TfL press release about the switch if services to TfL Rail refers to the future Contactless fares having been set "in line with Department for Transport policy".

furlong said:

If that picture is to be believed, they are imposing the new restrictions on all passengers boarding at Paddington, irrespective of actual origin and destination. Someone affected should at least make sure Transport Focus and the DfT were made aware of, fully understood, and approved what is either a substantial fares increase or an extension to journey times (according to your ability to pay).

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I'm pretty sure that GWR has been tinkering with the restriction codes prior to this timetable.
I'm pretty sure a Twyford - Paddington return (Not Via Reading) never had any evening restrictions in it's code before, only the usual no arrival into London before 10am

One of the rationales for off-peak validity was to encourage passengers to use the LTV services and not use the HSTs to get as far as Reading before changing.

These passengers will now use an IET. I wonder if anyone has worked out how much of the additional capacity will now be soaked up by these and how much more empty the 387s will be, especially beyond Maidenhead.

It may also shift some passengers to use Didcot as the price differential reduces.

it’s going to be fascinating to see what happens in January.

I picked up a copy of the December timetable today, and according to that, the semi-fast evening GWR services to Didcot Parkway are regarded as "peak" trains at Paddington only (indicated by a red background in the timetable, which is only shown at Paddington). So it seems there would be no restriction on using those trains from Reading to further west, with an off-peak ticket.

Is there anything yet to confirm the full practical implementation of the evening peak restrictions?

I went to Cookham station this morning and noted a A4 notice advising that the 1650 / 1719 / 1737 / 1751 / 1820 services were barred to off peak tickets but the helpful ticket office person confirmed there was no 'official' leaflet that explained the restrictions. Indeed, they weren't even able to confirm that off peak tickets remain valid on TfL Rail services.

I would hope there is a large poster at Paddington and the major Thames / Kennet Valley stations. Is there?

JonathanH said:

Is there anything yet to confirm the full practical implementation of the evening peak restrictions?

I went to Cookham station this morning and noted a A4 notice advising that the 1650 / 1719 / 1737 / 1751 / 1820 services were barred to off peak tickets but the helpful ticket office person confirmed there was no 'official' leaflet that explained the restrictions. Indeed, they weren't even able to confirm that off peak tickets remain valid on TfL Rail services.

I would hope there is a large poster at Paddington and the major Thames / Kennet Valley stations. Is there?

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Twyford has the same A4 notice

Reading had an official notice - confirms that between 1600 and 1925 (inclusive) off peak tickets are valid on all TfL Rail services and the 1756, 1826, 1849, 1856, 1907 and 1920 GWR departures - so no GWR train between 1556 and 1756.

I have it on good authority that there are already large queues building up at Paddington this evening, formed of angry people whose off-peak tickets have been rejected by the barriers...

Indigo2 said:

I have it on good authority that there are already large queues building up at Paddington this evening, formed of angry people whose off-peak tickets have been rejected by the barriers...

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I think they always used to get rejected by the barriers (2 to 5 ones anyway) - it was just that previously the barrier staff tended to wave them through for the relevant services.

It looks like all of the 1Dxx trains that are now restricted go off the higher numbered platforms - not sure how they can stop people with travelcards travelling through these platforms given the TfL Rail services running which remain valid.

I am perplexed. I've just attempted a trial booking, starting via National Rail Enquiries, Radley to Paddington and back 15 January 2020, off-peak day return (CDR). NRE keeps telling me I'll be told the restriction(s) during the booking process, but I can't actually find them, either at the NRE stage, or when it redirects me to GWR to buy. For the return journey, everything is barred from 1600 (or so) except the 1842 Electrostar to Didcot. But this 1842 is shown as barred to Didcot in printed timetable TS. The booking engine also bars the 1928. But this 1928 is shown as available to Didcot in printed timetable TS. On checking via BR Fares, I find that the restriction code is P7. And BR Fares displays the now familiar daunting long list of barred times: ... ;1828 - 1841; 1843 - 1847; (thus allowing the 1842) ... 1914 - 1928 (thus barring the 1928).
Although I don't get pointed to it any time during the search and booking process, I can find NRE's version of restriction P7:
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/p7
This has baffling additional times in brackets. It shows the 1842 as barred, and the 1928 as allowed.
Is this just a muddle, or am I going mad? Is there any point in asking someone (who?) to sort it out?

Nicholas43 said:

... I can find NRE's version of restriction P7:
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/p7
This has baffling additional times in brackets.

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(Which appear to be the times at Reading - it would help to say so!)