GWR PAYG

[swt_passenger]

I may have read slightly more into the Guardian report of Labour intentions than was meant, but there is an implication that contactless fares would be widespread, although 'more and more of the country' could mean a large number of isolated areas. Which would not seem especially national and could lead to a widespread extension of the current problems where people mistakenly travel from London to Bristol on some sort of London PAYG card, and are surprised to be charged a real fare en route. Presumably if they have not tapped out in London they also get an incomplete journey fare.

See: https://www.theguardian.com/busines...-rail-travel-and-will-it-make-tickets-cheaper

'Things can be improved, Labour says, as contactless tap-in and tap-out payments extend through more and more of the country, opening up the possibility of a Transport for London-style system, where fares are streamlined and automatically capped or refunded.'

Yes, it’s definitely the sort of vague wording that can be read two ways.

 

[Haywain]

could lead to a widespread extension of the current problems where people mistakenly travel from London to Bristol on some sort of London PAYG card, and are surprised to be charged a real fare en route.

Is this a significant problem?

 

[sleepy_hollow]

Is this a significant problem?

A guard seemed to think that she had met it often enough to be worth mentioning, but did not give any statistics. She recommended an ITSO card instead, but this is probably irrelevant to PAYG.

I do recall then looking at the wording of a website relating to some London PAYG system and wondering if the reference to validity on National Rail trains could be misinterpreted as meaning the whole national railway network. Not everyone is a pedant like me who would check that carefully. After all the whole point of PAYG is to make busy lives easier, so in London crowds rush through the terminals listening for the beep, whereas here in Bristol OAPs like me take a careful stance in front of the terminal and watch carefully to see exactly what the message is so as to commit it to memory. This does not cause delay because I have never seen anyone else using a PAYG card, although guards seem to be familiar so presumably someone else must.

 

[fandroid]

Me when I want a Travelcard not on a weekend.

Why "not on a weekend". My regular purchase of an outboundary Travelcard on a Smartcard is for Friday travel (& bought online).

I favour it because it's a single mode eticket useable where TfL's current policy is to ignore e-Tickets on smartphones. It also doesn't need a battery and isn't dependent on firing up an app for inspections or ticket gates.

(*last para added later)

 

[Haywain]

Why "not on a weekend". My regular purchase of an outboundary Travelcard on a Smartcard is for Friday travel (& bought online).

Because GTR Super Off Peak Travelcards are not fulfilled to smartcards?

 

[lachlan]

Chippenham to Bristol Parkway is only valid via Bath, but it can be quicker doubling back at Swindon. One benefit of this expanded system is presumably it's now valid to travel either route with a tap card - and I would imagine it will charge you the cheaper rate unless you tap in/out at Swindon on the way

 

[fandroid]

Because GTR Super Off Peak Travelcards are not fulfilled to smartcards?

Good reason. I'm pushed back to smartphone tickets for SWR's equivalents - Evening Out and Sunday Out tickets.