Journey planners suggest unnecessary double-back when changing trains

[lyndhurst25]

Why do journey planners sometimes suggest an unnecessary double-back when changing trains? This has happened to me twice recently: Waterloo Merseyside to Ormskirk - change at Moorfields rather than Sandhills, and Barrow in Furness to Skipton - change at Lancaster rather than Carnforth. One downside of this behaviour would be if the first train was delayed and an unfamiliar passenger stuck to their itinerary, possibly missing a connection that they could have otherwise made.

 

[Ianno87]

Have seen it for doubling back between Stevenage and Hitchin (North to North) and Manchester Oxford Road to Piccadilly (West to West).

 

[CW2]

I've just taken a look at Barrow - Skipton. There are 4 connections per day, and three of the four suggest changing at Lancaster. The first one of the day enforces a Carnforth change because it is a zero minutes (non) connection at Lancaster. It's almost as if somebody took the decision to route you via Lancaster whenever possible - better station facilities etc.
The same applies in the Skipton - Barrow direction, where the last train of the day connects at Carnforth, but the other three at Lancaster.
Most odd.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I didn't know it did this, but I can see why - it is better to have someone stuck at a staffed station than an unstaffed one. Sandhills is staffed but is rather bleak and probably feels a bit unsafe at night due to the rough area it's in.

Another reason might be access, but I'm pretty sure Carnforth is accessible as access is via ramps.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Where there is a choice of interchange stations that will each result in an itinerary with the same number of changes taking the same overall time, I understand journey planners are supposed to choose the station with the highest interchange priority. The interchange priority of all stations is shown at www.brtimes.com.

Lancaster is a large interchange station whilst Carnforth is a small interchange station. So that explains the Barrow to Skipton question. Moorfields and Sandhills are both medium interchange stations so the only explanation I have for that is if the interchange time is also taken into account as a differentiator of 'size'/importance (Sandhills is 5 mins vs Moorfields' 10 mins).

Of course the ticket offered must also be valid for the route in question, if the change in interchange station introduces a doubleback.

A lot of this will probably come down to how individual journey planners find itineraries.

 

[Haywain]

I'm pretty sure Carnforth is accessible as access is via ramps.

Ramps are not seen as being accessible these days in the way they used to be, especially where there is no interruption of the ramp.

 

[CW2]

Ramps are not seen as being accessible these days in the way they used to be, especially where there is no interruption of the ramp.

Carnforth ramps are old-style single flight with no intermdeiate flat, so perfectly usable (with a modicum of care) but technically non-compliant.
I'd still prefer to change at Carnforth, especially if the tea room is open.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Carnforth ramps are old-style single flight with no intermdeiate flat, so perfectly usable (with a modicum of care) but technically non-compliant.
I'd still prefer to change at Carnforth, especially if the tea room is open.

Fair point on the tearoom, but if it's closed the station is plain bleak and it's unstaffed so no assistance if needed.