gray1404
Established Member
Just had an email advising of Northern Only Liverpool - Manchester Walk Up fares and 7 day season ticket. Just looked on BR fares but not listed yet to get prices and restrictions. Will check online later.
In typical fashion, TPE have also hurriedly introduced their own exclusive fares, 5p cheaper than the Northern Only fares.
How long is 'temporary'? As long as the 'temporary' rail replacement bus service that's been running to stations like Norton Bridge for the last 14 years?Presumably these are temporary fares, as they are not allowed to do that long-term in order to prevent this kind of silly price spat causing a race to the bottom or a deprecation of Any Permitted fares.
(The risk in the latter case is that the fare-setter sets TOC specific fares at the Any Permitted rates, then hikes the Any Permitted fares right up so they are unaffordable - therefore, other than temporary fares, the fare setter for the flow cannot introduce permanent TOC specific fares)
34 weeks, then a 17 week gap before anything substantially the same can be offered again?How long is 'temporary'?
Agreed, I haven’t checked the non-railcard fares but the discount appears to be less than £1.50 on a £9 fare whilst halving (or worse) the number of trains available.They're not very much of a discount...
Also, they've introduced them between Widnes and Liverpool. A clear hit against EMT.
Thats good news. One of the advantages of a private sector system should be competion on price. I hope at some point Northern work with TfGM to do Northern and Metrolink tickets that are cheaper than the all ToCs tickets.
Unless the new cheap Liverpool to Manchester fares are routed "Northern + connections" or "TPE + connections", and are also available from stations on the Wirral and north Liverpool suburbs, then all this competition isn't really helping all those who live in MerseyRail land.
They just cause depression when they're sold to unwitting passengers at a tiny discounted who then get hit for the walk up fare again on EMT or other services as appropriate.
Given my TOC receives none of the revenue I always charge again for the appropriate off peak day ticket or put the passenger off at the next stop (their choice) to wait for an appropriate train.
They're a pain in the backside all round.
No, you can't excess from a TOC only fare to an any permitted fare due to the way the revenue is ringfenced. The ticket was never valid for EMT services, so is treated under condition 9. On Monday morning I had no fewer than 20 of the various TPE only and Northern only tickets on my train, I opted for the education approach and advised them all to read what they were buying carefully and I'd let them off on that occasion.Shouldn't you just charge for an excess to the 'Any Permitted' fare?
Shouldn't you just charge for an excess to the 'Any Permitted' fare?
Not allowed to delete TOC restrictions with excesses
Actually I think TOC specific tickets need rethinking.Maybe that's one ticketing rule that needs rethinking. One of many...
Clear cut and correct in this case. In other cases where savings are 50% or more, as on the ECML and for some WMT fares, there is a possibility of some passenger benefit.They aren't helping anyone. They are just fragmenting what is quite a complex web network.
There is no need for them whatsoever.
Clear cut and correct in this case. In other cases where savings are 50% or more, as on the ECML and for some WMT fares, there is a possibility of some passenger benefit.
Norton Bridge closed last year I believe:How long is 'temporary'? As long as the 'temporary' rail replacement bus service that's been running to stations like Norton Bridge for the last 14 years?
To summarise some numbers, as of today, 14th March:
Liverpool <> Manchester
Off-Peak Day Return
TransPennine only £11.50
Northern Only £11.60
Any Permitted £13.70
Anytime Day Return
TransPennine Only £15.60
Northern Only £15.80
Any Permitted £18.70
It is within the power of TransPennine to do just that. Of course, they aren't really interested in getting cars off the M62, or anything like that. They are interested in making more money for themselves. This course of action, which is totally ridiculous from a passenger point of view, contributes to that aim. Time for some regulatory intervention I think.Or get rid of the spat and reduce the Any Permitted fares to say £12.50 and £17.
It is within the power of TransPennine to do just that. Of course, they aren't really interested in getting cars off the M62, or anything like that. They are interested in making more money for themselves. This course of action, which is totally ridiculous from a passenger point of view, contributes to that aim. Time for some regulatory intervention I think.