Should TOCs only be able to change fares on set dates?

[PG]

From this thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/can-computer-modelling-be-used-in-the-testing-and-designing-of-timetables-on-a-large-scale.205879/

Although the process of fares only changing 3 times per year (dating back to when paper fares manuals needed to be printed and distributed) is enshrined in many agreements and contracts, more and more TOCs are ignoring this and changing fares randomly all the time, and getting away with it because almost all retail systems are updated nightly these days.

Basically it appears (from that post above) that some TOCs are ignoring the rules and changing fares outwith the set dates.

Is this something which should be investigated?

 

[Dr Day]

I doubt TOCs are breaking rules, it probably just feels like fares are going up when more and more flows now have Advance products and the availability of these can vary. AFAIK there has always been a process of 'temporary' fares (eg for promotions) and a mechanic for 'temporary to permanent' fares introduced outside formal fares rounds.

 

[CyrusWuff]

They're also allowed to fix obvious errors outside the fares round (such as when EMT accidentally priced a large number of flows more reasonably than intended).