Valley Lines Off Peak Day Returns?

[WelshBluebird]

Now this may be me being a bit stupid, but I am wondering if anyone in the know has any answers.

I am pretty damn sure that until recently, Off Peak Day Returns have been available for valley line journeys into Cardiff Central. Indeed, I remember last year having to get a guard to give me a refund and resell me a ticket as he had accidentally sold me an anytime day return instead of an off peak one (so costing me more).

However, I am at University in Bath, so don't keep an eye on the prices / tickets available on the valley line services that much. I am now home for xmas, and today went to Cardiff and was quite surprised I could not get an off peak ticket (indeed I had checked online beforehand when I was checking to see if it was a normal timetable or not and saw that only anytime tickets were listed).

So I am just wondering if Arriva have recently got rid of off peak tickets, or if I am just going a bit crazy (which wouldn't surprise me!!).

 

[yorkie]

You're right. I had a look in NFM08 and it shows Off Peak Day Return (CDR) fares to 3 random destinations I chose: Rhymney, Treherbert and Aberdare, priced at £6.60 with the Anytime Day Return (SDR) priced at £6.80. This compares to NFM10, no CDR fares shown and the SDR at the same price.

So, effectively, a 20p price increase at off peak times.

 

[calc7]

Isn't the SDR a protected fare and the CDR not? If so, they may have risen the price of the CDR steadily up to that of the SDR thus rendering its existence pointless.

 

[IanD]

Not sure what the problem is. A fare that only rose 3% over 2 years (?) and at the same time became available at anytime seems like a pretty good result to me!

 

[yorkie]

Isn't the SDR a protected fare and the CDR not? If so, they may have risen the price of the CDR steadily up to that of the SDR thus rendering its existence pointless.

Yes, it looks like it. 4 years ago it was nearly £1 difference.

NFM95 (2007) SDR 5.70 CDR 4.80
NFM03 (2009) SDR 6.30 CDR 5.60

Not sure what the problem is

Don't think anyone suggested there is a problem (but people would be quite within their rights to see it as one!)

A fare that only rose 3% over 2 years (?) and at the same time became available at anytime seems like a pretty good result to me!

The SDR (Anytime Day Return, formerly Standard Day Return) has always been valid at any time. This fare has risen by around 8% in 2 years. The CDR has been abolished but the effective rise for off peak travel is around 22% in 2 years.

 

[WelshBluebird]

You're right. I had a look in NFM08 and it shows Off Peak Day Return (CDR) fares to 3 random destinations I chose: Rhymney, Treherbert and Aberdare, priced at £6.60 with the Anytime Day Return (SDR) priced at £6.80. This compares to NFM10, no CDR fares shown and the SDR at the same price.

So, effectively, a 20p price increase at off peak times.

Nice to see I'm not just going crazy then!

Not sure what the problem is. A fare that only rose 3% over 2 years (?) and at the same time became available at anytime seems like a pretty good result to me!

I wasn't saying it was a problem - just a bit curious about it!
Although I do think it is a bit unfair, because as Yorkie has said above, the effective price rise for an off peak journey has increased quite a lot in recent years. I realise that this is also the case in many other areas too, but I suppose it hits me more just because I live here (and can easily remember my younger days of going to Cardiff with my dad and it costing hardly anything!).