As posted before this is the final edition of a published Newsrail Express, all future news reports will be posted on the FRPP site as newsflashes. We will endeavour to post these as we have with Newsrail Express
Archive for the ‘Fares’ Category
Newsrail Express 391 (Last ever edition)
Posted in Fares, Newsrail Express, tagged Newsrail Express on May 5, 2009| 1 Comment »
Newsrail Express 390
Posted in Fares, Newsrail Express, tagged Newsrail Express on April 22, 2009| Leave a Comment »
This is issue 390 this time: https://frpp.tso.co.uk/Newsrail/343099.pdf
Article 1 in this issue explains that the FRPP is now to be updated weekly and thus the need for Newsrail Express will cease. Issue 391 will be the last Newsrail Express PDF document.
The name Newsrail Express will still appear on the FRPP website as a news flash feature and The Ticket Collector will update the website to reflect those news flashes as and when they appear.
Newsrail Express 389
Posted in Fares, Newsrail Express on April 6, 2009| 1 Comment »
Latest edition of Newsrail Express, no. 389 this time around.
Newsrail Express 388
Posted in Fares, Newsrail Express on March 26, 2009| 7 Comments »
Again sorry this ones a bit late, just got back off a short break.
Newsrail Express 388: https://frpp.tso.co.uk/Newsrail/341019.pdf
EDIT- SORRY WRONG LINK ORIGINALLY POSTED!
Newsrail Express 387
Posted in Fares, Newsrail Express, tagged Newsrail Express on March 9, 2009| 1 Comment »
Latest edition of Newsrail Express, up to 387 now.
Anytime Return U-turn
Posted in Fares, Rail Conditions on March 4, 2009| 1 Comment »
ATOC has finally succumbed to the pressure businesses and individuals placed on to it after reducing the validity of the Anytime (previously Open) Return tickets. Before simplification both outward and return portions were valid for 1 month, however afterwards the outward portion was cut back to only being valid for a single day.
ATOC have now decided that the outward portion will be valid for 5 days on a trial period starting 16th March.
Amendment To Outward Portion Validity – Anytime Return
Following a review of Fares Simplification which took place last year, the validity of the outward portion of First & Standard Class Anytime Return tickets will be altered from ‘date on ticket’ to ‘five days’ (including date on ticket). For example, a First Class Anytime Return with an outward date of 20th March will be valid for outward travel until 24th March inclusive. The return portion will remain valid for one month from the date on the outward portion.
This change will apply to tickets sold and dated from 16th March. This will take place for a trial period and will be reviewed in September.
Your Ticket Issuing System will automatically be updated by your supplier to incorporate this change.
First & Standard Class Anytime Singles, and Anytime Day Singles & Returns remain valid on date shown only.
Kind regards
ATOC
Penalty fare appeals
Posted in Fares, Service cutbacks on March 2, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Penaltyfareappeal.co.uk is a site run by revenue protection staff, who realise that the TOCs are unfairly cutting staff and making it difficult for customers to purchase tickets and get fare information. The TOCs also have extremely complicated rules which make it easy for an innocent customer to end up with the wrong ticket.
They will assist and support passengers with penalty fare appeals, for a reasonable price of £4. However throughout March they are offering this service free of charge.
Please mention this service to anyone who you know who could benefit from it.
Newsrail Express 385
Posted in Fares, Newsrail Express, tagged Newsrail Express on February 9, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Next edition of Newsrail Express, number 385 this time
ATOC stay silent on whether rail fares will fall
Posted in Fares, tagged Parliament on February 4, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Today five rail industry bosses were quizzed by MPs from the Transport Select Committee in relation to Rail Fares and Franchises, especially focussing on the recent January 2009 fare rises. Also questioned at the committee meeting were members of Passenger Focus, London Travelwatch, thetrainline.com, RMT and TSSA (the full list of witnesses can be found below).
The event was televised and is available for viewing on the Parliament website.
The issue that was of concern for ourselves at theticketcollector was the direct question asked by the committee chair Louise Ellman to David Mapp, Commercial Director at ATOC- relating to the RPI + 1% formula used to calculate fare increases for regulated fares. She asked if in July 2009 the RPI was to drop below 0% which some are predicting, whether or not rail fares would fall accordingly.
The obvious answer would be “yes”, they would have to as Train Operating Companies have no choice on this figure for regulated fares. Their basket of fares must average out at the July RPI + 1% as laid down by the DfT in their franchise agreements. However Mr Mapp evaded giving this answer leaving us to infer that perhaps they may be considering negotiating with the DfT for concessions to the constraints placed by the RPI + 1% formula.
Meetings have certainly taken place between senior TOC figures and ministers at the DfT and these were also addressed at the committee meeting. David Mapp again talking on behalf of the TOCs stated that the meetings were not to renegotiate specific franchise agreements be that service levels, premium payments or anything else. He claimed the meetings were merely to discuss on broad terms the impact of recession on TOCs (although even this information was difficult to wrangle from Mr Mapp). These meetings held significance also in terms of the evidence from the DfT at the Public Accounts Committee last month, stating that five franchisees are on “red light” status- their highest alert on train companies going to the wall.
We will have to wait and see exactly what happens over the coming months on how exactly the TOCs will weather the recession…
NOTES
List of witnesses at the Rail Fares and Franchises Transport Select Committee meeting
First Group
Paul Furze-Waddock, Commercial Director, UK Rail
National Express Trains
Paul Bunting, UK Director, National Express Group
Virgin Trains
Graham Leech, Commercial Director
Southeastern
Charles Horton, Managing Director
First Hull Trains
Jim Morgan, Passenger Development Director for First Group
Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC)
David Mapp, Commercial Director
Passenger Focus
Colin Foxall, Chairman
Mike Hewitson, Head of Policy
London Travelwatch
Sharon Grant, Chair
Tim Bellenger, Director, Research & Development
thetrainline
Richard Rowson, Business Development Director
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)
John Leach, President
Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA)
Gerry Doherty, General Secretary
Newsrail Express 384
Posted in Fares, Newsrail Express on January 26, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Next edition of Newsrail Express, number 384 this time
The Ticket Collector 