Fares fair?

[observer]

Rail fares to rise again - but according to a Rail Co rep tonight - it's due to the pricing mechanism dictated by the Government - anyone understand it?

[RingoDave]

It's the same basis as their "beer escalator". The tax rises every year by 3% above whatever the inflation rate is. This was instituted by the previous government so that the chancellor could stand up on budget day and say, "No change to beer duty" and "No change to rail fares", but still rake in extra money from us!

[observer]

You'll have to excuse my naivity on this, but: what happens to the Virgin trains on the West Coast main line, when the new Company take over? It's a bit like the Gas privatisation saga: same gas, same pipes and totally notional price setting - smoke and mirrors or what?

[AdrianR]

First stick a sticker over every Virgin logo and the same service carries on for a year at least. Timetables are planned about 12 - 18 months in advance, so winter 2013 will be the start of First's influence on services. They claim to be buying 12 new units for the Birmingham - Glasgow / Edinburgh route. Thats will take 12 - 18 mths min to get going even if the orders are already in.

 

Same old service for next 12 mths perhaps wtih some monor changes. Franchise payments are also staggered low at the beginning to take this into account.

[observer]

So basically, same old rolling stock etc, plus staff. So to come in under Virgin's price presumably means - less profit (I doubt), less staff on reduced conditions, some corner cutting and compromised safety etc? And the fares are still going up!

[asperity]

It certainly makes you think that some "brown envelopes" have been changing hands. I found the Virgin trains to be a vast improvement on what we had before, and haven't heard any great reports about First. :unsure:

[Lt Kije]

Complety agree with you Asp, I thought the virgin trains to be a big improvement.

[observer]

Seems there may be a re-think over this - a 100,000 name online petition has been sent in, to retain Virgin.

[Cleopatra]

Seems there may be a re-think over this - a 100,000 name online petition has been sent in, to retain Virgin.

 

Or maybe it is Richard Branson's offer to run the west coast mainland for free.

[Dizzy]

not exactly for free to the passenger but he has said they will donate all the money to charity if Virgin can continue to run it while the government have a re-think.

 

Guess you can do that if you are a very successful company and loaded too.

 

To be honest I never use trains so I don't really care but Richard Branson does seem to be bloody good at what he and his companies do and a lot of people seem very happy with that so why change it and run the risk of being tied into an new company for 13 years who may not deliver their promises.

 

13 years is a very long time and personally if I was going to go ahead with a new lengthy contract like that I'd have a very strong 'get out clause' in it just incase

[Davy51]

I don't know how many of you have heard of Megabus who do cheap nationwide long distance bus fares. There is also Megatrain who do the same with train fares on long distance routes based on the fare going up as available seats are bought, like Easyjet. Mrs WD & myself will shortly be travelling to Glasgow for a price of £20 50p return for both of us. There is a Megabus website for checking prices & booking tickets.

[silverlady54]

Megabus and trains are indeed cheap but they use it to fill unused seats, so often you can't go exactly where you want to with them, you have to be flexible with your stations. You can't usually go from London to Warrington, but you can go from London to Runcorn (a less used route I suppose).

[wolfie]

You can't usually go from London to Warrington, but you can go from London to Runcorn (a less used route I suppose).

The main routes to this area are London to Liverpool or London to Manchester.

 

Runcorn is on the Liverpool route and is used frequently.

[silverlady54]

Most of the trains going north, i.e. Glasgow, Blackpool, stop at Warrington but you can't get a megatrain ticket to Warrington! Why not?

[wolfie]

Most of the trains going north, i.e. Glasgow, Blackpool, stop at Warrington but you can't get a megatrain ticket to Warrington! Why not?

 

From what I can see only buses go to Glasgow

[Davy51]

We're going by train from Warrington to Glasgow...maybe that's because the kids are back at school & there will be more spare seats.I think most routes seem to be based on the East & West coast mainlines though & reduced tickets can't be bought for a lot of routes.