London Banter - View Single Post - Oyster: still an unreliable rip-off

[email protected] · April 26th 14, 10:37 AM posted to uk.transport.london

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

Surely this is simply a variation on the theme of "splitting
tickets", which National Rail ticket offices fail to do if you buy
for a journey starting in the morning peak but ending off-peak.

For example, Nottingham-Manchester:

NOT Depart 08.47 £53.50 Anytime Return
MAN Arrive 10.36

NOT Depart 08.47 £23.00 Anytime Return
SHF Arrive 09.37
SHF Depart 09.41 £18.30 Off Peak Day Return
MAN Arrive 10.36

Saving £12.20; you'd have to travel an hour later to get the
"through" off-peak ticket, albeit that saves even more (being priced
at just £29.70).

What's more worrying is that if there's ever a National PAYG scheme,
whether by paywave or ITSO, then it'll undoubtedly fail to volunteer
to save the traveller that £12.20 - unless perhaps they manage to
dash out of the barriers and back in the four minutes available.

Surely it's time that train operators were required to offer passengers the
cheapest fares, allowing for options like this and have done with it? Why
should only those good at gaming the system benefit? It's overcharging by
stealth which shouldn't be allowed.

--
Colin Rosenstiel