Solar Penguin wrote:
--- Rich Mallard said...


If this ever comes about and NR seasons are scrapped,
it will even be cheaper for me to get a rail-only season from outside
the TfL zones (Dartford, 20 quid per month more) than to buy a
Travelcard (50 quid a month more).

I don't understand why this is happening at all really. We already
have a zonal ticket - it's called a Travelcard. The argument about
"simplification" is just a ruse to introduce higher fares across the
board which are then channeled into TfL's central funding pool. I
would be happy to pay more for rail-only journies to pay for
rail-specific enhancements (ie getting my dilapitated station
painted), but of course that is not an option.


I agree 100%. I've said it before, but zonal tickets are just a con to
make us pay extra for journeys that we could make (but won't) instead of
paying for the journeys which we do actually make.

Trouble is, the stupid zones have been around so long that too many
people have got into the habit of thinking that they're a good thing,
even when they're clearly not -- and won't hear a word said against
them. Maybe it would have been better if TfL abandoned their zones and
came into line with the rest of the country with a point-to-point
system.

I fail to see how an uncomplicated system which people can actually
understand is a problem. Zones are essentially distance-based, but take
into account a need to be flexible with travel plans, the fact that
central London is much busier than outer London, and keep people happy
when they can easily understand what fare they will pay.

How would Travelcards - the most useful and flexible ticket - work under
a point-to-point system?

The National Rail fares system is a complicated mess at the moment, and
hardly sets a good example for London to revert to.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - transport projects in London