On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 01:01:57 +0000, Tom Anderson
wrote:

Er, that's exactly what's happening. The problem we have at the moment is
this:

Morden (Z4) to Waterloo (Z1): 2.80
Morden (Z4) to Highgate (Z3): 2.80

The "problem" here is entirely in your own head. This situation is not
causing large amounts of pain and suffering and people getting ripped
off, like some people here seem to believe.

If you accept that the costs associated with transporting
someone from Morden to Highgate are greater than those associated with
taking them from Morden to Waterloo,

I don't. If the journey is made during the morning peak, the cost of
providing the Morden-Z1 part of the journey is the same, but the
Z1-Highgate part of the journey is in the opposite direction to the
peak flow, so it uses capacity that otherwise would have been going
spare anyway. So that part of the journey is effectively free to
provide. If the journey is made during the evening peak then of course
the reverse situation applies, but with the same effect.

and you accept the idea that ticket
prices are there to cover costs,

I don't. They are there as a contribution towards the costs. Taxation
covers the rest. (A bit like NHS prescriptions.)

Nobody's claiming this is
a conspiracy, or even a scandal - it's just a defect in the system.

It's only a defect because you think it is. I consider it an excellent
feature.