Just got this in - does this mean protestors have won the war?

http://www.lse.co.uk/FinanceNews.asp...on_rail_routes

Thursday, 29th June 2006 14:23

FirstGroup backs down on plans for fare restrictions on London rail
routes

LONDON (AFX) - UK rail and bus operator FirstGroup PLC is changing its
plans for new restrictions on rail fares on its London routes after
pressure from passenger watchdogs.

First said it is reducing the number of stations affected by the new
restrictions introduced on June 11 after complaints from London
Travelwatch and Passenger Focus.

The company, which took over the Thameslink and Great Northern rail
routes from National Express Group PLC in April, banned the use of
cheap day returns on northbound weekday services from London to
stations outside the London Travelcard zones between 4.30pm and 7pm.

First said the measure was primarily designed to reduce overcrowding
and said it was only expected to result in a small increase in revenue.

However, watchdogs criticised the measures, saying they effectively
represented large fare increases and would discourage public transport
use.

A FirstGroup spokesman said the company had decided to make the
changes, which reportedly involve cutting the number of stations
affected by the restrictions from 37 to 27, after meeting the watchdogs
yesterday.

'After a fruitful discussion with London Travelwatch and Passenger
Focus, we have agreed to changes to these restrictions to address
issues raised by the groups,' he said.

The spokesman added that First plans to try to ease the overcrowding
problem in the longer term by acquiring extra rolling stock from other
operators and investigating potential infrastructure improvements.



paw/nes


Paul Oter wrote:
New ticket restrictions have been announced with effect from next
Monday to services which depart from King's Cross to Cambridge in the
evening peak. This was expected but this is the first time I've seen a
definitive announcement.

According to a new leaflet "Ticket Changes from 11th June 2006", from
that date "the return portion of Cheap Day return, One (sic) Day
Travelcard (off-peak), Family Travelcard and DaySave tickets are no
longer valid on services departing from [King's Cross and Moorgate]
between 1630 and 1901 Monday to Friday. In addition to this Network
AwayBreaks and Saver tickets are not valid on services which depart
from these services between 1730 and 1830 Monday to Friday."

These restrictions apply to passengers returning from a variety of
inner London stations to stations between Potters Bar to Waterbeach
inclusive. The leaflet explicitly states that passengers returning to
Ely and points north thereof are not affected.

Similar restrictions have been introduced to Peterborough and on the
Thameslink route to Bedford.

PaulO