In article
,
MIG wrote:

Why wouldn't the latter still result in paying £3? There seems to be
an implication that once any cap is reached, there can be no more
charge, but that would imply that you could reach the zone 1 - 2 cap
and then travel for free to zone 6, which is not the case.

It is the opposite assumption, that despite one cap being reach (the bus
cap) that it can still be converted to come under another cap
(Tube/DLR/Overground) when there are competing caps that could be
applied, which whichever combination works out cheaper winning.

For example if you travel out of zone from the ones at which you have
already been capped then the system will compare the costs of existing
cap + single journey to the cap which covers all the zones you have now
travelled in, and the cheaper of the two being applied.

The issue here though is that the new railcard discount has created an
anomaly where the tube + bus cap is lower than the bus only cap.

The issue must be that the railcard isn't valid on buses, so if you
use buses in addition, why shouldn't the higher cap apply?

Because although you cannot use a railcard on buses directly, you can
use one to buy a travelcard at a reduced fare, which obviously includes
bus travel. As the Tube/DLR/Overground cap limit is the Oyster
alternative to a Travelcard it covers the same forms of transport. (Of
course excluding the non-Oyster NR services.)

Which is why I reckon if you only travel by bus the normal bus cap would
be applied, rather than the lower railcard discounted one. Because you
cannot get a railcard discount on an all-day bus ticket (the bus cap)
but you can on a travelcard (the tube cap).

Michael.