On Apr 23, 2:41*pm, Mizter T wrote:
On Apr 23, 1:10 pm, Paul Corfield wrote:
Some very interesting details in two articles in Transport Briefing
about the ELLX Phase 2 funding deal and consequential reductions in NR
services. *Also the new Shoreditch Station is to be in Zone 1 as
demanded by the DfT.
More details here
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5821
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5820
Disappointing news on both fronts, though I can't say I'm entirely
surprised - I am however somewhat annoyed at the loss of the Victoria
to Bellingham service.
I'm afraid I always thought there was a possibility that Shoreditch
High Street would be a zone 1 station - though more because of
concerns about ELLX trains - which will only be 4 cars long -
potentially being overrun with commuters switching to this cheaper
zone 2 option instead of travelling into London Bridge as they would
otherwise have done. I hate to say it, but perhaps just perhaps this
is ultimately for the best.
Nonetheless it may well mean there's no price advantage to avoiding
travelling via central London and the Tube (one of the benefits of the
ELLX is that of taking some pressure off the Tube network) - that
said, this does somewhat depends on what the Oyster PAYG fare
structure will be when the whole of National Rail in London joins in,
as an NR+LU journey may be more expensive than an LU journey (and in
all likelihood London Overground inc. the ELLX would follow the LU
PAYG farescale as opposed to the NR one). Of course if one has a
season Travelcard then this doesn't matter - however it can be the
case that some commutes are cheaper using Oyster PAYG than with a
season Travelcard.
A few follow on thoughts about Shoreditch High Street (SHS) being put
in zone 1. One thing I'd failed to include in my considerations above
is the rail-only season ticket. Therefore, were SHS to have been in
zone 2, then the calculation for price-conscious City commuters may
have been between a rail-only season from say Sydenham to London
Terminals (i.e. London Bridge/ Cannon Street) and either a season
Travelcard (covering whatever zones were needed but excluding
expensive z1) or Oyster PAYG single fares, whichever is the cheaper.
The other possibility is that of a rail-only season to SHS or other
stations on the ELL 'core' route (which is still a possibility now
that SHS will be in z1) - however whether there will be rail-only
seasons to these stations is an unknown. It would perhaps be against
TfL's ethos of encouraging the use of (a) multi-modal Travelcards and
(b) Oyster PAYG - however, if the ELLX is to be a full part of the
National Rail ticketing arrangements then it would perhaps make sense.
The other thought I've just had is whether or not SHS would be
classified as a 'London Terminal' - which is particularly relevant for
journeys from south London, as it could mean that commuters could
choose between heading to London Bridge/Cannon Street or SHS to get to
the City. If it was also a 'London Terminal' for journeys from points
north then I suppose there'd be the possibility of all sorts of wacky
potential routes - arguably that's one good reason for it not to be!
However what with all this talk of concern about revenue abstraction
from the TOCs, I think it unlikely that it would be a 'London
Terminal' even for journeys from south London - from a planning point
of view, separating out flows to and from London Bridge etc and SHS
can be seen as being advantageous too.
Whilst as I said there is perhaps some sort of argument for having SHS
in zone 1 when it comes to commuting (i.e. trains that aren't heaving
with zone 1 avoiding commuters), it will surely suffer from that when
it comes to off-peak leisure journeys. I suppose it'll have to stand
on its own merits as an easier and more convenient way of crossing
town, rather than as a cheaper way.
Looks like my cunning zone 1-shirking north-south route via the back
streets of Whitechapel and Bethnal Green (between the stations of the
same name) might get a renewed lease of life as a result of this!