--- Alan J. Flavell said...

When zone-based fares are used, it's always possible to find
anomalies.

Yes, it's "always possible". Always possible, because zone based
systems *always* go against common sense.

Then you'd need some kind of honeycomb
zoning system, like they have in certain other mass conurbations.

Well, once you get to things like honeycombs, it's no longer really a
zonal system anyway; just a sort of point-to-point system but with very
big points that cover several stations at once. So, yeah, you're right,
honeycombs could be a good idea.


Fares for a single journey include not only the distance travelled,
but also an element of the cost of the whole fare "system", including
issuing equipment, issuing staff, ticket inspectors, gate systems etc.
etc. - with the whole thing then modified by political policies,
subsidies and I don't know what.

If you insist on making the system more complex, you could well finish
up with the economic cost of your Morden - Waterloo fare being higher
than you would have previously paid to Mill Hill East. Swings and
roundabouts.

Would having seperate fares for Waterloo and Mill Hill East lead to
*significantly* increased costs for equipment, staff, gates etc.? To
turn the situation on its head -- Ken Livingstone's planning to force
TfL's zones onto NR fares in London. How much will *that* cost for new
equipment, staff, etc.?

And how are people happy when "they can easily understand" that
they're being charged *twice* as much

You mean they aren't happy on the occasions they want to travel
"twice" the distance and it's the same fare? It can cut both ways.

And how many times do people actually want to travel across London on a
long journey? Compare that to the number of times people just want to
travel to Central London. I suspect there are more people getting
ripped off then are getting good value.

The tariff says what they /should/ be charged. Or do you have some
special insight into the economics of the fare system?

The only insight I have is good old fashioned common sense. You should
try it sometime.

--

"A couple of weeks. When I get all these invisible women. Nikki
discovers her obnoxious landlords are competing in a farmhouse?"
-- MegaHal.