On Wed, 23 Feb 2005, asdf wrote:

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.

No - it's in at least one other person's as well!

This situation is not causing large amounts of pain and suffering and
people getting ripped off, like some people here seem to believe.

No, of course not. I utterly distance myself from such hysterical
language.

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.

Aha! I think we're finally getting to the root of the argument.

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 what if it's not in a peak? Or what if it's along a route where there
are heavy flows in both directions during the peaks?

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.)

Okay, fine. Should the contribution be proportional to the cost incurred?
If so, this part of my argument stands.

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.

Well, next time i take a tube into zone 1, i'll think of you smugly
sitting on a train to Mill Hill East and silently curse you .

tom

--
He's taking towel fandom to a whole other bad level. -- applez, of coalescent