[crossposted to uk.transport.london - originally posted on uk.railway]

Harry G wrote:

Sorry if this has already been raised before, but I noticed the
following in Newsrail Express 330:

"For the benefit of customers who have difficulty using London
Underground services, or who prefer not to, Train Companies are
negotiating with Transport for London (TfL) to introduce a cross-London
Bus transfer facility between National Rail London termini. This bus
transfer would only be issued, and used, in conjunction with tickets
which include 'cross-London validity'.

Ticketing and details of route validity on London Buses has still to be
agreed, but in anticipation of this, a new product - Discount London
Bus Pass - has already been created and appears in TIS and fares
information systems.

Please note however, that until otherwise advised, Discounted London
Bus Pass tickets MUST NOT be issued under any circumstances. Subject to
full agreement being reached with TfL, full details of this new
facility, and date of introduction, will be advised in due course."


I've taken the liberty of cross-posting this to utl as I'm sure it'll
be of interest to people there. Despite the subject line it would
appear that there is only one potential new ticketing product being
considered rather than two, though exactly what form that ticket will
take remains to be seen.

Nonetheless I'll speculate anyway! The use of the "Discounted London
Bus Pass" wording does suggest the ticket will be a quasi-bus pass, for
use on more than one bus to transfer between termini, which makes
perfect sense. If it does go ahead I wonder how well it's inter-termini
validity will be enforced, or whether people will be able to get away
with using it as if it's a normal bus pass.

It appears that the train companies through ATOC are responding to
passengers demand for such a ticketing product. I guess this can be
seen in part as a response to the events of two summers ago, but
regardless of any such terrorism fear factor there has always been
plenty of people who just don't like the idea of using a subterranean
railway (I guess as a result of claustrophobia), and others who find
using the Underground an ordeal because their mobility is impaired or
they have heavy/bulky luggage.

Nonetheless the Underground remains the best way to transfer between
many London termini, as buses will take longer for many such transfers,
may be similarly busy to the Tube and might prove a similar struggle
for those with cumbersome luggage. I predict more passengers will be
missing their connection once this cross-London bus ticket gets
introduced, perhaps helped along by some naive advice from a rustic
ticket office far far away from the realities of the big smoke!