Passenger trap

SIR – I have just tried to book an advance journey from Richmond, Surrey, to Matlock Bath via St Pancras and Derby on the National Rail website. This would normally cost about £30 and run via Vauxhall with one Tube journey.

However, because Vauxhall is closed as part of the Waterloo works, National Rail has changed the route. Despite all of its own warnings, it is still sending me to Waterloo, and then on a route involving two Tube journeys across London. For this, and despite having had months to change algorithms to accommodate its own planned engineering, it wants £73.80.

I will of course take two Underground trains directly from Richmond at a cost of £2.80, and book my rail tickets to start from St Pancras for £25.50, saving me £45.50.

I am an ex-londoner. What hope does anyone else have? Victor Launert

Matlock Bath, Derbyshire

SIR – Commuters by rail into London choose to live where they live, and many receive eye-watering salaries.

Why should their commutes be subsidised by less fortunate taxpayers (Letters, August 17)? Clive Flynn

Halifax, West Yorkshire