Fare Dealer

RAIL fares expert Barry Doe says ticket inspectors should know basic National Conditions of Travel.

In my Comment on page 24 of RAIL 852, regarding the Government’s appalling attitude towards fares reform (again initiated by Rail Minister Jo Johnson), I made the point that journey planners are getting worse by suppressing the cheapest fares.

Recent changes to the fares database have also made finding these fares harder. I was recently asked by a reader what had happened to London Northwestern’s Super Off-Peak Return from Euston to Liverpool, as it “seems to have been withdrawn”.

At only £33 it’s much cheaper than Virgin’s £86.90 OP Return, so has it gone? If you look up ‘Avantix’ or brfares.com, inserting ‘London Terminals to Liverpool Stations’, you’ll only find the £86.90 version. If you go on to LNW’s website, you’ll also only be given Virgin West Coast services for £86.90.

There are two factors here that militate against users seeing the £33 fare: firstly, it’s been moved to appear only under ‘London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street’; and secondly, the LNW planner only works by speed.

However, now you know that the £33 fare exists, try buying it. Insert Euston to Liverpool Lime Street and look up an off-peak journey, and what does LNW sell you? The £86.90 VT fare.

They have a ‘via’ box, but why should users know they need to use it - or indeed what to insert? Try ‘via Rugby’. No use, as it puts you on VT trains with a change and still charges £86.90. You need to insert something like Atherstone (a station at which LNW calls, but Virgin West Coast doesn’t), and only then does the £33 fare show. Isn’t this absolutely appalling marketing?

It’s like trying to buy your favourite Waitrose marmalade from the Waitrose website, only to find it will only sell Tesco’s dearer marmalades!