LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Train companies are facing criticism for
raising fares by the back door as a new regime designed to make tickets simpler
comes into force.
Watchdog Passenger Focus said National Express Group Plc, Arriva Plc and
Virgin Trains, 49 percent owned by Stagecoach Group Plc, are changing ticket
restrictions and creating unfair price rises from today.
The price changes come as a new ticket system is introduced, replacing a
bewilderingly wide range of fares with three types -- advance, off-peak and
anytime.
However, the watchdog said it has raised concerns with Virgin Trains about
its plans to restrict the use of walk-on Saver tickets on some of its services,
particularly on services from North Wales.
It said its research found that passengers using a 67 pounds Saver ticket
from Llandudno Junction earlier in the morning to travel to London will now have
to pay 173 pounds to make the journey at the same time.
Passenger Focus said National Express East Anglia has hiked its most
expensive fares, Standard Open Return tickets, and has barred One Day
Travelcards on its trains leaving from London Liverpool Street between 16.29 and
18.34.
Under the changes, a Standard Open Return from Norwich to Liverpool Street,
the ticket needed to arrive in London before 10.15, rises to 78 pounds up 12
pounds since Christmas, the second price rise in 2008, and 22 percent higher
than when National Express took over the franchise.
Finally, Arriva's CrossCountry has come under fire for revising restrictions
on some of its journeys and deciding to ban the use of railcards on Saver fares
allowing passengers to obtain a further discount at peak times.
The changes will mean a customer returning from Gloucester to Lydney or
Chepstow, where fares are set by Arriva Trains Wales, will face no restrictions.
Those passengers who need to travel to Newport, where the fares are set by
CrossCountry, will not be able to travel between 15.30 and 18.15.
Passenger Focus said it welcomed a decision to allow discounts for railcard
holders on all Advance fares.
The watchdog said it is lobbying Virgin Trains, Cross Country and National
Express about the changes.
Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: "These changes represent
another nail in the coffin for the turn-up-and-go railway, with passengers
having to pay more if they can't book ahead or advanced purchase tickets are
sold out."
The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said the fare rises and
the ticket simplification exercise were not related.
However, it said a small number of train companies may take the opportunity
to raise fares in May, which is one of three occasions during the year, along
with January and September, when the Department for Transport (DfT) allows them
to do so.
philip.waller@thomsonreuters.com
paw/paw/am
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