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Post by compsci on Apr 30, 2007 12:13:33 GMT
In New York they manage with a $2 (approx £1) flat fare from anywhere to anywhere else, including a transfer to / from a bus if needed.
The secret to such low fares is in part the use of the vast revenue from bridge and tunnel tolls, which is mostly diverted to public transport, having paid off the capital construction costs years ago. There are also far fewer staff than LU.
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Oracle
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Post by Oracle on Apr 30, 2007 13:57:18 GMT
The secret to such low fares is in part the use of the vast revenue from bridge and tunnel tolls, which is mostly diverted to public transport, having paid off the capital construction costs years ago. Tell that to us poor drivers who still have to pay a toll to get over the River Itchen bridge in Southampton where the tolls paid for it years ago! Money just goes into general revenue now, despite being assured (before I was in the City) that when it was paid for the toills would cease. Back on topic(ish): is it still possible to get a First Class ticket on the Chilterns from Harrow to Amersham? That must be 'orribly expensive? |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2007 14:27:59 GMT
FC fares aren't available on that route as FC is now declassified on any train that runs on the route  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2007 16:52:51 GMT
IIRC, it will be called an AFM [Advanced fare machine], it will be a much more modern version of the MFM [Multi-fare machine] Indeed, it will be FFM (Few Fare Machine) sized with a MFM type screen and Oyster reader on. It will accept cards, but will only accept coins and will be in permanent 'exact money only' mode - not ideal. |
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Post by Tomcakes on Apr 30, 2007 17:04:31 GMT
Its good that 'vending machines' will be appearing, but anyone know the timetable for every station to have one? Will it be before or after the ticket office opening hours are reduced/culled further? Lots of angry people are out there either too meek or too disssfected... The problem is though that if you close the ticket office and put a vending machine in instead, what happens when that (as it will do, invariably) screws up? Even if you can find a member of staff, all they're likely to do is give you the number to ring (open 9am - 9.15am every day (except Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday)). |
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Oracle
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Post by Oracle on Apr 30, 2007 17:08:41 GMT
 indeed.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2007 15:03:41 GMT
With tickets, I have found that in most cases extension tickets are a waste of time. One chap came up to me with a £5.10 Zones 1 & 2 off peak card, and said he wanted to go to Acton Town. I went to the machine with him and pulled up the extension ticket - £3 squids. I said "Don't buy it yet, take your 1 & 2 to the ticket office and see if you can pay the extra 60p for a 1 - 4" - which the SAMF did. A nice saving of £2.40. How many cases involving zones 3 & 4 would that have saved the punter a few quid. Quite a few I think.
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Post by Tubeboy on May 1, 2007 15:21:48 GMT
An example like that would be purely at the SAMFs discretion.
I would do something like that, not often though.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2007 16:55:10 GMT
The necessity of having six zones seems to be decreasing as a single fare from Z6 to Z1 costs the same as one from Z4 to Z1. Perhaps all that is needed is three - Z1 as now, Z2 covering the present zones 2 and 3, and Z3 covering what is now zones 4-6. Seems plausible, but take into account that all the National Rail TOC's have just agreed a zonal fares system, based on Z1 - Z6, which apparently took a lot of planning [three years] plus it is a step towards these TOC's accepting Oyster PAYG... As I have mentioned before, I remember when there was just Z1 - Z5... |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2007 17:26:56 GMT
An example like that would be purely at the SAMFs discretion. I would do something like that, not often though. I think there was something to do with this in a recent Traffic Circular, asking the SAMF to exchange for another Travelcard where possible. |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2007 17:59:50 GMT
Another idea, currently the Z1 - Z6 travelcard is around £6... Why not just simplify it and say one zone one pound. the special zones ABCD to Amersham is an extra pound... In fact why not just have a 7th zone, around all current zones, bring Chafford Hundred into it and make the price a flat £7 for the ODTC... Yeah I might sound crazy with my idea, but it would simplify matters immensely, instead of an odd 10p here and there... Now that MFM's have stopped taking 5p coins...
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2007 18:28:37 GMT
Now that MFM's have stopped taking 5p coins... Oh blimey.........the amount of aggro that causes. Most still have the 5p symbol on............. |
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Post by Tomcakes on May 6, 2007 19:12:54 GMT
Now that MFM's have stopped taking 5p coins... Oh blimey.........the amount of aggro that causes. Most still have the 5p symbol on............. In which case aren't they obliged to accept the 5p's off you? Even so, surely the ticket office staff could change two 5s for a 10. Oh, sorry, they're shutting the ticket offices and telling you to ring up... |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2007 19:19:23 GMT
Exactly...
It's all horridly wrong, TC... Our passengers bare the brunt of decisions made by non thinking incoherent numbskulls who have in all probablility, never been in that situation before...
And Customer Dissatisfaction usually rubs off on unsuspecting targets - the staff.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2007 21:34:06 GMT
The 5p tubes were removed to add another £2 tube, which means the machines carry more change.
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Post by compsci on May 6, 2007 21:37:13 GMT
Any idea what percentage of purchases are made using credit or debit card rather than cash?
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Post by Tomcakes on May 6, 2007 21:49:43 GMT
Indeed. I'm not objecting to the fact that the 5ps were removed - just that it's very misleading if the machines still advertise that they can be used.
Do ticket office staff change large notes down if someone needs change for a no-change machine?
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Post by c5 on May 6, 2007 22:01:17 GMT
Do ticket office staff change large notes down if someone needs change for a no-change machine? I seem to recall a recent Traffic Circular stated that Ticket Sellers should not change money. |
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Post by compsci on May 6, 2007 22:05:49 GMT
Can't they just sell the ticket?
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Post by c5 on May 6, 2007 22:15:38 GMT
Can't they just sell the ticket? If the Ticket Office is closed, the customer should be directed towards the Passenger Operated Machines or a local Newsagent "Ticket Stop". Some staff have been threatend with disciplinary action by offering good customer service by selling a ticket....! Notice that a lot of the leaflet/posters about fares and ticketing now no longer mention Ticket Offices and many have had the word Ticket removed, from the blue light box above the window and replaced by Assistance..... hmm.... I wonder which will be the first to close permanently. All in the name of World Class Customer Service, no wonder "we staff" didn't meet our Customer Satisfaction Targets for 2006, bet the senior managers managed to fiddle get theirs.....   |
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Post by compsci on May 6, 2007 22:29:45 GMT
Can discounted travelcards be bought from machines? You have to keep the gold card holders happy.
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Post by sm on May 6, 2007 23:09:48 GMT
you can buy discounted travelcards from machines at NR stations, but, as i found out, not at tube stations. Need a ticket office.. young persons railcard is pretty common
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2007 1:09:25 GMT
All very good points, and hopefully things will change before it all goes too far.
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2007 17:00:39 GMT
The 5p tubes were removed to add another £2 tube, which means the machines carry more change. but once the tubes are full, doesn't the overspill drop to the bottom in a box... Why not just let the machines accept them, besides what fares need the machines to dispense 5p change? |
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Post by Colin on May 13, 2007 21:38:44 GMT
besides what fares need the machines to dispense 5p change? You've basically answered your own question there, more or less. There is absolutely no real need for the 5p's, and because it is a such a useless denomination to LUL, what is the point in taking them if we don't then use them as change? As has been said, the £2 coins are far more useful with regard to change giving. In any case, if I had a pound for every time the machines jammed when a 5p got stuck, well.......... |
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Post by Tubeboy on May 13, 2007 23:37:28 GMT
I have only being off the barrier 9 months, but they reject 5p coins once you stick half a dozen of them in!
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Post by connextrain on May 14, 2007 7:27:25 GMT
I noticed on my trip that the tube is quite expensive, i brought a 50pound oyster ticket that di me! i used it all up in two weeks!
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2007 9:36:48 GMT
A weekly TC may have offered better value for money, but a fiver a day is about the norm (and if you use it actually fairly good value IMHO)
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Post by Ben on May 14, 2007 15:50:50 GMT
Do ticket office staff change large notes down if someone needs change for a no-change machine? In a years time I reserve the right to say "What ticket office staff?" The number of people who try and pay with £50 and cant. Ticket machines should give change in notes...it would solve a lot of problems. |
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Post by connextrain on May 15, 2007 7:05:31 GMT
I didnt buy it from a machine, the only time i do that is when pt is with me, other wise i dont know what im doing so to ensure corectness i always speack to a person.
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indeed.
