Advert on LBC for Guildford to Waterloo may have incorrect fare

[infobleep]

Occasionally, and not often enough to easily record it, I am hearing an advert on LBC for South Western Railway.

In it, they claim the off-peak fare from Guildford to London Waterloo is £16.00.

I cannot find this fare on BRFares. Was it ever £16? It may be the advert is out of date. It is played very infrequently. I've only hard it 3 times in recent weeks. Far less than other ads on there

Also, the shows that are archived on Global Player have different adverts to what I hear.

I am listening via Global player on an Alexa.

 

[island]

An anytime day single is £14.60.

 

[infobleep]

An anytime day single is £14.60.

Perhaps they were quoting the off-peak return. Either way that isn't £16.

 

[wibble]

Waterloo - Guildford Weekend Super Off Peak Day Return is £16.00 so maybe it was that fare?

 

[infobleep]

I've since heard the advert again and it's actually £16.70. I'm certain of it. I can't find that fare either.

I can find a super off-peak fare for £17.60 but they don't say super off-peak, just off-peak.

I'd probably need to record the radio for a few hours in the evening to try and catch the ad.

Just heard the advert again. It says it is £16.70 when you travel off-peak.

So it's talking about travelling off-peak and not with an off-peak ticket.

However, there is still the matter of the £16.70 not being a fare I can find on brfares.com.

 

[greatkingrat]

£16.70 was the price of the super-off peak return from Guidford to London in NFM32 (Jan 2019). This increased to £17.20 in NFM35 (Jan 2020), and to the current price of £17.60 in NFM38 (Mar 2021).

 

[FenMan]

£16.70 was the price of the super-off peak return from Guidford to London in NFM32 (Jan 2019). This increased to £17.20 in NFM35 (Jan 2020), and to the current price of £17.60 in NFM38 (Mar 2021).

Impressively well above inflation. From my local station to London Terminals there are ANY PERMITTED fares priced by GWR and route-specific fares priced by SWR (the route-specific SWR tickets include the shortest route so the ANY PERMITTED ticket is also valid). In off peak, guess which ticket is cheaper? Not SWR's.

 

[infobleep]

£16.70 was the price of the super-off peak return from Guidford to London in NFM32 (Jan 2019). This increased to £17.20 in NFM35 (Jan 2020), and to the current price of £17.60 in NFM38 (Mar 2021).

Thanks for that. I thought it was out of date but I don't have previous fares manuals to check.

I now have a recording of the advert so I could contact the Advertising Standards Agency. Unless you can provide the evidence as a sound recording, I found they don't do anything. They perhaps don't have time to track down the adverts themselves.

Nothing against the advert bar the incorrect price.

 

[30907]

Thanks for that. I thought it was out of date but I don't have previous fares manuals to check.

I now have a recording of the advert so I could contact the Advertising Standards Agency. Unless you can provide the evidence as a sound recording, I found they don't do anything. They perhaps don't have time to track down the adverts themselves.

Nothing against the advert bar the incorrect price.

Would it not be courteous (and even quicker?) to contact SWR at the same time?

 

[infobleep]

Would it not be courteous (and even quicker?) to contact SWR at the same time?

Good point. I should do that. I guess I would just contact customer services.

I doubt South Western Railway would produce the ad themselves but they would be able to deal with those who did.

In fact, I probably should just contact SWR alone and see what they say first before involving the ASA.