West Midlands Daytripper - the plot thickens ....

[Ostrich]

We've recently discussed this in a previous thread and it was pointed out that evening peak restrictions apply to the £5.20 Off Peak Daytripper as well as the 09:30 start, as indicated on the Network West Midlands website:

http://www.networkwestmidlands.com/...cketID=39&TicketOptionID=172600&resultsPage=0

Unlimited bus and Metro travel, plus train travel within the specified Network West Midlands rail zones during off-peak times - between 0930 and 1529 and from 1800 to end of daytime service Mondays to Fridays, .....

So I bought one today, and enquired of the ticket clerk (Cross City Line northern section station). Valid all day, I was told. Really? Yes. Despite the website? Yes. I jokingly told him I'd pursue him for any penalty fine I collected, and he still didn't change his tune.

Enquired at the Revenue Protection Desk at New Street. Valid all day. What about the website? What website? The Centro website ......

Enquired at the ticket office at a Cross City Line southern section station. Valid all day.

Enquired of a LM guard on a service I travelled on. Ah ..... tricky! Well, I probably wouldn't charge you an additional fare for it, but some might. Suggest you don't use it after 4:00 ... 4:30 ish ..... until the evening peak's finished.

Enquired at the booking office at Stourbridge Town, having narrowly survived a rollicking, bucketing journey down the branch on 139002. Definitely valid all day. Only London Midland tickets are restricted in the evening peak, and that's not a London Midland ticket, it's a Centro ticket, see. And don't believe everything you read on a website.

So there you are. If there is an evening peak restriction, nobody's admitting to it. Yet! But quite honestly, the rules and regulations about train travel are now getting SO complex, how does the ordinary punter (me!) know what to expect?

Disconcertingly, two of the folk I enquired from said they thought the tickets, while valid in the evening peak on the trains, weren't valid on the buses!!

 

[janb]

Well I can understand the answers given, as The Manual makes no mention of an evening restriction,

Monday to Friday on services timed to depart from 0930 to end of daytime service. Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays: on all daytime services

So its bizarre/troubling that the website mentions a restriction that either a) doesn't exist, or b) does exist but they haven't told anybody about including "The official source of retail information for the rail industry"

 

[rabbiteer]

Just registered to point out that the link Ostrich gives no longer work. However, this one does:

http://www.networkwestmidlands.com/...cketID=39&TicketOptionID=173574&resultsPage=0

The new page states that the Daytripper is valid "...from 0930 until the to end of daytime service Mondays to Fridays..."

Admittedly the part quoted above is somewhat illiterate ("until the to end of"?), but the important point is that there's no evening restriction. In any case, if you buy one from a station, it has the relevant condition printed on the back. Not sure about ones bought on buses, as I almost never buy those.

 

[transportphoto]

The ones bought on buses are on the ticket stock the bus company uses for its TIS.

I also bought one from a RPI (using Avantix Mobile) at New Street's '2nd Entrance', this was printed on normal rail stock and therefore printed with 'Rail Rover' in the bottom orange strip (like any other rover with 'Issued to' at the top also).

Having bought this I can now reveal that they are issue-able at any station, if you can find staff who are able to do so!

 

[Ostrich]

Just registered to point out that the link Ostrich gives no longer work. However, this one does:

http://www.networkwestmidlands.com/...cketID=39&TicketOptionID=173574&resultsPage=0

The new page states that the Daytripper is valid "...from 0930 until the to end of daytime service Mondays to Fridays..."

.

LOL, I suspect therefore the website's now been "corrected", Rabbiteer !