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train companies rip off

I don't know about you lot, but am totally hacked off with train 'services' from where I live on the coast. I will be paying nearly 4K a year after new year, that is about 10K to you self employed after you have claimed for everything, and now am told that instead of 3 trains direct during rush hour from where I live to charing cross, I will have one and coming home instead of 4 I will have 2, all slower than the present ones. I know they are trying to get us all on their premium price trains, but how many people actually work near enough to make St pancras a viable option? If I had to work there I would have lived somewhere else rather than the Kent coast. Anyone know of any forums that are not controlled by government or train companies that might have some effect on this? Or someone who knows the legal situation with regards freedom of information disclosure? I would have thought train operating companies would have been subject to foi as the majority of their funds are from the public purse, but they seem to ignore any foi requests I have made, HELP.

Sorry for boring the pants off everyone else if you have read this.
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Comments

  • One option might be getting the fast train to Ebbsfleet, 5 min walk to Northfleet, then the regular service into London Bridge/Charring Cross. Hopefully they'll divert the fast train from Gillingham to CharingX via Woolwich through Ebbsfleet soon, which would make the journey a quick one, but pricey I imagine.
  • WSSWSS
    edited November 2009
    Move to Greenwich?

    Seriously though, it is a rip-off. I come in from Dartford and currently pay £1,860 a year but thats only because I got 2008 rates for this year by paying in December.

    This year (2010) I am going to get two years worth of rises and dread to think what it's going to cost me.
  • Wonder what I would be charged for that privelege, being as I will be paying nearly 4k already for pleb trains.
  • Steve move to Woolwich mate 50,000 somalis know its the place to be.
  • [cite]Posted By: randy andy[/cite]One option might be getting the fast train to Ebbsfleet, 5 min walk to Northfleet, then the regular service into London Bridge/Charring Cross. Hopefully they'll divert the fast train from Gillingham to CharingX via Woolwich through Ebbsfleet soon, which would make the journey a quick one, but pricey I imagine.

    Not so, unfortunately. Currently, Sittingbourne to London Bridge - varies between 58 and 59 mins. Sittingbourne to St Pancras, via High Speed 1, will vary between 56 mins and 62 mins

    As for prices, haven't seen full details but here's an example for Faversham to London.
    Annual ticket is currently £3600. From January, using High Speed 1, it will be £4396. A staggering £796 increase - for a very similar journey time.
  • I paid £160 per month for travel, but last week i bunked the train the whole week due to lack of funds. Wasnt close to gettng caught so thinking of doing it permanantly.
  • [cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]I paid £160 per month for travel, but last week i bunked the train the whole week due to lack of funds. Wasnt close to gettng caught so thinking of doing it permanantly.

    dont the train stations have barriers now
  • Same here in Maidstone. ZERO trains to London Bridge from Maidstone East soon, only Victoria. The regular users set up a petition/group etc but not sure if they got them to put the peak services back on.

    They claimed there was no demand for it but there was standing room only most days from West Malling!
  • Don't get me started - just forked out an extra 10 percent on my season ticket - South Eastern allowed to do this to pay for high speed link (other train operators restricted to inflation rate increases) however season ticket clearly states that its not valid on high speed services. So us Victoria and Cannon st commuters being forced to subsidise a line we will never use (and no-one else is prepared to use from what I've heard) and suffer from fewer trains.
  • edited November 2009
    [cite]Posted By: Ledge[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]I paid £160 per month for travel, but last week i bunked the train the whole week due to lack of funds. Wasnt close to gettng caught so thinking of doing it permanantly.

    dont the train stations have barriers now

    Bexleyheath station, the other side of the platforms gate is always open. So just enter via that side in the morning and cross the bridge. Then Charing X has an exit at the far end of the platforms if you walk up then down the stairs.
    Going home its really busy so very easy to just sneak through behind someone and pretend to swipe my oyster.

    Hope Dazzlers not reading this :-)
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  • it is a rip off. I would love to move out but the commute prices put me off, i like my 60 quid a month!
  • [cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: Ledge[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]I paid £160 per month for travel, but last week i bunked the train the whole week due to lack of funds. Wasnt close to gettng caught so thinking of doing it permanantly.

    dont the train stations have barriers now


    Going home its really busy so very easy to just sneak through behind someone and pretend to swipe my oyster.


    That will work until one day you go to rush through behind someone whose ticket doesn't work, they move out of the way to go and see an inspector to let them through leaving you standing there at the barrier looking a right plum.
  • [cite]Posted By: Chris_from_Sidcup[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: Ledge[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]I paid £160 per month for travel, but last week i bunked the train the whole week due to lack of funds. Wasnt close to gettng caught so thinking of doing it permanantly.

    dont the train stations have barriers now


    Going home its really busy so very easy to just sneak through behind someone and pretend to swipe my oyster.


    That will work until one day you go to rush through behind someone whose ticket doesn't work, they move out of the way to go and see an inspector to let them through leaving you standing there at the barrier looking a right plum.

    Like a plum thats saved a few quid. Just turn around and try someone else, its not difficult.
  • I know someone who does that constantly because he figures he saves more money not buying tickets than he pays in fines. Personally I think it would even out over time...
  • If you get caught its £20. Meaning you would need to be caught twice every five days to even itself up. The only way that would happen is if they start recognising me at Charing X. Then the way around that would be to just by a £2 ticket to Waterloo just to get through the barrier!
  • Gary - it's dodgers like you like contribute to the rising fares.

    Cheers.
  • I knew that was coming. Honestly, i doubt thats the reason.
  • Not the reason. A contributing one.
  • It's well worth it. I used to do that in my younger days, buy a monthly from waterloo east to charing cross, which was about £18 a month. Did it for over a year before i got a letter from Connex querying why i got that monthly ticket when i lived in welling. I had to go in for an interview in their offices at london bridge where they questioned why i bought that monthly ticket. I made up some story about getting a lift into town which they didn't really believe and they said they'd be in touch. About a month later i got another letter asking for over £1000 for the number of journeys they'd 'worked out' i'd made which would've meant me travelling on weekends, holidays etc so i sent one back asking them how they'd arrived at such a figure. Never heard a thing back but started to buy the correct monthly after that. But like Gary says it's easy enough to get away with it, if you've got the balls to do it.
  • edited November 2009
    The trains are constantly packed and they are now cutting the amount of services, whilst putting the prices up. They realise people need to get from A to B and in most cases will pay whatever the train company asks. Be interesting to see SouthEasterns turnover. If bunkers do add cost to other peoples journeys then i apologise but i do it cos i need to get to London every day, but i dont earn near enough money to weigh out £1900 a year on travel!
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  • tell you what annoys me - having paid for my monthly ticket if i go out later in the evening past 8pm or travel at a weekend they leave the gates open missing out on revenue for those non st holders.
  • I'm considering driving to work in Camden because the commute is hell.

    This morning - i think there was a train cancelled before my one (the fast new eltham to london one) as it was quite packed - although i have to stand up there was defo less room - so I'm quite tall and i make my way in and manage to get my hand on a post and then the train moves away. within 3 minutes and before we pull into the next station i am sweating so much due to the heater which is on the ceiling blowing hot air directly into my face. I nearly fainted. disgusting. last night the train home had heating on.

    is it necessary? even if you get on a train when its not packed there is no need for heaters as people are usually wrapped up enough!
  • Don't miss the trains one little bit.

    Commute on a Scooter. Door to door in 35 mins.

    Lovely.
  • I must admit my commute after the 13th is going to be fab. there is a gap of 1 hour 20 mins cannon street to charlton from 5.50 in the evenings. now there's one every few minutes... yeeha.

    god this thread is a millwall fans wet dream.
  • [cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]If you get caught its £20. Meaning you would need to be caught twice every five days to even itself up. The only way that would happen is if they start recognising me at Charing X. Then the way around that would be to just by a £2 ticket to Waterloo just to get through the barrier!

    Its stealing. Nothing to be proud of or brag about.
  • I havent physically taken anything from anybody and if you read my later post i try to explain myself. So cool your jets.
  • [cite]Posted By: suzisausage[/cite]I'm considering driving to work in Camden because the commute is hell.

    This morning - i think there was a train cancelled before my one (the fast new eltham to london one) as it was quite packed - although i have to stand up there was defo less room - so I'm quite tall and i make my way in and manage to get my hand on a post and then the train moves away. within 3 minutes and before we pull into the next station i am sweating so much due to the heater which is on the ceiling blowing hot air directly into my face. I nearly fainted. disgusting. last night the train home had heating on.

    is it necessary? even if you get on a train when its not packed there is no need for heaters as people are usually wrapped up enough!


    get on your bike Suze..
  • [cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]I havent physically taken anything from anybody and if you read my later post i try to explain myself. So cool your jets.

    Yes you have,a train ride and not paid for it.
  • Oh no, Lock me up.
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