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Train ticket advice - for Apprentice

Justin20474Justin20474
in Not Sports Related
My son has just started an apprenticeship scheme in Canary Wharf and we live in Dartford. The cost for standard travelcard is £55 p/week circa 30% of his weekly wage. If we lived in a London Borough he would receive discounted travel as an apprentice however as we are just outside it he just misses this benefit. Are any of you train loving people aware of any scheme that he could sign up to that could reduce his travel costs?

Before you all start, no, I am NOT moving.

Comments

  • WilmaWilma
    Young Persons Railcard?

    https://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/
  • se9addickse9addick
    Justin20474 said:

    My son has just started an apprenticeship scheme in Canary Wharf and we live in Dartford. The cost for standard travelcard is £55 p/week circa 30% of his weekly wage. If we lived in a London Borough he would receive discounted travel as an apprentice however as we are just outside it he just misses this benefit. Are any of you train loving people aware of any scheme that he could sign up to that could reduce his travel costs?

    Before you all start, no, I am NOT moving.

    18-25 (or 18-30 I think now) travelcard might help?
  • se9addickse9addick
    https://www.16-25railcard.co.uk

    It’s 16-25 and gets you 1/3 off of rail fares.
  • Justin20474Justin20474
    Wilma said:

    Young Persons Railcard?

    https://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/

    Thanks, he needs to travel during normal rush hour and what I believe from a rail card is that it cannot be used during peak travel.
  • se9addickse9addick
    Justin20474 said:

    Wilma said:

    Young Persons Railcard?

    https://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/

    Thanks, he needs to travel during normal rush hour and what I believe from a rail card is that it cannot be used during peak travel.
    Not sure that’s true - I just used their site and it says that with a rail card a normal rush hour ticket from London Bridge to Eltham would be £3.55 rather than the normal £5.40.

    Worth looking into.
  • ChizzChizz
    How many days and hours a week is your son going to be working?

    It seems like his salary might be less than the statutory minimum wage. In which case they should be paying him more; or, at least, be persuaded to cover some or all of his travel costs.

  • Justin20474Justin20474
    Just confirmed this:

    Can I use my 16-25 Railcard at any time of day?
    A: Yes you can. However, for all journeys made between 4.30am and 10am Monday to Friday a minimum fare of £12 is payable. There is no minimum fare when you travel at weekends, on Public Holidays, or during July and August.

    If you travel regularly before 10 am, then a weekly or monthly season ticket may be more appropriate, though you won’t be able to get a Railcard discount.
  • iaitchiaitch
    Just checked the railcard website and 16-25 railcard covers these fares.

    Standard Anytime and Anytime Day Singles and Returns

    Standard Off-Peak and Off-Peak Day Singles and Returns

    Standard Super Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak Day Singles and Returns

    Standard and First Class Advance*

    Most Rail Rovers fares
    Gatwick Express, Stansted Express, Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect Services
    Oyster Off-Peak pay as you go Daily Price Cap and Off-Peak pay as you go single fares for journeys on National Rail, London Underground and Docklands Light Railway
    Off-Peak Day Travelcard Zones 1-6 and some ticket types offered by individual train companies - please enquire locally for details (subject to minimum fare of £8.30)
    Anytime Day Travelcard Zones 1-6 when bought as part of ticket to London from outside the London Zones area (subject to minimum fare of £18.10)
  • iaitchiaitch
    Forget all that, it doesn't cover Travelcard Season Tickets which is what he wants, apologies.
  • bobmunrobobmunro
    edited December 2018
    Chizz said:

    How many days and hours a week is your son going to be working?

    It seems like his salary might be less than the statutory minimum wage. In which case they should be paying him more; or, at least, be persuaded to cover some or all of his travel costs.

    The statutory minimum wage for an apprentice is £3.70 ph - seems they are meeting that.
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  • _MrDick_MrDick
    Justin20474 said:

    My son has just started an apprenticeship scheme in Canary Wharf and we live in Dartford. The cost for standard travelcard is £55 p/week circa 30% of his weekly wage. If we lived in a London Borough he would receive discounted travel as an apprentice however as we are just outside it he just misses this benefit. Are any of you train loving people aware of any scheme that he could sign up to that could reduce his travel costs?

    Before you all start, no, I am NOT moving.

    Get him to apply for a loan from the Bank of Mum and Dad. That's what my son does :cry:
  • se9addickse9addick
    bobmunro said:

    Chizz said:

    How many days and hours a week is your son going to be working?

    It seems like his salary might be less than the statutory minimum wage. In which case they should be paying him more; or, at least, be persuaded to cover some or all of his travel costs.

    The statutory minimum wage for an apprentice is £3.70 ph - seems they are meeting that.
    It should at the very least be that + expenses, crazy otherwise.
  • Justin20474Justin20474
    _MrDick said:

    Justin20474 said:

    My son has just started an apprenticeship scheme in Canary Wharf and we live in Dartford. The cost for standard travelcard is £55 p/week circa 30% of his weekly wage. If we lived in a London Borough he would receive discounted travel as an apprentice however as we are just outside it he just misses this benefit. Are any of you train loving people aware of any scheme that he could sign up to that could reduce his travel costs?

    Before you all start, no, I am NOT moving.

    Get him to apply for a loan from the Bank of Mum and Dad. That's what my son does :cry:
    I can see that this is where this is going but i want explore any other opportunity first before putting my hand in my pocket.
  • palarsehaterpalarsehater
    when i was an apprentice i was paid 582 a month and my travel was around the 172 mark, but the longer i stayed the higher my wages went up. we have apprentices now and do not cover there travelling becuase ultimately a fully qaulified plumber can earn 28-40k a year.
  • Justin20474Justin20474
    palarsehater said:

    when i was an apprentice i was paid 582 a month and my travel was around the 172 mark, but the longer i stayed the higher my wages went up. we have apprentices now and do not cover there travelling becuase ultimately a fully qaulified plumber can earn 28-40k a year.

    There is no question that if/when he is allowed to get to the end of his apprenticeship he will earn well and the cost of travel won't be an issue.
  • palarsehaterpalarsehater
    Justin20474 said:

    palarsehater said:

    when i was an apprentice i was paid 582 a month and my travel was around the 172 mark, but the longer i stayed the higher my wages went up. we have apprentices now and do not cover there travelling becuase ultimately a fully qaulified plumber can earn 28-40k a year.

    There is no question that if/when he is allowed to get to the end of his apprenticeship he will earn well and the cost of travel won't be an issue.
    but if you are learning a skill for life i don't think 70/30 split is that bad obviously i do not know if you charge rent etc or nor is it none of my business.
  • WilmaWilma
    MrLargo said:


    Not sure what the ticket barrier situation's like at Dartford, but if you can sneak him on at that end without a ticket, he could get a train to St Johns (no barriers, no inspectors) and then walk 5 minutes to Deptford Bridge and get the DLR to Canary Wharf in 12 minutes. Good luck!

    The barrier is usually in operation and staffed with plenty of employees looking at their phones and occasionally looking up to see if any customers might need help. Difficult to get through without a ticket though.
  • CroydonCroydon
    bobmunro said:

    Chizz said:

    How many days and hours a week is your son going to be working?

    It seems like his salary might be less than the statutory minimum wage. In which case they should be paying him more; or, at least, be persuaded to cover some or all of his travel costs.

    The statutory minimum wage for an apprentice is £3.70 ph - seems they are meeting that.
    takes the piss that
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  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    look on the bright side, each way at £55 a week is only £5.50 .. the fact is that fares during working hours are a rip off and there is no easy (legal) way to get round them .. he's living at home (presumably) and after fares still has over £100 a week in his pocket. Just don't charge him too much B & B
  • killerandflashkillerandflash
    The only cheaper option I can think off (if he's buying a travelcard) if to get one from zone 4/5/6 instead of Dartford, and use the red bus to get from Dartford to that starting station (which is included)

    Slower but cheaper. When I lived at home in Dartford I sometimes travelled from Crayford instead for that reason.
  • Justin20474Justin20474
    Lincsaddick said:

    look on the bright side, each way at £55 a week is only £5.50 .. the fact is that fares during working hours are a rip off and there is no easy (legal) way to get round them .. he's living at home (presumably) and after fares still has over £100 a week in his pocket. Just don't charge him too much B & B

    He is fortunate that we can support him, to an extent.
  • iainmentiainment
    edited December 2018
    He could cycle. Either all the way or to an intermediate station.
  • CarterCarter
    It's always been rough for apprentices and young people going into work. Dartford to canary wharf though would be worth thinking about the coach. Have to get an early one to avoid the heinous A2 but the coach drivers are among the worst offenders for flying down the Falconwood slip lane then holding every poor sod who is heading into Eltham and Falconwood up while they wait to be let back in so he should be ok

    55 quid a week sounds a lot but the real price is using southeastern trains.
  • LenGloverLenGlover
    iainment said:

    He could cycle. Either all the way or to an intermediate station.

    Don't plumbers have tools?

    Maybe not if his training is classroom based.
  • iainmentiainment
    LenGlover said:

    iainment said:

    He could cycle. Either all the way or to an intermediate station.

    Don't plumbers have tools?

    Maybe not if his training is classroom based.
    Pannier bags or cargo bike would cater for that.
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