 Back in July, we reported that Transport for London (TfL) had given notice of their intention to pull out of the Travelcard agreement with train operators for Day Travelcards. The background was a financial shortfall at TfL, who felt they received an inadequate share of the ticket revenue. This meant the Day Travelcard – though not the season ticket versions – was to be withdrawn from 21st January 2024. Along with many others, including rail user groups and local authorities, we in Harborough Rail Users considered this a seriously retrograde step. We made representations both to TfL and to our MP, Neil O’Brien, urging a reversal of the decision. The Travelcard is one of the best examples of integrated transport this country has; one simple ticket giving return rail travel to London and unlimited local rail, tube, tram and bus travel throughout the relevant fare zones plus discounts on the Thames Clipper river buses. We were therefore delighted to hear on 25th October that TfL and the Rail Delivery Group had come to an agreement such that the Day Travelcard would continue to be available. According to Rail Minister Huw Merriman, the deal came after ‘government intervention’. However, from 24th March 2024 there will be 3% one-off increase on the price of a Travelcard on top of the annual fare increase. Earlier this year, the Mayor of London announced a proposal to withdraw from the Day Travelcard arrangement with train operators, including EMR. Harborough Rail Users submitted a response to the public ‘engagement’ on this, identifying that the Day Travelcard is a popular and useful ticket, both for day-trippers and for part-time commuters. We urged retention of the Day Travelcard, especially given that the whole question was in the context of the Government’s funding settlement for Transport for London (TfL).
On 21st July 2023, however, TfL announced that the Mayor had “…reluctantly instructed us to give the required minimum six months’ notice to withdraw from the relevant provisions of the Travelcard agreement”. TfL’s statement goes on to say: “While this six-month process is now underway, it is important that we are clear this remains reversible and does not therefore mean that Day Travelcards will be withdrawn. We and the Mayor remain open to discussing all options with both the Department for Transport, the Rail Delivery Group and the train operating companies, but in a way which would allow us to continue to meet the requirements of the government funding agreement. The existing daily pay as you go caps on contactless or Oyster, which are used by the overwhelming majority of those travelling, will not be affected by this. We would like to reassure you that while these discussions take place Day Travelcards will remain available.” Harborough Rail Users see this as very bad news. We hope the decision will be reversed. If the Day Travelcard actually is withdrawn, we will press for an equivalent day return ticket to London. We would want to ensure that the many people who use Day Travelcards can continue to enjoy a day in London, using Oyster or Contactless payment, at an equivalent cost and level of flexibility as they can now. The train operating companies, both individually such as EMR, and collectively through the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), launched a consultation on a proposal to close most station ticket offices throughout the country. They state that only 12% of ticket sales are now made at ticket offices; EMR say that only 5% of their tickets are sold this way. The majority of tickets are now sold online or via mobile phone apps, or at self-service ticket machines. The instigator of this proposal is the Government, which wants to reduce costs and ‘modernise customer service’. The stated aim is not to de-staff the stations; rather, it is to bring ticket office staff out from behind the glass and into more wide-ranging ‘customer help’ roles around the station. There is a parallel here with the changes recently seen in the banks and supermarkets. More on the RDG’s position can be found here: https://media.raildeliverygroup.com/news/proposals-to-update-the-railway-for-how-passengers-use-it-today However, the proposals are proving controversial. We in Harborough Rail Users accept modernisation on the railways just as much as anywhere else. For Market Harborough, the proposal is to close the ticket office and to reduce staffing hours at the beginning and end of the operating day. Staff will still be available to assist passengers, but we also wonder about the implications for them if the ticket office is closed. Will they be expected to be on their feet all day in the booking hall as well as their duties on the platforms? In any case, our station team are already multi-skilled, undertaking various customer-facing duties around the station. We therefore have serious concerns about the implications of what is proposed, both for station users and the staff. Among these are:
 Window of opportunity: the ticket office staff provides much advice and assistance to passengers as well as simple selling tickets, plus other services such as longer-term season tickets and the accompanying photocards; refunds, and cycle-hub fob keys; none of which are available through the ticket machines. Will the full range of services still be available at the station if the ticket office closes? Photo: Steve Jones Have your say. Please respond to the consultation, DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FRIDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER:
You can also write to your MP. Contact email addresses for our local MPs are:
 The two self-service ticket machines in the booking hall at Market Harborough. These are quite versatile, selling a wide range of tickets. The one on the right accepts cash as well as card payments. There are two more, card-only, machines in the car park kiosk. They all sell most tickets, but not everything that is available through the ticket office. They can also be temperamental; for example, they have been known not to accept railcards, or issue pre-purchased tickets. Photo: Steve Jones We are not opposed to modernisation, but it must be done in a way that does not disadvantage anyone. The railway is a public service that must be accessible and available to all.
 Do you use London Day Travelcards from Market Harborough?
If so, are you aware there is a risk that they may be withdrawn? The Government’s funding settlement for Transport for London (TfL) requires TfL “to develop and implement changes that will generate between £0.5-£1.0bn per year of additional revenue from 2023”. (Source: TfL website – see link below.) One option was to withdraw all Travelcards, but that has been rejected for weekly and longer-term Travelcards. However, Day Travelcards may yet be withdrawn, such that “Customers travelling from outside London would have to pay for their journey to a London train station and then use PAYG (Pay As You Go) or buy paper tickets to travel on TfL services”. (TfL) We acknowledge that payment for travel within London by Oyster card or contactless bank card is easy and can even be cheaper for some passengers than a Travelcard. However, a Day Travelcard add-on to a rail ticket from Market Harborough is simple and understandable, with the total cost fixed when you buy the ticket. If Day Travelcards are withdrawn, we are concerned about:
(1) Where the Secretary of State considers that-- (a) the transport strategy (or any part of it) is inconsistent with national policies relating to transport, and (b) the inconsistency is detrimental to any area outside Greater London, he may direct the Mayor to make such revisions of the transport strategy in order to remove the inconsistency as may be specified in the direction. We contend that withdrawing Day Travelcards would be inconsistent with national policies relating to encouraging use of public transport, and that it would be detrimental to Market Harborough and many other areas outside Greater London. If you share these concerns:
Deadline extended: this now closes on 6th June 2023
Do you use London Travelcards from Market Harborough? And, if so, are you aware that there is a possibility that they may be withdrawn? This arises as part of the Government’s Transport for London (TfL) Funding Settlement, dated 25th February 2022, which requires TfL to move towards financial sustainability post-pandemic. One of the requirements is “consideration of potential new sources of income”, and among these is “New revenue streams”. So far, so good, but one element of this is that: “TfL will provide to DfT an impact assessment on different passenger groups of the withdrawal from the travelcard agreement prior to commencing with the withdrawal” The impact assessment is to be completed by 29th April, and the Mayor of London is required to commence a public consultation by 27th May. We in Harborough Rail Users have written to Neil O’Brien, MP for Harborough, expressing concern about the possible withdrawal of London Travelcards. Concerns include:
 Gateway to London. EMR Meridian units line up at St Pancras on 12th May 2021. By coincidence, 12th May is Saint Pancras' Day! The parish of St Pancras was named after Saint Pancras, a 14-year-old boy who had converted to Christianity and would not renounce his faith. As a result, he was beheaded by Emperor Diocletian in Rome in 304AD. He is the patron saint of children. Pancras is a Greek name meaning 'the one that holds everything'. With its mix of tubes plus local, regional, intercity, domestic high-speed and international high-speed rail services, and a freight terminal just outside, it is a good name for our London terminus!
Photo: Steve Jones |
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