Public transport - Peak fares

barbiedoll

I do get OP's point, anyone who works a "normal" 9-5 shift (or 8-4 or 10-6) is penalised by the peak fares. Of course it doesn't stop overcrowding, there simply aren't enough trains/carriages to carry the amount of morning and evening commuters. I live in the London Zone 4, by the time that my train gets into the next station, the passengers have to stand, the seats are all full. No-one in their right mind would choose to travel like this, I'm guessing that more than 90% of passengers on peak time morning trains don't have a "choice", they have to get to work on time.

Anyone who uses the trains to go shopping or take the kids out, wouldn't dream of using the peak time trains, even if the fares were the same price as the "off-peak" tickets.

It's not exactly the law of "supply and demand", it's more the law of "let's see how much we can wring out of the workers" :mad:

And moving nearer to work isn't really a viable option for everyone who works in Central London, is it? We're not all City bankers!

lindopski_2

I am 35 and passed my driving test 3 years ago, I left it for so long as public transport was fairly good and I had no need to travel that far from home.
as time has gone on I have had to travel further away from home to get a reasonable job, so I had to start to drive instead.
Public transport would mean two buses and a train journey taking an overall 2 hours each way - or a 30 minute drive in a car, I bought a car and passed my test.
Peak time is still quite viable as most traffic lurks at those peak times, If I leave for work 30 minutes late, I am usually only about 5 minutes late the other end as there is far less traffic due to most people already being in work - sadly flexi time is still a new/forbidden word in my office or I would do 9.15 till 5.15 every day.