Latest commitments from First Great Western

Wed 4 Mar 2009, 09:48

If FGW have dropped the 8% (rounded up from the 7.5% that was agreed with the DfT for this year), it means that their performance within London & Thames Valley on a rolling annual basis (that has always been worked out on 13 4-week periods) is now above the Passenger charter level for discounts.

This average covers the previous 52 weeks, so season ticket holders have already had 52 weeks of averagely above charter performance, regardless unfortunately of how it seems.

This average will apply for the following 4 weeks until the average is again recalculated at the end of this period. As soon as this average drops below the discount level, FGW will again offer that discount until it rises above the discount level again. And so it will go on. Normally this discount would be 5%, but up until now, since January 26th, they have increased this by 50% to 7.5% (which is rounded up to 8%, because the software can't handle the .5%!).

Whether the 8% will be on offer should the average drop again is a moot point - I need to check. But definitely 5%.

For a season ticket to be a 'renewal', rather than a new purchase, the new season must follow immediately on from the expiry date of the old one. (There is an allowance made for holidays - so you could renew say, two weeks after this expiry date if you have arranged a holiday to follow an expired season).

However, you can only renew a few days in advance of it expiring, and again, it must follow on from the old ticket (subject to the paragraph above). If the discount is available at the time of renewing, you get it, but you do not have much choice as to when you renew. Leave it too long after the expiry of the old one and it's no longer classed as a renewal, but a fresh purchase. And you can't renew it say, a month prior to expiry - they'll just tell you to return nearer the expiry date.

All this applies to both monthly & annual renewals.

Jenny G - If your ticket expires this December, you should have renewed last December? You would then have received the higher 10% discount which was being offered prior to January 26th. There was no further guarantee of any discount on your next renewal this December should the FGW average referred to above is above the discount level. *IF*, and only if, it is below the discount level at renewal time, then you should be offered the 5% (and possibly the better 8%).