Virgin is secretly limiting cheap seats, MP claims

13 April 2012

Virgin Trains has been accused of "exploiting" passengers by secretly restricting the availability of discount tickets.

The rail firm has placed a strict cut-off time for "advance" fares on many West Coast Main Line services even if its allocation has not all been sold.

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Details of the policy are contained in a memo to ticket office staff obtained by Labour MP for Carlisle Eric Martlew.

The firm was losing potential revenue by allowing passengers to get cheaper fares nearer the day of the journey even though they were prepared to pay " considerably more", it said. The policy, which came into effect this year, was also needed to tackle overcrowding on the Euston to Glasgow line, it claimed.

It means the cheapest London to Glasgow standard single fare - the £17.50 Advance C - is unavailable within 35 days of departure from Monday to Friday. Other discount fares - at £28.50 and £38.50 - disappear after 28 days and one week, meaning the cheapest ticket available less than a week in advance costs £97.20.

People wanting to travel north from the capital on a Friday have to book at least four weeks in advance to take advantage of any of those fares.

Mr Martlew accused the firm of seeking to exploit rising demand for rail journeys. He said he would raise the changes with ministers and the Commons transport select committee, of which he is a member.

He said: "This is a deliberate ploy and it's another example of the franchise system not working."

The MP, who chairs the all-party rail group, said he wanted to see rail services transferred to a not-for-profit company.

Virgin Trains said the changes were needed to achieve a " delicate balance between providing cheap seats while not creating overcrowding". The policy only applies to services starting or finishing south of Crewe.

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