Part-time season tickets for part-time workers: what do you think?

[RowanMumsnet]

There's been some noise recently about the possibility of rail companies selling part-time season tickets to people who work, er, part-time. At the moment, season tickets cost the same amount whether they are used three, four or five working days a week, meaning that those who work part-time pay more per commuting journey than their full-time counterparts.

The arguments for part-time season tickets are summarised in this blog post by the Campaign for Better Transport, but here's a quick run-down:

women are more likely to work part-time than men are, so some have argued that this is a matter of gender equality;
a part-time worker in the south-east would save an estimated £700-£1400 per year on the cost of commuting into London (other cities are available );
cheaper journeys for part-time commuters would make it easier for parents to work flexibly, including (if it suits them) from home;
more people working flexibly, including from home, would help to ease congestion on overcrowded rush-hour commuter routes.

We'd be interested to hear whether you all think this sounds like a sensible proposal, or whether you think that part-time workers need to take the rough with the smooth.

Do please use this thread to tell us what you think. (And if you feel strongly that you like the idea and would like to support the Campaign for Better Transport's campaign on it, have a look at this link.)

Thanks
MNHQ

[Vinomum]

Brilliant idea which would definitely have my backing. I pay £20 per day to get into London 3 days per week which is not that much less than I used to pay when I worked full-time and got a season ticket. Current system is totally unfair and needs changing.

[MsAspreyDiamonds]

I commute 4 days into London & a part time season ticket would be really helpful. Currently I pay 220 per month plus my childminders fee, I am left with hardly any money at the end of the.month.

[zipzap]

Another vote for a carnet system, especially if they could last for a year if you were to say buy 40 at once (and that would be cheaper than buying a set of 10 just like a monthly pass is cheaper than a weekly pass).

I can see that the train companies might be a bit worried that this would be too successful though - most commuter trains are already stuffed to the gills, if you get a load of people who only work 2 or 3 days a week using the train once the price isn't prohibitive due to the way it currently favours full time workers then they are going to potentially have to find more peak time capacity which they are already struggling with.

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

Wow, really? I don't break even on a weekly before 3.5 days ie seven journeys.

[Lexie1970]

I think the idea of a carnet scheme, which had peak and off-peak options and at least 1 month, ideally 3 month validity would be helpful.

I work 3 days a week and live in norfolk and commute to Cambridge.

[BranchingOut]

It seems like a good plan, but I am not sure how the pricing would work out.

I commute into London and if I go in two days per week, it is better for me to buy daily tickets - approx £20 per day. If I go in three days per week it is better for me to buy a £52.00 weekly.

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

I would like Carnets or a prepay discount. Or even just to be able to prepay so I don't have to queue so much.

[EeyoreIsh]

A part time season ticket would be great. Before baby I travelled into London 4 days a week but had to pay the same as other commuters who used the train everyday.

When I return from maternity leave I'll be travelling in 3 days a week, it'll just about work out cheaper to get a season ticket than peak individual tickets, but I'll be paying so much more than I should.

[ImAThrillseekerHoney]

The train companies are not fully competitive market entities - they hold their quasi-monopolistic licences by negotiation with the government. The current state of play is quite regressive in its effect so yes, I think either a part-timers' travel card or carnets would be a great step forward. I think they're pretty close to implementation in London aren't they? (Though of course the oyster already sort of has that effect)

[catsrus]

I do like the carnet idea - but without a time limit on when they can be used (i only need to buy the full price ticket if I have a morning meeting or have to travel to the midlands) It suits me to work flexibly and go in late and stay late some days, I also work on the train in the morning. The full rush hour fare is a mind boggling £56 day, i can get that down to £15 if I'm working lunchtime - late.

[ConcreteElephant]

Same as Fuckwittery here. Childcare and commute pretty much wipe out my part-time salary so any saving is very welcome.

I spent enough money in the years I was an annual season ticket holder, enjoying the delights of Thameslink and then FCC that I feel I've earned a helpful ticket deal now I'm part-time!

I keep meaning to work it out but I wonder sometimes if the carnet is better even than season tickets because the saving on season tickets could be wiped out by the fact that you probably don't use the trains while on annual leave anyway. I love being able to buy off-peak for my journey home and have arranged my working hours accordingly - which is what the train companies want to encourage - so it works for them.

[MackerelOfFact]

But surely season tickets are a discount for those who use the system most - ie. those who travel to the extent that buying daily tickets would stack up to more than the cost of the equivalent season ticket? If you work part-time, you're using the system less, so you don't get the discount - it's like any economy of scale, surely?

Although I agree that train tickets are hideously overpriced, I don't think it's up to the TOCs to subsidise part-time workers. The onus should be on employers to allow flexible working so employees can travel off-peak and access cheaper travel should they wish.

[territt]

Mon-Fri commuters are already subsidizing those that travel on weekends/off peak. Why should part time workers be any different?

[BackOnlyBriefly]

It's a great idea, but why would the rail companies want to charge less? I always thought their ideal would be just running one train per day for one single passenger, but that passenger paying hundreds of millions for the privilege.

It would have to mean that a lot more people bought tickets who don't already. If it just meant every part time worker paid less it would surely be a disaster for them.

[RowanMumsnet]

Thanks very much for all your thoughts - anyone else?

[purpleroses]

I think the current system is really unfair and the lack of part time season tickets are what prevent me from progressing in my career. The finances of commuting stack up fine if I was to work full time. But if I want to be part time or work from home part time I would have to pay the same cost of travel as if I was going in 5 days a week.

[BackforGood]

x posted with many - yup, like suggested above

[BackforGood]

What GoblinChild said.
Lots of people would like the slightly discounted prices achieved by being able to but a card / book of 10 tickets to use when they needed them, but where I live discounts are only available if you but a weekly or monthly pass, which works out more expensive than individual tickets 2 days or 3 days, but a lot more expensive per journey than those who use the pass every day.
We live very close to a train station, but tickets bought individually are so expensive we don't use the train anywhere near as much as we would if we could get a "regular user" or "bulk buy" deal like this.

[Waggamamma]

I live in Scotland and my train line offer a version of this. It's called a flexi pass. It is ten single journey tickets that must be used within a month (a carnet? ). I work 3 days per week and it saves me about £2 per day.

It works for me and I don't understand why other companies don't offer it.

[NotCitrus]

What about bringing back the Carnet - pay for 10 journeys, get 1 or 2 free?
Or extending Oyster's reach beyond Zone 6?

Probably wouldn't help me financially as while I work 3 days a week travelling before 9.30 so no Oyster discount, I can get a Disabled Railcard discount if I buy a paper ticket on the day. Which is not only a right faff but half the reason I have a Railcard is that it's hard for me to manipulate machines. So being able to buy a dozen tickets at a time would be really helpful.

A set number of journeys should be easier to create than ensuring a ticket is only valid on set days.

[Goblinchild]

Yes twofingers, that's what I was thinking of. But new and shiny with an electronic chip thingy for scanning.

[turkeyboots]

Fab idea, I totally support it. An annual season ticket from my house to work is £8k. A part time option would be great, as you really have to travelling every day to get value from the current season ticket.