Rail fury at limits on a London day (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Rail fury at limits on a London day

RAIL passengers travelling to London from the Cotswolds for the January sales will face new limits on cheap day returns and increased fares from next week.

From next Tuesday, Cotswold Line operator First Great Western (FGW) is introducing new restrictions on cheap day returns, which mean passengers will no longer be able to travel back from Paddington at peak times.

Previously passengers buying cheap day returns for travel beyond Oxford could come back on any train but under the new rules they are no longer valid on the 5.22pm, the 5.52pm and the 6.22pm out of Paddington.

At the same time, the train operator is increasing the price of cheap day returns from £22.50 to £23.40 from Moreton to Paddington and from £27.30 to £28.40 from Evesham to Paddington.

The move has infuriated members of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, which earlier this month wrote a strongly-worded letter to FGW managing director Alison Forster demanding an explanation for the changes.

"We're still awaiting a reply," said the group's promotions officer Oliver Lovell, who described the changes as "monstrous".

"We feel First Great Western has scored an own goal. They didn't consult us and, as they are currently going through a sticky patch in terms of reliability, this just adds salt to the wound," said Mr Lovell, who lives in Moreton.

Cheap day returns are valid only on trains arriving in London after 10am, which means that the earliest train on which such tickets can be used is the 8.42am from Worcester, which leaves Moreton at 9.20am, arriving in London at 10.55am.

Under the new rules, cheap day return passengers will have to return home either on the 4.18pm from Paddington or wait an additional three hours to get the 7.18pm train.

Mr Lovell fears the new restrictions will drive some passengers to abandon the Cotswold Line in favour of the Chiltern Line, where there are no limits on return travel.

FGW spokesman Tim Bowcock said the new restrictions brought the Cotswold line into line with other routes to South Wales and Bristol.

He admitted some routes still retained the easement allowing passengers unrestricted return but said these applied only to longer-distance routes to Cornwall and beyond Swansea.

"There is a value in being able to travel out of London at peak times. We try to align ticket prices to the value of service," said Mr Bowcock.

He added that Alison Forster would be responding to the promotion group's letter shortly.