Costs of tickets on the Southminster Branch Line

A direct comparison of the costs of season tickets during 2004 to Southminster and Southend Victoria show there were very significant differences. The costs during 2005 do not seem to be available on the web, but I have no reason to belive the differences will be reduced this year.

Monthly and weekly tickets show a similar pattern. A full list of costs of weekly, monthly, and annual season tickets to/from London could at one time be found on 'One's web site, but this is no longer the case (or at least not to my knowledge). The fact that travelling to South Woodham Ferrers used to cost £100 more than to Southend Victoria is very unfair. Apparently the difference in cost is because Southend has two train lines, one of which is managed by c2c The prices are lower on the c2c line (despite the much newer trains), so 'one' have to keep Southend Victoria fares low to compete for customers. It should be noted that both one and c2c and part of the National Express group of companies, which also owns the Stanstead Express, Silverlink, Wessex trains, and many more companies in the UK, USA and Australia. The group has 43,000 employees, so is not a small group.

Someone at onerailway seems to think this is an average difference of just 1.4% for the same mileage, as this reply to Christine Drew would suggest after she complained to one. I'm not quire sure how he arrives at that figure, as I reckon it is more like 5%, although have not worked it out carefully.