Surely peak and off peak prices equates to a congestion charge already - or is that to simple for these great minds to work out.
Mary | 06.23.05 - 3:54 pm | #

"we generally all need to be in the same place at the same time"

Why? A huge proportion of commutery jobs could just as easily be done from 7-3 or 11-7 (depending on the employee's preference) instead of 9-5; many could be done from home at least some days a week.

Bringing pricing into line with supply of space, on roads and rail alike, should hopefully encourage people and employers to actually make this happen...
john b | Homepage | 06.27.05 - 10:12 am | #

"Why?"

I have never worked in a office where I had the choice of working hours or the option to work from home when it suited me.

Every job I have had, I have been contracted to do the standard office hours of 9 to 5:30. It has never been my employers concern where I live or how I get to work, only that I get there on time. That attitude amongst employers is not going to change overnight.

Whacking up peak time rail fares when the majority of people do not have a choice is simply profit-mongering. It will also lead to inflationary wage pressures when employees look to their employers to help cover the cost of getting to work.

The train companies are pretending to play "Amateur Social Engineers" when the real bottom line for them is profit.
Allan Scullion | Homepage | 06.27.05 - 11:52 am | #

"I have never worked in a office where I had the choice of working hours or the option to work from home when it suited me."

Quite. If it becomes unsustainable for employers not to offer such a choice, then they'll obviously be far more likely to do so than presently, which can only be good for all concerned.

Certainly in London, the levels of flexibility that employers offer have increased dramatically over the last 5-10 years, and it's a trend that'll only continue...
john b | Homepage | 06.27.05 - 12:13 pm | #

"If it becomes unsustainable for employers not to offer such a choice"

I fail to see at what point it would become "unsustainable" for employers.

If travelling to work becomes unsustainable for the employee then the employer has a choice: Be more flexible or hire somebody else who lives locally. The cynic in me sees the latter happening more often than the former.

I agree with the thrust of your argument. In an ideal world, employers would be more flexible and as a result the load capacity of our travelling infrastructure could be better balanced.

I don't agree that raising peak time fares is the best way to achieve this.
Allan Scullion | Homepage | 06.27.05 - 12:30 pm | #