Request ID: FOI-1992-2324 Date published: 28 September 2023
You asked
Dear Sirs
From a third party source, I understand the following:
"For Monday to Friday the day is split into five periods with four different meanings as follows:
Time of Touch In / Actual Rate Charged / Counts towards which price cap(s)
04:30-06:30 / Off-peak / Anytime
06:30-09:30 / Peak / Anytime
09:30-16:00 / Off-peak Anytime / Off-peak
16:00-19:00 / Peak Anytime / Off-peak
19:00-04:30 / Off-peak Anytime / Off-peak"
Please confirm and provide the relevant documentation if you hold the information regarding the follow queries:
1. Please confirm if some or all of the above information is accurate.
2. Please provide the document outlining the above as I cannot find any reference to it on your website.
3. For journeys touched in between 04:30-06:30, what is the rationale for them to be counted towards anytime price cap, and how does it work in practice?
4. For journeys touched in between 16:00-19:00, what is the rationale for them to be counted towards off-peak price cap, and how does it work in practice?
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.
We answered
TfL Ref: 1992-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 7 September 2023 asking for information about Pay As You Go (PAYG) daily capping.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. Your questions and our replies are as follows: From a third party source, I understand the following:
"For Monday to Friday the day is split into five periods with four different meanings as follows:
Time of Touch In / Actual Rate Charged / Counts towards which price cap(s)
3. For journeys touched in between 04:30-06:30, what is the rationale for them to be counted towards anytime price cap, and how does it work in practice? The daily caps are set jointly with the Train Operating Companies. Peak and off-peak times are aligned with those for Day Travelcards, where any journey starting between the start of service (or 04.30 for 24 hour services) and 09.30 is considered as being in the morning peak period.
4. For journeys touched in between 16:00-19:00, what is the rationale for them to be counted towards off-peak price cap, and how does it work in practice? As with Day Travelcards, off-peak caps are valid in the afternoon peak period.
For both questions 3 and 4, the way capping works that the running total of fares charged is kept for both the whole day period and the off-peak only period. If better value is achieved by either the off-peak cap plus any individual fares for travel in the peak period, then the cap would be applied once it is reached. If the peak cap is reached first (which applies all day), then this is applied. This ensures that the best price for the day’s travel is charged.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Sara Thomas FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
