___ MP House of Commons SW1A 0AA 12 October 2010

Dear ___ Changes in fares arrangements to Barbican and Moorgate

You may receive correspondence from constituents about rail fare changes to Barbican and Moorgate stations that are coming into force. I would like to explain to you what is happening and why. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on the number or email below.

In March 2009, the branch line from Farringdon station to Barbican and Moorgate was permanently closed. This was a decision taken by the Department for Transport to facilitate the Programme, a £5.5 billion programme of investment designed to tackle overcrowding for the 90 million people who use the Thameslink route every year on one of Britain’s busiest rail routes.

When the branch line closed, (FCC) customers had to complete their journey by other means. The most straightforward alternative was to take the which runs along the same path as the old Thameslink route branch line, from Farringdon to Barbican and Moorgate.

In recognition of this, the Department for Transport in 2009 agreed to fund the London Underground element of customers’ journeys. This was guaranteed for 24 months from the point of closure.

You may wonder why FCC did not simply reduce the ticket price when it stopped operating trains to Barbican and Moorgate, allowing customers to spend the balance funding the London Underground journey themselves. FCC could not do this because fares are the same to all central London stations between St Pancras International and London Blackfriars. Furthermore, FCC makes no savings by not running to Barbican or Moorgate that could be passed on to customers in the form of a lower ticket price – in fact the loss of the branch line removed what was a very useful terminus north of the river which FCC could use for split services in times of disruption in the core cross-London route.

The Department for Transport’s funding for this London Underground element of the journey to Barbican and Moorgate comes to an end on 22 March 2011. This means that FCC has not been able to sell an annual season ticket to Barbican or Moorgate since 23 March 2010. Shorter length season tickets are available up to 22 March 2011 at the usual discounted rates for such lengths of time. As more people come to renew their season tickets, more will become aware of the change.

Fewer than 0.9% of the estimated 210,000 people who use the Thameslink route travel have this type of ticket. However, those that do could face a significant additional annual fee for the purchase of a if they choose to continue to travel to either Barbican or Moorgate by London Underground.

Customers can instead walk from Farringdon (8 minutes to Barbican, 18 minutes to Moorgate at a medium pace), or cycle (a new bicycle rack has been installed at City Thameslink in Pilgrim Street). There are also buses from St Pancras International and City Thameslink. There is extensive information about alternative methods of travel on the website www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk.

The limited 24 month period was advertised through leaflets handed out at Barbican and Moorgate when the branch closed in 2009 and it has been featured on the Thameslink Programme website ever since.

As we approach the 22 March 2011 end date additional efforts are being made to communicate the change through the FCC website and rail user groups.

The Thameslink Programme that necessitated the branch line closure will make a massive difference to customers on the Bedford to Brighton line. Thanks to the programme there are already:

• 92 new air-conditioned Electrostar carriages in service • almost 5,000 extra seats at the busiest times of the day and • new routes across London to destinations in Kent.

In December next year, the first 50% longer 12-carriage trains will enter service offering a further 1,500 seats at stations north of St Albans at the busiest times of the day. A brand new fleet of trains is currently scheduled to follow later, delivering still further significant capacity improvements.

Yours sincerely,

Roger Perkins Thameslink Programme Communications Manager First Capital Connect 020 7427 2086 [email protected]