Just not fare

SIR - The farce of FCC s Integration and Partnership Manager trying to defend the mean practice of forcing people on to all-station stopping trains to avoid paying full fares when returning at popular times in the evening will hopefully soon come to an en

SIR - The farce of FCC's Integration and Partnership Manager trying to defend the mean practice of forcing people on to all-station stopping trains to avoid paying full fares when returning at popular times in the evening will hopefully soon come to an end.

He should stop digging and consider that trains are now able to be longer, that there is a recession and, this week, the competition has now dramatically increased.

St Albans now has its own express Green Line London bus service in the form of the new 712 service. This augments the 757 but, more usefully, stops at all the Green Line stops throughout St Albans and two buses start from Harpenden as the 713 (Wendy Sharp, Letters, Herts Advertiser, May 28, please note).

Not only do the eight or nine buses per day include popular return times from London but, for those who are not free as pensioners, there is an introductory �5 return fare till September 30! Over the next four years, the four Saturday buses are likely to be far less hassle than travelling on FCC at weekends.

One surprise is that this piece of good news seems to be little publicised.

PH FIELD

St Stephens Ave

St Albans

SIR - Regarding Mr PH Field's letter (Herts Advertiser, June 4) suggesting using the 757 service to London, this good advice has now been superseded. As from June 29, a better service direct from St Albans to London is being provided by the 712 (713 from Harpenden).

It is important that this will be well supported by the people of St Albans as the operating company will eventually have to make a commercial decision as to whether the passenger numbers justify this new route.

GT KRUSE

West Way

Harpenden