INQUIRING why I could not use my Senior Railcard for discounted travel on any Preston to London train prior to 8.20am, I was informed that it was to maximise revenue by optimising price and capacity eventualities.

In practice, this means reserving some 50-60 seats per train for passengers that don't exist. The hope is that 50-60 'suits' will turn up and they don't want the train cluttered up with 'discounted' over 60s.

If this were to happen on a regular or even intermittent basis I would have thought an extra coach might do the trick, or I may be maximising the optimum amount of brain cells available within privatised rail.

It could only happen in the UK - on the Continent any rail manager thinking like that would be sacked on the spot.

D PRATT (Mr), Plantation Street, Accrington.

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