I WOULD like to answer Mr Willey on several points ("It's highway robbery", March 10).

The cheap day fare has not been abolished at all.

First is just enforcing the regulation that cheap day tickets are only to be issued on a train if there is no opportunity to buy the ticket before boarding the train, ie the ticket office is open or self-serve ticket machines are available.

This is the case with every rail company not just First.

I believe the £15 fare to London is a special and restricted fare.

Not every Scarborough to Liverpool train is made up of two carriages, indeed most are at least three. If Mr Willey could come up with some system which could foretell how many and when people want to travel, every rail company would be very interested and he may well make a lot of money.

When you pay your fare you are paying for a journey not for a seat.

As I work for Transpennine (as a conductor) I thank him for his comments about the staff and would add that we do pass on how busy trains are. What happens after that I do not know.

Finally, I would like to add that I have no doubt that somebody will reply that the new 185 trains soon to be introduced will relieve the problem.

On that score I will just say that these trains, although all three coaches, have fewer seats on them than the present three-coach trains. I leave you to make your own judgement on that one!

David Barker,

Constantine Avenue,

Tang Hall,

York.

Updated: 10:51 Monday, March 20, 2006