Fares Fare

I really struggle to understand SouthEastern's fares policies sometimes.

Since the high-speed services started I have needed to buy a supplement.   Wierdly, an offpeak return supplement is not just cheaper than two singles, but cheaper than even one single, so I have generally bought returns when using the high speed in the evening   It only saves a few pence, but why pay over the odds?This year the prices are £5.60 single and £5.20 return.

Or were, becasue in the last week prices hve been adjusted.   The new pricing policy is even wierder becasue the supplements are higher for Chilham than for Ashford, even though the high sopeed trains don't stop at Chilham and, even if they did, it's a slow speed service from Ashford onwards.

So there are now fourdifferent fares for single/off-peak return and for Ashford/Chilham.   These are £5.20, £5.40, £5.60 and £5.80.   Logic would suggest that te £5.20 would be a single to Ashford, £5.40 a single to Chilham, £5.60 a return to Ashford and £5.80 a return to Chilham.

But being SouthEastern it doesn't work like that.   £5.80 is indeed a return to Chilham, but a return to Ashford is still £5.20.   T my mind asking extra for the Chilham return ticket is fraudulent becasue absolutely nothing is added.   However, the single to Chilham is £5.40 and the single to Ashford is £5.60.

Can anyone explain that?