Train refund advice needed please

munse

I was due to travel from Leeds to Abergavenny (via Manchester) then back on the weekend 6-8th Feb.

My outward journey completed successfully. However, there was a rail strike on the Sunday (which I had only been told about on the train downwards- I had rang that morning to ask if I could travel and was told all trains would be running) which meant all trains were cancelled from Abergavenny and no coaches were running.

I was able eventually, to arrange a lift from a friend to Bristol, then was able to use my ticket from Bristol to Leeds, however this not only made me arrive over 3 hours late but had the inconvenince to finding a way to travel to Bristol (about an hour and a half journey in the snow).

I initially spoke to the Arriva trains wales customer support (the operator with the strike) who told me I needed to claim a refund from National Express East Coast (who sold me the ticket). I spoke to them on the 9th Feb and they agreed and asked me to send in my details - today (27th Feb) they have contacted me saying that because I did use my ticket (from Bristol - Manchester-Leeds) I could not claim, and though I was over 3 hours late I can not claim a refund because that was Arriva Wales's fault not theres.

Any suggestions if I can progress this claim with anyone?

FARE-COP

I can see why NXEC say there is no refund due.

You don't say what ticket you held, but I assume it was an advance purchase Super Off Peak Saver or similar. On a reduced fare ticket, by the time they have taken out the portion of the fare used from Bristol onwards and then deducted their admin charge there would be nothing left to refund for the 35 mile journey from Abergavenny to Bristol. You're right of course, it isn't their fault there was no train for that part of the journey.

It is probably best that you write to Arriva Wales showing evidence of the expensive cost of alternative travel arrangements to Bristol and the inconvenience and hardship caused by their failure to honour their part of the bargain.

Perhaps appealing to their 'better nature' through that process you will get some recompense, but there are no guarantees.

munse

It was a £47 off peak return if that means anything! So valid for any service but I had reserved seats and the 3 hour delay was from the time I should have arrived by my reservation. NXEC have said I should have a valid claim against Arriva Wales, however I have confirmed again with Arriva Wales that they believe I have a valid claim that NXEC can refund - both companies passenger charters say that they will refund a % of ticket costs after delays of more than an hour.

I am now stuck because NXEC have my tickets and though they are posting them back I have to submit them to Arriva next week to fall within the month of travelling deadline - so relying on NXEC to get back to me after their 3 weeks of holding the tickets between stating they would provide a full refund and changing their mind.

I am going to follow this up with Passenger Focus - is there any other body who deals with rail complaints?

Voyager2002

In the short term, write to Arriva to make a claim before the deadline. Explain that you sent your tickets to NXEC because Arriva told you to, and therefore ask them to allow your claim even though you will only be able to send in your tickets once NXEC return them to you.

Should not be a problem, so long as you get that claim letter in before the deadline.

ticketcollector

Rules for use during periods of industrial action
How the rules should be used

These rules should be regarded as the minimum requirement upon each TOC. If a specific TOC wishes to offer more generous arrangements, it can do so but must inform all other TOCs and NRE that it is doing so. Clearly the less changes there are to these rules, the less likely it is that customers will be misinformed, so TOCs are encouraged to keep changes to a minimum.


The Strike Period
The ‘Strike Period’ will be defined specifically each time industrial action is threatened. It may include periods before and/or after the strike itself, if these are likely to be disrupted as a result of the strike. If it is a national strike, an industry-wide Strike Period will be agreed.

If the strike is restricted to a specific TOC, the TOC concerned must notify all other TOCs by email of the beginning and end of the Strike Period. If the strike is national, ATOC will notify all TOCs of the beginning and end of the Strike Period.

It is suggested, as best practice, that TOCs stop selling pre-booked tickets for travel during the Strike Period, from the date the strike period is announced or 72 hours before the start of the Strike Period, whichever is sooner.

It is very important that any customer purchasing a ticket that could be used during the Strike Period should be advised of the possibility of a strike (and the relevant arrangements that would apply) so that they can make an informed decision on their ticket purchase/travel arrangements.

TOCs should also make it clear that customers deciding to use any service during a Strike Period do so at their own risk and that TOCs accept no liability in regard to consequential costs (taxis or hotel bills for instance) as stated in the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.


Travel during Strike Period
Within the rules set out below, all tickets (including dedicated fare tickets that are routed TOC specific) will be inter-available for travel on any services which are operated during the Strike Period.

Similarly, all normal ticket restrictions should be lifted for travel on any services operated during the Strike Period. If any TOC wishes to not lift restrictions on a route or its services in general, it must inform all other TOCs and NRE.


Advance tickets
Advance train-specific tickets will be honoured on the day preceding and the day after the date of validity where this date is during a Strike Period. Where the Strike Period extends beyond one day, the ticket will be honoured on the first day on which services resume. As a minimum, in each case, tickets will be valid for travel on the same train service on which the customer was originally reserved or, in the event that no equivalent service exists, on the train services immediately before or after. The customer won’t be entitled to the same seat that was originally reserved for them. TOCs are free to offer more generous conditions if they wish, provided that they advise all other TOCs.

Reservations on these services will not be required but should be encouraged and made wherever possible. New reservations should be made free of charge (i.e. no admin or exchange fee) and be booked in any NRS Advance product group (not just the specific level of the original Advance Purchase fare) for that class of travel, on a first come first served basis.

Advance tickets will be honoured on any service operated on strike days themselves.

Customers with Advance fares for travel during a Strike Period may also re-book without charge up to one month after their original travel date, subject to availability.


Walk-up tickets
These tickets will be honoured on the day before or day after a strike provided they are in line with the time of travel restrictions associated with these tickets or alternatively a full refund should be given. Unused One Day Travelcards fall outside these arrangements and should be refunded in full.

The return half of period return tickets that expire during a Strike Period will be honoured for travel on the day after, provided they are used in line with the time of travel restrictions associated with these tickets.

Customers holding seat reservations during a strike period are entitled to a replacement seat reservation for the alternative travel date, subject to availability.


Sleepers
Customers must re-book (not just turn up) on to an alternative service. First ScotRail and First Great Western will specify separately rules regarding the time windows within which customers can re-book.


Refunds
The National Rail Conditions of Carriage entitles customers holding any type of ticket (including any non-refundable Advance Purchase tickets) valid for travel during a Strike Period to be given an immediate full refund, without being charged the normal administration fee, if they decide not to travel and request a refund on an unused ticket on the strike day. This rule applies regardless of where the ticket was issued.

The full refund (no administration fee) arrangement will be extended for one week after the end of the Strike Period for customers unable to claim a refund on their intended day of travel. During this period, there would be no obligation to provide a cash refund.

Refunds will be given on either the outbound or return legs of a return fare (even if purchased as two singles) if either leg is during a strike period and the journey is not undertaken at all.

Customers holding only the return halves of tickets that they are unable to use should be refunded 50% of the ticket price.


Compensation arrangements
All compensation assessments should be considered against the terms of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage and on a TOC by TOC basis given the current range of Passenger’s Charter and other commitments.
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I would send a letter to ATW, stating you wish to make a passenger charter claim for such and such. Explain in your letter you do not have the original tickets as you followed the advice of an ATW customer service advisor, which however turned out to be wrong, and as such the tickets are still with NXEC and then suggest that they (ATW) write to NXEC to confirm that you had tickets.

CC letters to passenger focus, and explain the run around you had in the letter to passenger focus.