Can I claim for extra costs incurred due to train not running

pennyunwise

We had booked tickets to Gatwick airport tomorrow, we were aware that the first part of the journey would be bus replacement. Today Southern have advised there they have no drivers for the buses and the journey won’t start until a station 30 miles away.

we have no means of getting to that station. We now have to drive to Gatwick and park but the cost of parking is now £189 due to the lack of advance booking.

can we claim compensation for these extra costs due to their not running the whole route?

Southern also want to charge us £10 admin fee to cancel the booked rail tickets, even though they aren’t providing the complete service!!

bazdvd

can you not drive to the station and park in a residential area for free?

daveyjp

You can't be charged a fee if the journey is abandoned due to a change.  You claim a refund off the ticket retailer, not the train operator.

turnitround

I dont understand how you say you have no means of getting to the station 30 miles away if you have the means to drive to Gatwick.

pennyunwise

turnitround said:

I dont understand how you say you have no means of getting to the station 30 miles away if you have the means to drive to Gatwick.

We could drive to the station but there is only a very small car park, and we wouldn’t feel the car is safe leaving it there for an extended period of time. The station car park doesn’t cater for long term parking 

SiliconChip

Surely a taxi to and from the station wouldn't cost as much as £189?

p00hsticks

SiliconChip said:

Surely a taxi to and from the station wouldn't cost as much as £189?

And it doesn't necessarily have to be a taxi back as possibly the trains and/or buses will be running by the time of the return.....

pennyunwise

SiliconChip said:

Surely a taxi to and from the station wouldn't cost as much as £189?

Unfortunately local taxis are not interested as too far out of their area, and airport taxis are fully booked at this short notice.

If we could get a taxi to the station we could be left stranded at that station on the return, since it also a bus replacement and no indication at this time whether the buses will run