Stranded UK Rail Passenger

Attaboy

Hello all, hope you are all ok.

I am looking for some advice on this matter for my mom. She went to the Liverpool football parade on Monday, and due to Lime Street being closed (not sure for how long, and I am assuming due to the incident in the city centre) she missed her connecting train to get her back to her destination. 

From what she has told me, she was able to get from Liverpool to Crewe, and then on to Wolverhampton. On the train to Wolverhampton the passengers were told that replacement buses were being arranged, to take people on to their final destination stations. These never materialised, as supposedly there were not enough drivers. At Wolverhampton, the station staff then arranged taxis to take people onwards. Now I only know what she has told me and have no way of verifying this, but shes told me that everyone else had taxis arranged for them, but she didn't. She is assuming its because she was the only person going back to her destination, and everyone else was going to London.

Again I don't know how true that is, but her account is that she was left in the wating room, no station staff came in and called her or her destination. I think she said she was offered a hot drink, which she accepted as she'd been in the rain most of the afternoon/evening, and was shivering due to the wet clothes she had on. But it sounds like she didn't have any other option then just to wait until the first train back the next morning. She ended up getting back at about 7am according to her, and my brother has backed this up as he was just going out to work. 

My question is what is supposed to happen when a passenger cant complete their journey due to trains being cancelled or stations being closed, which leads to you missing connecting trains? She has a ticket, which was paid for, which she still has. I am just wondering if there is a set procedure that passengers should follow, or train companies have to follow in these events?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

elsien

When they were arranging the transport for the other people, did she go and ask someone about the arrangements for her? 

Presumably the station was still manned at that point. 

She may have been accidentally overlooked rather than simply ignored in which case collaring someone to ask is generally the best way to go. 

Full picture of obligations in here.
https://www.railfuture.org.uk/When-things-go-wrong#:~:text=you%20are%20travelling.-,Cancelled%20or%20missed%20connection%20with%20last%20train,responsibility%20to%20get%20you%20home.

sammyjammy

You write like you are not sure if she is telling you the truth?  How did she get home?  What did the person say who offered/brought her the hot drink?  Why did she not go forward and speak up when the taxis were arranged?

If i were her I would be grateful I got home safely and in one piece and put it behind me.

Attaboy

I don't know what the full picture is, as I wasn't there. So I am relying on what she has told me. 

She got home on the first train back from Wolverhampton on Tuesday morning. Her account is that the station staff went around and asked people where they were going to, and then they were arranging taxis. As the majority were heading back to London, their taxis were first I suppose. She was the only 1 going to her destination, but she said she never heard her name called or her destination.

The hot drink was offered when they arrived and whilst these taxis were being organised. I dont know why she decided to just sit there and not inquire as to where her taxi was.

Grumpy_chap

I think she needed to have been more pro-active in going to find a member of staff while the staff were still present.  The root cause of everything is likely to have been the extraordinary circumstances of the evening in Liverpool.  Probably best to put down as a bad experience and relax knowing she is safe and well.

martindow

And claim delay repay.