Rights when stranded by strike?
Comments
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I think the waiting around at Euston is a red herring here. You could completely reasonably have turned up at Euston with 5 mins to spare for your train and still been in the same position when you got to Preston. Sounds like northern Rail are the ones to shell out here.0
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Northern are the ones on the hook here. I have had issues with them on Virgin + Northern tickets in the past, where a cancellation by Northern has delayed me. It has taken a bit of back and forth to re-educate their delay repay team as to what is payable and to be covered, but they seem to be more consistently amenable recently.
Had you been aware at Euston that there was an issue with the connection, then you could have reasonably asked to move to the earlier 6:30 or 7:30pm services that went to Lancaster direct and Virgin would have almost certainly accommodated you.
What should have happened at Preston is that the station staff should have sorted the alternative transport as the last service had departed. Most of the staff there are good at this (Preston is my usual commuting station for London trips), but there are a few members of staff who will try to give you the brush off.
As you were not informed of the issue and you had purchased your tickets before the strike dates were announced, Northern are the ones who have cancelled your connection and caused your delay. I would suggest that you submit your request for the taxi fare to Northern customer services. Make clear that you were badly let down by staff at Preston station who should have provided alternative transport and instead told you to fund a taxi yourself and claim it back. Do not use the delay repay process, as it won't support a claim like this.
Northern will almost certainly push back and try to say there was a strike on and they have no responsibility etc. Ultimately, the system as it stands has let you down and unfortunately Northern are the ones on the hook for it. If they deny the claim, then you can pursue it further under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.0 -
I know this doesn't help your issue now after the event, but I would suggest people check their trains are runing and on-time if waiting for a specific train. I am referring to checking on line.0
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I know this doesn't help your issue now after the event, but I would suggest people check their trains are runing and on-time if waiting for a specific train. I am referring to checking on line.
Ironically I did try to do this, but the wi-fi provided (both at Kings Cross and Euston) for passengers does not work.0 -
discoinferno_99 wrote: »
Make clear that you were badly let down by staff at Preston station who should have provided alternative transport and instead told you to fund a taxi yourself and claim it back.
Just to be clear, there was no suggestion at Preston that I could claim back the taxi fare. All I was told was that I should have known about the strike, and that no-one would do anything to help.0 -
Any news on this?
Just to be clear, neither the retailer nor Virgin bear responsibility; it is Northern who are liable.
Virgin would only have been liable if you had known about the issue in advance and if you asked Virgin to take an earlier train and if they refused you travel on an earlier train which would enable you to get to your destination. But that's a moot point now.0 -
Any news on this?
Just to be clear, neither the retailer nor Virgin bear responsibility; it is Northern who are liable.
Virgin would only have been liable if you had known about the issue in advance and if you asked Virgin to take an earlier train and if they refused you travel on an earlier train which would enable you to get to your destination. But that's a moot point now.
To date: no replies from Northern nor from Virgin; two responses from East Midlands that read as if they did not read my message (eg saying that Virgin are responsible since they took me from London to Preston). Passenger Focus said (when I telephoned them) that they have to wait for Northern to respond before they can do anything, or even give me a proper reply.0 -
Any news on this?
Just to be clear, neither the retailer nor Virgin bear responsibility; it is Northern who are liable.
Virgin would only have been liable if you had known about the issue in advance and if you asked Virgin to take an earlier train and if they refused you travel on an earlier train which would enable you to get to your destination. But that's a moot point now.
And an update...
Still no reply from Northern Rail!
My MP was sympathetic and raised my case in a meeting with the Secretary of State (Minister) for Transport. I have now given the DfT officials to quote my name and address in discussions with Northern Rail.0 -
Shame you can't claim off the union, might encourage a bit more negotiation rather than say going on strike after a colleague is sacked for jumping red lights or for turning up to work drunk...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/13/tube-strike-sacking-driver-drove-three-red-lights/
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/10/tube-drivers-vote-strike-colleague-sacking0 -
I don't think Northern Rail can blame their woes on tube drivers!Shame you can't claim off the union, might encourage a bit more negotiation rather than say going on strike after a colleague is sacked for jumping red lights or for turning up to work drunk...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/13/tube-strike-sacking-driver-drove-three-red-lights/
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/10/tube-drivers-vote-strike-colleague-sacking0
This discussion has been closed.
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