Sold wrong weekly season ticket (between two stations instead of Anglia Plus)

[arb]

I normally purchase monthly Anglia Plus zonal season tickets, for travel in two of the three Anglia zones (Cambridge and Norfolk), costing £323.60, which I use to commute between Cambridge and Norwich. My ticket expired at the end of last week, and this morning I called into Cambridge station to purchase a new ticket. Because I'm going away next week, I only needed a weekly ticket, instead of the usual monthly.

I asked for the weekly Anglia Plus zonal ticket for Cambridge and Norfolk, to let me travel between Cambridge and Norwich. Since I don't normally use the weekly ticket, I didn't know how much it would cost, but I was told it would be £105.80. This seemed reasonable, at roughly a third of the cost of the monthly, so I paid for the ticket and went on my way.

Whilst on the train, I looked at the ticket I'd been sold, which was printed as a season between Cambridge and Norwich, route any permitted. I thought this was odd, since my monthly tickets normally say between Cambridge and Anglia Plus, route via Ely. After getting home tonight, I've checked on National Rail Enquires, which says that the weekly Anglia Plus ticket should cost £84.30. I now believe that I've been sold a "normal" season between Cambridge and Norwich, instead of the Anglia Plus Cambridge and Norfolk ticket.

Is there anything I can do to get this rectified, and the difference in price between the two tickets refunded? Will the staff at Cambridge station be able to do anything about it, or do I need to write in to Greater Anglia customer services?

 

[Romilly]

I agree with your analysis of what you have been sold and what you should have been sold. Personally, I would try to sort it out at Cambridge station ticket office in the first instance.

 

[First class]

There have been changes to the Anglia Plus ticket at the last fare change round.

The "Via Ely", "Via Cambridge" and "Any Permitted" Anglia Plus season tickets have been withdrawn, and new "Area" route codes introduced instead.

A 7 Day "Anglia Plus" which is valid for Norfolk and Cambridgeshire zones (Norwich-Cambridge included), would be £84.30.

A 7 Day Norwich-Cambridge rail point to point season is £105.80.

The issue is that, by your own admission, you did not check the ticket at the time you received it. You can try for a "goodwill gesture" of the difference, but I think you'd seriously struggle. The reason the "normal" season costs more is to reflect the enhanced validity on CrossCountry services, (Anglia Plus not being accepted on XC).

Personally, it's not great service, but I would remember specifically for next time, and chalk it up.

Perhaps you asked for the "via Ely" ticket, unaware that the route descriptions had changed and the booking clerk naturally assumed you wanted to travel Norwich-Cambridge via Ely?

 

[Camden]

I would disagree with the above. The OP did not get what they asked for. There is nothing to say they must check what they have been sold at the desk before they walk away, and it is perfectly reasonable to expect that you have been sold what you asked for.

Secondly, as anyone should be aware, staff must offer the lowest fare. They did not do this, and so I would expect them to rectify the mistake rather than expect the OP to lose out.

I would go back to where the ticket was sold, politely explain and ask for them to correct their mistake.

 

[First class]

I would disagree with the above. The OP did not get what they asked for. There is nothing to say they must check what they have been sold at the desk before they walk away, and it is perfectly reasonable to expect that you have been sold what you asked for.

Secondly, as anyone should be aware, staff must offer the lowest fare. They did not do this, and so I would expect them to rectify the mistake rather than expect the OP to lose out.

I would go back to where the ticket was sold, politely explain and ask for them to correct their mistake.

Ok, so say they correct it, they'd have to at least deduct his journeys made from the refund. Cambridge-Norwich single is at least £17.20, which means it is better to leave it.

Staff DO NOT HAVE to offer the LOWEST fare. They must offer the "most appropriate". If he was used to asking for "via Ely", and requested that, and that option is no longer available, they have sold the next best thing.

FINALLY,

here is nothing to say they must check what they have been sold at the desk before they walk away

That is WRONG.

NRCoC Section 21:

21. Buying tickets
As soon as you can, you should check that the details shown on the ticket are consistent
with the journey you intend to make and that you have received the correct change. If you
think a mistake has been made you should tell the person who sold you the ticket as soon
as possible.

As the above mentions checking change etc, it is obvious that it is supposed to refer to you checking everything whilst at the counter or using the ticket.

 

[jon0844]

As soon as possible is different to 'immediately' and when I was sold a ticket without a Gold Card discount, and only noticed after I'd passed the gates and on my way, the TOC did agree I was entitled to the money back.

As it turned out, I forgot to get back to them with the necessary details to get my money back (it was less than a quid!) but they accepted I'd not been sold the ticket I'd asked for.

 

[Camden]

If he was used to asking for "via Ely", and requested that...

Lay off the caps lock. He stated what he asked for, so there's not need for "if he"s.

 

[arb]

Cambridge station have given me a form to send off at the end of the week, along with what will then be my expired ticket, to get a refund on the difference in price.

I was also told that the problem was caused because instead of buying my ticket from a normal ticket desk, I went to one of the recently introduced "roving" ticket sellers who set up temporary stands at the station when it's busy. These roving sellers use handheld machines which apparently don't have the ability to sell the full range of tickets, and that includes the Anglia Plus tickets! I'm still a bit annoyed that they just decided to sell a different ticket, instead of sending me to a normal ticket desk, but at least it's sorted now.

For the avoidance of doubt, I didn't ask for "via Ely" at all. Although I'm aware that the tickets always print with via Ely, I always ask for the Norfolk/Cambridge zones when buying the ticket, because that's how they're described in all the online information I can find about the tickets. If, as mentioned earlier in the thread, the ticket is being changed so that it says Norfolk/Cambridge instead of via Ely then I think that's a good change, since it will make what's printed on the ticket match up with the way they're described online.

 

[Camden]

Nuisance you having to write off, but at least it looks like the matter will be remedied reasonably.