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Priv on cross London fares

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Recently I was at a central London terminal station and wished to buy a ticket from my local station (which is a National Rail station in the London zones) to Nottingham with my TOCNE priv.

On requesting my ticket from the sales clerk, I was questioned who I worked for. I stated my employer (which is also printed on the priv) and the sales clerk correctly identified that I could travel for free from my local station to central London because of an inter TOC agreement. I stated that I wished to pay the fare from my local station however as this would make it a cross London fare and include travel on the tube.

On saying this the sales clerk told me I shouldn't have mentioned that and now he would only sell me a London Terminals to Nottingham ticket and if I wanted a fare from my local station I would have to buy it there.

I would just like to question whether the clerk was within his rights to refuse to tell me a ticket I requested. Am I doing something against the rules by buying a ticket for a portion of a journey I am entitled to travel for free just to get a discount on the tube fare? I am wondering whether to put in a complaint but this might cause further difficulty in future if I encounter the same individual at a ticket office. Would like your views on this situation please. I can elaborate further if necessary.
 
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bb21

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Impartial retailing principles say to me that the clerk was wrong.

There is nothing dodgy with what you asked for.
 

gray1404

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Clerk should have sold you the ticket. It annoys me things like this because he should have sold it to you. It is up to you if you choose to use or free travel or not, its totally your call. In the same way you are free to use your Priv discount as you please. It is just not true at all that you would need to go to that local station it'self to get the ticket from there. The comment along the lines of "you should not have said that....." was out of order.

You should complain about it. It should not create any problems for the future. If anything I would hope it would put the clerk in order and he'd start doing his job correctly. Yes, complin about not being told the ticket you rightfully requested because he clearly had no problems causing you bother.

Also, I would personally work out how much you have paid additional and have the TOC running that booking office refund the difference.

Have you considered getting an Oyster card with your Priv discount loaded onto it? I am wondering if the combination of your free travel into London, onto the Underground using your Oyster loaded Priv then a Priv ticket to your final destination might work out cheaper overall....
 

bb21

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Have you considered getting an Oyster card with your Priv discount loaded onto it? I am wondering if the combination of your free travel into London, onto the Underground using your Oyster loaded Priv then a Priv ticket to your final destination might work out cheaper overall....

TOCNE privs do not get that facility with very few exceptions.

Given that the OP was not entitled to reduced rate LU travel, I don't think he falls into those "exceptions".
 

Andrew1395

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That's a key point. Only safeguarded staff are entitled to priv rates on London Underground services. New entrants are discounts on TOC services only
 

plymothian

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That's a key point. Only safeguarded staff are entitled to priv rates on London Underground services. New entrants are discounts on TOC services only

...except for cross London travel which includes a tube transfer indicated with a Maltese cross. Which is why the OP wanted the ticket he did.
 

gray1404

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TOCNE privs do not get that facility with very few exceptions.

Given that the OP was not entitled to reduced rate LU travel, I don't think he falls into those "exceptions".

That makes sense then why he wanted the cross London transfer including on the ticket. The ticket that he should have been sold on request by the booking office.
 

TEW

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I regularly buy tickets from Queenstown Road so that they include the cross London transfer. The only trouble I've ever had is one ticket office clerk at Waterloo questioning me as to why I didn't use the ticket office at Queenstown Road. Of course, that would have been somewhat difficult, as Queenstown Road has no ticket office.
 
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Cool, many thanks for the responses guys and I was sure I was right about the impartiality rules. You correctly state that I am not entitled to a discount with Oyster so cross London fares are cheaper and it saves the hassle of attracting the attention of the gate line staff to be let through manually. Plus I can't always guarantee my local office will be open when it is supposed to be open or that there won't be someone holding up the queue as there is never more than one person on duty. And finally all trains from my local station are DOO so no guards unfortunately. Thanks again.
 

gray1404

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The only trouble I've ever had is one ticket office clerk at Waterloo questioning me as to why I didn't use the ticket office at Queenstown Road.

Again, another booking clerk who should NOT be asking such questions.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Cool, many thanks for the responses guys and I was sure I was right about the impartiality rules. You correctly state that I am not entitled to a discount with Oyster so cross London fares are cheaper and it saves the hassle of attracting the attention of the gate line staff to be let through manually. Plus I can't always guarantee my local office will be open when it is supposed to be open or that there won't be someone holding up the queue as there is never more than one person on duty. And finally all trains from my local station are DOO so no guards unfortunately. Thanks again.

Have you worked out how much out of pocket you have been as a result of the refusal to sell the ticket? Are you going to complain to the TOC running the ticket office to try to prevent it happening again?
 
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TOCNE privs do not get that facility with very few exceptions.

Given that the OP was not entitled to reduced rate LU travel, I don't think he falls into those "exceptions".

That makes sense then why he wanted the cross London transfer including on the ticket. The ticket that he should have been sold on request by the booking office.

Again, another booking clerk who should NOT be asking such questions.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Have you worked out how much out of pocket you have been as a result of the refusal to sell the ticket? Are you going to complain to the TOC running the ticket office to try to prevent it happening again?

I will put in a complaint but I did get what I wanted in the end from the booking office at the next station on the line run by the same TOC.
 

gray1404

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I will put in a complaint but I did get what I wanted in the end from the booking office at the next station on the line run by the same TOC.

Good. Let us know how you get on...

Was your journey delayed as result? (just thinking if you had to go down to the next station and travel by the next train rather then the first one you boarded at the station you had the problems at)
 
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