Advice needed for commute Stourbridge Junction to London

[Andybravo]

I have to work in London for a few weeks in April. My local station is Stourbridge Junction.

My company have provided me with a monthly season ticket from Stourbridge Junction - London Euston to cover travel...but I have just realised it is only valid for services on "West Midlands Trains".

My first day is Mon 8th April and on each day I need to arrive at Euston for no later than 8:10am

The 05:53 from Birmingham New Street would get me into Euston at 08:12 but the only problem is I don't drive and there is no train early enough to get me into Birmingham to make this train. Bus isn't really an option either and cant get a lift. Taxi or Uber would be expensive.

Other than having a word with the company (which i have and they cant do anything) is there any train advice you can offer me that could help in my situation? It appears that I have a season ticket that is virtually useless to me.

 

[Nick66]

Not directly related to trains but if your company is sending you to a temporary place of work they should be paying all your travel costs. If you have to leave the house before the first bus they should be paying your taxi.

 

[100andthirty]

I would suspect that your company hasn't thought it through and has just bought the cheapest ticket. It's unreasonable to commute from Birmingham to London by West Midlands Trains. Their tickets are intended for 'less time sensitive leisure travellers'. Speak to the person that organises business travel in your company.

 

[maniacmartin]

I have to agree with the previous posters - your employer is taking you for a ride. Expecting you to take such a slow train daily for a month is unreasonable. They should be lucky you aren't demanding to be put up in a hotel.

They need to either get the ticket refunded by the original retailer (see section 40 National Rail Conditions of Travel) and purchase the correct one. Alternatively they can provide the cash to do a season ticket changeover (see section 41 of the NRCoT - involves paying the difference between the prices of the remaining validity of the two tickets and can be done at any staffed ticket office, but is less hassle if done at an office belonging to the same company that sold the original ticket.)

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would agree this is not reasonable on their part. They should be providing you with a ticket for travel on a faster service such as VTWC or Chiltern, and should be paying for the entire journey including a taxi between home and the station if it's too far to walk.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Agree with the other posters.

I see you've already spoken with the company - it's time to go back and have another conversation; it may just be a mistake in buying the cheapest ticket.

Then it comes down to how much you want the job with an employer that wants you to work in London for them at some personal inconvenience. There may be a massive career benefit for you in making the trip, in which case you need to decide how much that's worth it for you.

If they won't budge, and I wasn't bothered about my future prospects, I'd be getting the first train I could on WMT from my local station and arriving into Euston when it does.

I'm also wondering if you're talking to them about paying for your travelling time? Have a look at your contract of employment. Again - this all depends on how much you want to stay with the company and how easy it is to find another job.

 

[Romilly]

I accept that the following suggestion would be grimly horrible for most people (me included), but there is a No.9 bus departure from Stourbridge bus station at 0432 that gets to central Birmingham at around 0525.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I accept that the following suggestion would be grimly horrible for most people (me included), but there is a No.9 bus departure from Stourbridge bus station at 0432 that gets to central Birmingham at around 0525.

I would suggest that it is unacceptable for an employer to require or even ask for an early start[1] like that for a sustained period (i.e. more than a day or two in a row). That level of lack of sleep and lack of personal time in the evening would cause health problems for most people.

For commuting, i.e. daily, my view would be that any commute requiring getting up before 0600 or returning home after 2000 is not an appropriate commute, even for a short period. I would be requesting hotels were that to be proposed for me. I have done it for a weekly commute on an early flight on a Monday, but that's different.

FWIW, there is a connection leaving Stourbridge Jn 0624 and arriving Euston (via VT) at 0843. My view would be that any earlier than that on a daily basis would be totally unreasonable.

[1] I'm not talking shift work, obviously starting at 0300 is fine if you're finished and home by early afternoon - I'm talking commuting on top of a traditional 0900-1730ish office day.

 

[Haywain]

FWIW, there is a connection leaving Stourbridge Jn 0624 and arriving Euston (via VT) at 0843. My view would be that any earlier than that on a daily basis would be totally unreasonable.

There's a 0618 from Stourbridge Junction arriving into Marylebone at 0834. That's a direct train and likely to be a bit more comfortable than a Pendolino.

 

[AM9]

I would suggest that it is unacceptable for an employer to require or even ask for an early start[1] like that for a sustained period (i.e. more than a day or two in a row). That level of lack of sleep and lack of personal time in the evening would cause health problems for most people.

For commuting, i.e. daily, my view would be that any commute requiring getting up before 0600 or returning home after 2000 is not an appropriate commute, even for a short period. I would be requesting hotels were that to be proposed for me. ...

According to ACAS advice on working hours: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1373

In general a worker has the right to:

• at least a 20 minute break if they will work longer than six hours. However organisations often allow longer and/or more frequent breaks
• not work on average more than 48 hours per week. Individuals may choose to work longer by "opting out" (see below)
• 11 consecutive hours' rest in any 24-hour period
• one day off each week or two consecutive days off in a fortnight
• a limit on the normal working hours of night workers to an average eight hours in any 24 hour period.

So if Andybravo had a working day (which includes any travelling time in excess of that from home to the normal place of work) in excess of 13 hours, his employer would be infringing those rights on four consecutive days/nights (i.e. Mon/Tue, Tue/Wed, Wed/Thur/ & Thur/Fri).
So long as the UK employment laws are compliant with EU directives, employees in the UK can benefit from this protection. Of course, there are those who can't wait for he UK to leave the EU so that they can remove these rights from their employees.

 

[Andybravo]

Thanks for all of your replies, greatly appreciated. I have spoken to my company again this morning.

I have to go to London for 3 weeks and the first week is just three days (Mon-Wed). The other weeks are full Mon-Fri, and for these they have agreed to sort out my travel on the Virgin Trains service which is much better, but for those first 3 days I am stuck with the West Midlands Trains ticket. Fortunately it's not a 9-5 on those days and will be finished by 3pm latest so it's a lot better situation than I thought it would be but I still have to navigate those 3 days on WMT

RE; the season ticket changeover idea. I guess the answer is no before I even ask it but can I do this for just three days? Or rock up on a Virgin Train and pay the difference on the day for single ticket or something?

 

[Bletchleyite]

There's a 0618 from Stourbridge Junction arriving into Marylebone at 0834. That's a direct train and likely to be a bit more comfortable than a Pendolino.

Missed that somehow. If I had to do this, that would be the train of choice.

 

[Bletchleyite]

RE; the season ticket changeover idea. I guess the answer is no before I even ask it but can I do this for just three days? Or rock up on a Virgin Train and pay the difference on the day for single ticket or something?

Unfortunately it's not possible to excess away a TOC restriction.

 

[Andybravo]

In regards to the three days I am reliant on WMT ticket they've also budged a bit on times and head office in London aren't expecting me for an hour later. So it means I can get into Euston around 9:15 latest now. This is technically possible for me to do all on train from Stourbridge Junction, albeit unappealing even for just a few days.

0654 from Birmingham New Street looks my best bet to get in London Euston at 0910

However this is my last resort option and I'm seeking a more plesant morning commute, even if it means paying a little bit extra at my own expense. Although I'd like to keep this additional expenditure as low as possible.

I've heard of ticket-splitting before but how about using my WMT season ticket to go as far as possible getting to station x and then buying a ticket from station x to London with a different, quicker train operator? Is this at all possible with my times in mind or just ludicrous thinking?

 

[Andybravo]

I've heard of ticket-splitting before but how about using my WMT season ticket to go as far as possible getting to station x and then buying a ticket from station x to London with a different, quicker train operator? Is this at all possible with my times in mind or just ludicrous thinking?

Sorry to bump my own topic I hate when people do that its just I've had no luck trying to research this idea myself. Anyone?

 

[Haywain]

Sorry to bump my own topic I hate when people do that its just I've had no luck trying to research this idea myself. Anyone?

It's entirely possible, but likely to be expensive if you want to gain any real time benefit. For example, you could travel to Coventry with WMT and from there with Virgin, but you are likely to need to pay handsomely for that. Or you could use WMT to Milton Keynes and Virgin from there which would be cheaper but have little improvement in overall journey time.

 

[Puffing Devil]

It's entirely possible, but likely to be expensive if you want to gain any real time benefit. For example, you could travel to Coventry with WMT and from there with Virgin, but you are likely to need to pay handsomely for that. Or you could use WMT to Milton Keynes and Virgin from there which would be cheaper but have little improvement in overall journey time.

Agree - a Virgin Only Day Return is £33.60 and won't do anything for your journey time as the 10-15 minutes you save will be wasted waiting for a connection.

 

[gazthomas]

I think you need to get the ticket changed, and also consider staying in London to give yourself a rest at times.

You can leave Stourbridge Town at 6.30, 7.00 and 7.30 to get to London Marylebone with just a change at the Junction, they arrive at 9.07, 9.38 and 9.59 respectively.

 

[Clip]

According to ACAS advice on working hours: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1373

So if Andybravo had a working day (which includes any travelling time in excess of that from home to the normal place of work) in excess of 13 hours, his employer would be infringing those rights on four consecutive days/nights (i.e. Mon/Tue, Tue/Wed, Wed/Thur/ & Thur/Fri).
So long as the UK employment laws are compliant with EU directives, employees in the UK can benefit from this protection. Of course, there are those who can't wait for he UK to leave the EU so that they can remove these rights from their employees.

Of course, in your haste to get an unfounded dig in about brexit once again you seem to have missed the salient point from the first sentence which quite clearly states 'in general' which means it doesnt apply all the time and isnt a blanket right for all employees.

If I was the OP i would certainly be asking about whether this travelling would count towards their working hours though and to read their contract to see what it says about that

 

[Andybravo]

Thanks guys you have all been extremely helpful it's great.

For Mon 8th I have an anytime day return (WMT only). Could I get this changed at any station, and pay the difference? What is the £10 admin fee all about? Is this a minimum charge type thing and I'd have to pay that even if the ticket was same price or cheaper?

 

[Deerfold]

Thanks guys you have all been extremely helpful it's great.

For Mon 8th I have an anytime day return (WMT only). Could I get this changed at any station, and pay the difference? What is the £10 admin fee all about? Is this a minimum charge type thing and I'd have to pay that even if the ticket was same price or cheaper?

If you change ticket before you travel then you can get the ticket refunded - it has to be refunded by the method used to buy it (ticket office or web, cash or card - and to the same card if it was card).

You'd be charged an admin fee of £10 for the refund. Then charged the fare for a new ticket.

 

[MichaelAMW]

There's a 0618 from Stourbridge Junction arriving into Marylebone at 0834. That's a direct train and likely to be a bit more comfortable than a Pendolino.

In terms of demands on the OP, given that a walk from Moor St to New St is often needed to go to Euston and thus builds in an extra delay, this is the only reasonable option.

 

[Paul Kelly]

This is quite a confusing thread but I'll try to summarise a few numbers:

A West Midlands Trains monthly season is £553.00. (Weekly £144)

A "Via High Wycombe" monthly season is £830.30. (Weekly £283.50)

For a monthly season the difference is £277.30 yet the latter ticket allows travel on what are probably the optimal trains, the direct Stourbridge Junction to Marylebone services (and there are corresponding direct return trains in the evening). It seems the only realistic choice.

For a weekly season the difference is £139.50. But if you were going to be getting 3x "WMR & LNR ONLY" Anytime Returns @ £85 each, rather than the weekly season at £144, then the difference in price for the "Via High Wycombe" weekly season is only £28.50, so again it seems reasonable against the vast improvement in journey time and convenience (i.e. comfortable direct train).

EDIT: I made a mistake in prices in the first version of this I posted. The above is now correct.

 

[PermitToTravel]

Of course, in your haste to get an unfounded dig in about brexit once again you seem to have missed the salient point from the first sentence which quite clearly states 'in general' which means it doesnt apply all the time and isnt a blanket right for all employees.

If I was the OP i would certainly be asking about whether this travelling would count towards their working hours though and to read their contract to see what it says about that

There are a few very specific exemptions. Would you care to share which ones you think might be relevant here, or why the OP wouldn't have the general rights shown on that page?

 

[AM9]

Of course, in your haste to get an unfounded dig in about brexit once again you seem to have missed the salient point from the first sentence which quite clearly states 'in general' which means it doesnt apply all the time and isnt a blanket right for all employees.

If I was the OP i would certainly be asking about whether this travelling would count towards their working hours though and to read their contract to see what it says about that

Anybody needing to know about the true position should first read the government statement of working time regulations first. The link that I provided allowed you to read it so it is quite easy. Then, after reading the OP's specific contract of employment, they would be in a much better position that just snippets form anybody here, including me and you.
The warning about the existing benefits to employees through the UK's enaction of the Working Time Directive, is relevant in the untimely departure from the EU because there are plenty of employers out there just waiting to reap their 'brexit bonus' by returning to the bad old days before the law changed.