Compensation declined

[Mac Murrine]

I was travelling from Aldershot to Peckham Rye on 29th June 2019. I could not get any further than Clapham Junction as no trains were going any further because of signal problems. I was advised to get a bus which took me over an hour. The journey back was the same. No trains to Clapham Junction to get my connection. I was advised to go to London Victoria and go from there. Spent 30mins at Woking for a train. The whole day was full of disruption and delays with a overall delay time of 3 hours! I applied online for compensation, which was unsuccessful. Any advice?

 

[daniel97]

Definitely sounds as if you're entitled to it; I'd dispute it and explain what happened again in full. Someone probably didn't take in to account any of the context

 

[MarieDon]

It sounds like you had to abandon your journey by train and complete it by bus. In this instance the rail operator will usually advise you to seek a refund from the original point of purchase. If you did not purchase the ticket with them this is perhaps why they have refused compensation. I would advise contacting the website or station where the ticket was purchased. Use the term "abandoned journey".

 

[AlterEgo]

It sounds like you had to abandon your journey by train and complete it by bus. In this instance the rail operator will usually advise you to seek a refund from the original point of purchase. If you did not purchase the ticket with them this is perhaps why they have refused compensation. I would advise contacting the website or station where the ticket was purchased. Use the term "abandoned journey".

The key to whether this was an abandoned journey or not is whether the OP was able to use his ticket on the bus (and this it forms part of a rail journey), or had to purchase another ticket/tap in with contactless.

 

[Mac Murrine]

Hi

Sorry don't understand original point of purchase. I purchased a return ticket from Aldershot rail station. My journey back was by train for the full journey. There was in all around 1 and a half delay.

 

[Mac Murrine]

1 and a half hours delay on my return journey.

 

[tomwills98]

As Mac's arrived at their destination late, and started their return journey from the intended point I'd say it's compensation. The journey wasn't abandoned but completed with delay. Appeal or write back to them explaining what's happened

 

[Mac Murrine]

Thank you. Much appreciated. I have appealed but if that is also declined, I will lodge a complaint or write to the Ombudsman.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Getting compensation out of the railway is not as straightforward as it might be. Some of these points might help, but my apologies if they are things you have already thought about:

- Are you claiming for a delay, or a refund for having to abandon your train journey? The way you claim is different.

- you will be claiming for a delay if (as mentioned above) your train ticket covered the whole journey, and you didn't have to pay again to use the bus (on your way to Peckham Rye) or to get to Victoria on your way back. If it's a delay, then you claim from the train company who caused the delay - which in this case is London Overground. You will need the TFL 'Overground and TfL Rail delays' webpage.

- you will be claiming a refund if you ended up having to use (and pay separately for) some other form of transport to get where you were going. For this, you will need to go to talk to the ticket office at Aldershot.

You have already had one go, and you may have applied to the right people in the right way. As they seem to have come up with the wrong answer, you are able to appeal. Their current reply probably tells you how to do that. So use the appeal system to tell them what you have told us - and this time you may get a more sensible answer.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

What kind of ticket(s) did you hold - a pure Aldershot to Peckham Rye ticket? Did you (intend to) use Oyster/contactless for any of the train legs of your journey?