Delay Repay - *Maximum* connection time

[Bald Rick]

Let’s say you are booked a journey with a cross-London connection with a through ticket (ie not split). Obviously there is a minimum valid connection time to get from Terminus A to Terminus B, and that would be taken into account in the itinerary. But is there a maximum connection time for delay repay purposes?

If, say, you were booked from Manchester to Brighton, and the itinerary gives you a minute or two over the minimum connection time to get from Euston to Victoria. You’re right at the back of the 11 coach pendolino, not a fast walker, need to stop at Euston for the toilet / a bottle of water / whatever, and thus arrive at Victoria just in time to miss your booked Brighton service. It’s a Sunday so it’s a half hourly service, and the next one is cancelled. The one after is 10 minutes late. Thus you end up at Brighton 70 mins late to itinerary, and 40 mins late compared to what you expected, having missed the intended Brighton train.

What’s the position on delay repay? Asking for a friend*

*relative

 

[Brissle Girl]

In the scenarios given, if the difference in time between the actual arrival time into Euston and actual departure time for Brighton exceeded the minimum connection time then I don’t think anything is due, assuming the underground was running normally.

If you are a slow walker or have other difficulties then I believe you can choose to opt for an itinerary with longer connection times.

 

[RHolmes]

Delay repay would only apply from the advertised time of the cancelled service to your arrival time on the next available so your delay repay would be for 40 minutes, not 70.

Delay repay is compensation for instances where the train company or network rail are at fault, not for passengers missing trains because they went shopping for water before the service they intended to travel on

 

[Brissle Girl]

Delay repay would only apply from the advertised time of the cancelled service to your arrival time on the next available so your delay repay would be for 40 minutes, not 70.

Delay repay is compensation for instances where the train company or network rail are at fault, not for passengers missing trains because they went shopping for water before the service they intended to travel on

Yes, one is perfectly entitled to a break of journey, so there was no obligation to get the service shown in the itinerary. Although if the itinerary is quoted in the claim, I could well imagine that it might get rejected in the first instance, on the grounds that the trains in the itinerary ran to time.

Of course, that would not hold true if the second train was booked with an advance ticket, where you would be obligated to get it.

As an aside, I understand the journey planner allows very generous connection times across London, adding 15 minutes at each end to transfer from rail to tube and vice versa, as well as the tube travel time. So if the first train is on time then, unless one’s mobility is very impaired (in which case use the extended connection time option), one would really have to be dawdling not to get to Victoria in time for the connection.

 

[87 027]

If you are a slow walker or have other difficulties then I believe you can choose to opt for an itinerary with longer connection times.

How does (or should?) the delay repay system recognise this? Using the standard online forms I as an able bodied person have had success in claiming where I have travelled solo on services clearly exceeding the delay thresholds, but it may not be so straightforward for elderly travellers and their companions - not necessarily reduced to the mercy of official assistance, but less nimble nonetheless. Someone like the inspirational Captain Tom for example

 

[hkstudent]

Yes, one is perfectly entitled to a break of journey, so there was no obligation to get the service shown in the itinerary. Although if the itinerary is quoted in the claim, I could well imagine that it might get rejected in the first instance, on the grounds that the trains in the itinerary ran to time.

Of course, that would not hold true if the second train was booked with an advance ticket, where you would be obligated to get it.

As an aside, I understand the journey planner allows very generous connection times across London, adding 15 minutes at each end to transfer from rail to tube and vice versa, as well as the tube travel time. So if the first train is on time then, unless one’s mobility is very impaired (in which case use the extended connection time option), one would really have to be dawdling not to get to Victoria in time for the connection.

Yes indeed, the cross London transfer time is so generous. Also, it is not aimed for any person to stop midway for a toilet break or purchase of refreshment.
Should there is a need for a bathroom visit, it would be better to be tackled on a train before arriving in London or after leaving London.