Disruption: other TOCs accepting tickets by any other reasonable route

[CC 72100]

I *think* this is the correct section, but something that's I've always wondered and I've been prompted to ask by the flooding down my patch today.

When ticket acceptance on other TOCs is put in place, how does the passenger decide what would be a reasonable route? Do they have to 'show' their new journey plan to the TM for it to be approved, because otherwise anyone could say that they were doing a 'reasonable' route - to them at least!

Thanks in advance.

 

[yorkie]

Usually it would be obvious, or staff would be on hand to assist. But if you found a route that works and looks reasonable I'd expect it to be accepted without question.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by showing a journey plan to a TM, if anything I'd have thought it would be the other way round in most cases!

Is there an example you have in mind?

 

[reb0118]

The guard will decide the reasonableness of the route taken (he may or may not have been given specific instruction from control) with in most cases the benefit of any doubt been given to the passenger.

One thing to remember is that in the vast majority of such cases the passenger is already being seriously inconvenienced and they are not choosing to travel on non permitted routes - the route is being forced upon them.

I will make all endeavors to make such passengers welcome on my train in the above circumstances.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by showing a journey plan to a TM, if anything I'd have thought it would be the other way round in most cases!

Yes, one benefit of the avantix & blackberry.

 

[GadgetMan]

As long as the passenger can sensibly explain why they are taking a particular route and what stations they intend to change at then I don't have a problem with alternative routes. As long as they hold what would otherwise be a Valid ticket for their journey.

 

[87 027]

I've always wondered whether, consciously or subconsciously, less leeway is given to passengers travelling on Advances? E.g. in cases of severe delay,
(i) making them wait for the actual departure of the delayed train rather than catching an earlier train which would get them to the destination closer to the original time?
(ii) insisting on penalising stopping short, even if it otherwise means a long wait for a connection for the last leg to the final destination when a friend or relative could more easily collect you by car?

 

[GadgetMan]

I've always wondered whether, consciously or subconsciously, less leeway is given to passengers travelling on Advances? E.g. in cases of severe delay,
(i) making them wait for the actual departure of the delayed train rather than catching an earlier train which would get them to the destination closer to the original time?
(ii) insisting on penalising stopping short, even if it otherwise means a long wait for a connection for the last leg to the final destination when a friend or relative could more easily collect you by car?

That's where discretion and common sense (should) come into play. If a passengers booked train is heavily (this is open to individual's interpretation) delayed then it makes sense to allow them to travel on another train at the closest time to when they should have been traveling to minimise the delay to the passenger and increase the chances of them meeting connections further down the line. This is especially important in the evenings when making passengers wait unnecessarily for delayed trains will result in TOCs having to lay on Taxi's later on when connections have been missed, which could have been avoided had staff earlier used common sense and shown discretion.

 

[ainsworth74]

I believe there is actually a rule (perhaps in the Advance T&Cs) that states if you're booked train is delayed by more than one hour you are entitled to take an earlier train to continue your journey.

 

[CC 72100]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by showing a journey plan to a TM, if anything I'd have thought it would be the other way round in most cases!

What I sort of meant is that if you can say how you plan to make it to your destination, that you haven't jumped on a random train and thought 'Hmm, we'll get on that one'. Pretty much as Gadgetman says - sensibly explain their plan.
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Is there an example you have in mind?

Not as such, it was mainly curiosity.

Saying that, I'm booked on the 17:23 Plymouth - Leeds back home to Gloucestershire this Friday, and hoping that there isn't too much flooding around still by then.

Still, if SWT services were still being affected by the Land slip, I'd be pretty much cornered in anyway!

 

[bnm]

A real life example I can give from earlier today. A friend was attempting to travel from Bristol to Weymouth. He had an Off Peak Day Single - Route: Via Yeovil.

Flooding had closed the line between Castle Cary and Yeovil Pen Mill and his train was only able to get as far as Westbury were it terminated. Replacement road transport was not yet in place but mutual ticket acceptance between FGW and SWT was. He opted to travel via Southampton and on to Weymouth and had no problems with ticket acceptance.

 

[W-on-Sea]

I've always wondered whether, consciously or subconsciously, less leeway is given to passengers travelling on Advances? E.g. in cases of severe delay,
(i) making them wait for the actual departure of the delayed train rather than catching an earlier train which would get them to the destination closer to the original time?
(ii) insisting on penalising stopping short, even if it otherwise means a long wait for a connection for the last leg to the final destination when a friend or relative could more easily collect you by car?

I asked FGW the first part of this question today, after they announced on their website that "all ticket restrictions had been lifted" because of the flooding-related delays.

They told me that this meant I could use my advance ticket on any train on the route today, without needing to wait to see if the actual train my ticket was for was delayed or not. Just as well, as I could have been stranded, and needed a long and expensive taxi ride if I'd missed the last bus of the day to my ultimate destination as a result of the train being severely delayed.

 

[SickyNicky]

Hmmm. Talking about long and expensive taxi rides, I was put in a taxi from Newport to Hereford at 2am this morning, with the 22.45 Paddington to Swansea running an hour late having diverted via Bath Spa.

But FGW paid for it!

Yesterday morning my advance to Paddington was passed via Shrewsbury and Birmingham (it was routed AP NEWPORT SLOUGH). But I made sure I had a stamped permission from the Hereford ticket office before trying it (especially given I was going to use Virgin 1st class on a cheap ATW/FGW advance).

 

[Max]

In the case of disruption common sense tends to be applied. For example, a couple of years ago I was travelling between Hull and London Kings Cross when the wires came down south of Peterborough. The official advice was to alight at Grantham and use EMT via Nottingham, although there was a caveat that there were also delays on the Midland Main Line! Alternatively, abandon travel that day and alight at Grantham where a northbound train back to Hull was available. I decided to press on to Peterborough and travel via Ely/Cambridge instead, which was allowed without question by guards I encountered. I believe I was one of the only people that attempted it too, given the train was virtually empty from Peterborough yet the station was extremely crowded with confused passengers!

 

[button_boxer]

I believe there is actually a rule (perhaps in the Advance T&Cs) that states if you're booked train is delayed by more than one hour you are entitled to take an earlier train to continue your journey.

The wording is "special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train", it doesn't specifically say earlier.

 

[Ferret]

Saying that, I'm booked on the 17:23 Plymouth - Leeds back home to Gloucestershire this Friday, and hoping that there isn't too much flooding around still by then.

Hmmmm, NR quote that the line between Exeter and Taunton will probably be blocked all day tomorrow too. Sorry!!! I imagine there'll be limited replacement buses, but perhaps aim to leave Plymouth a little earlier if possible to maximise your chances of getting home!

 

[CC 72100]

Hmmmm, NR quote that the line between Exeter and Taunton will probably be blocked all day tomorrow too. Sorry!!! I imagine there'll be limited replacement buses, but perhaps aim to leave Plymouth a little earlier if possible to maximise your chances of getting home!

Thanks for this, it's ok, you didn't break the bad news to me

I'm on the train from Exeter, and am planning to set out at about 3 in order to be back in Gloucestershire. Replacement bus to Taunton, FGW shuttle to Bristol TM, then I believe XC (unless ticket acceptance is still granted) to Cheltenham.

I'm taking it, judging on how it has been today, that my advance for this train will still be valid. (I'm on split advances for the same train, splitting at Bristol TM). If not, then a Bristol TM - Gloucester off peak single doesn't break the bank.

 

[Ferret]

Thanks for this, it's ok, you didn't break the bad news to me

I'm on the train from Exeter, and am planning to set out at about 3 in order to be back in Gloucestershire. Replacement bus to Taunton, FGW shuttle to Bristol TM, then I believe XC (unless ticket acceptance is still granted) to Cheltenham.

I'm taking it, judging on how it has been today, that my advance for this train will still be valid. (I'm on split advances for the same train, splitting at Bristol TM). If not, then a Bristol TM - Gloucester off peak single doesn't break the bank.

I'd expect advances to be accepted given the circumstances. Certainly I've accepted all sorts today - there comes a time when common sense must prevail!

 

[CC 72100]

I'd expect advances to be accepted given the circumstances. Certainly I've accepted all sorts today - there comes a time when common sense must prevail!

Just had it confirmed by FGW staff (was wearing station manager vest actually) that it'll be fine, and that I can take a bus at around 3 and then whatever train forward to Cheltenham (or Gloucester should that be the first train)

 

[Ferret]

Just had it confirmed by FGW staff (was wearing station manager vest actually) that it'll be fine, and that I can take a bus at around 3 and then whatever train forward to Cheltenham (or Gloucester should that be the first train)

Good!