Hello
Last Bank Holiday Monday, a friend of mine was using the outward portion of an anytime return Leeds - Milton Keynes ticket (valid via London), and travelled between Leeds and London via Peterborough, Ely, Cambridge and Harlow Town, stopping at Harlow Town to eat lunch with a friend.
Having looked at route allowability beforehand, he wasn't expecting any issues, and indeed, none of the on-train RPIs he encountered had any queries about it.
However, the barriers at Harlow Town were a different story altogether. The gateline person there was adament the ticket was off-route at that point, and also said even if it wasn't, outward travel had to be completed that day (this after asking my friend the reason for his travel, and if he subsequently intended resuming his journey at some point to travel onward to MK).
After a 10 minute discussion, my friend was allowed through. However on his return two hours later, the ticket was confiscated by the same person on the gateline, and my friend taken to the booking office and made to buy a further ticket to London before being allowed to resume travel and the original ticket (still being valid Euston - MK) being returned.
Was the route via Harlow Town permitted? If so, could my friend get a refund on the additional ticket he was made to purchase? Regarding the question of travel needing to be complete the same day, am I right in thinking travel can be made within 5 days for the outward portion in this case?
Last Bank Holiday Monday, a friend of mine was using the outward portion of an anytime return Leeds - Milton Keynes ticket (valid via London), and travelled between Leeds and London via Peterborough, Ely, Cambridge and Harlow Town, stopping at Harlow Town to eat lunch with a friend.
Having looked at route allowability beforehand, he wasn't expecting any issues, and indeed, none of the on-train RPIs he encountered had any queries about it.
However, the barriers at Harlow Town were a different story altogether. The gateline person there was adament the ticket was off-route at that point, and also said even if it wasn't, outward travel had to be completed that day (this after asking my friend the reason for his travel, and if he subsequently intended resuming his journey at some point to travel onward to MK).
After a 10 minute discussion, my friend was allowed through. However on his return two hours later, the ticket was confiscated by the same person on the gateline, and my friend taken to the booking office and made to buy a further ticket to London before being allowed to resume travel and the original ticket (still being valid Euston - MK) being returned.
Was the route via Harlow Town permitted? If so, could my friend get a refund on the additional ticket he was made to purchase? Regarding the question of travel needing to be complete the same day, am I right in thinking travel can be made within 5 days for the outward portion in this case?