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Missed Connection at Oxenholme with Bicycle

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DynamicSpirit

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I had an incident at Oxenholme a week ago which seemed to raise a few questions about bicycles and missed connections...

I was travelling from Windermere to Nottingham with a bicycle, and with a scheduled couple of hours break of journey in Lancaster, and so had cycle reservations on the TPE 09:13 Oxenholme-Lancaster, the TPE 12:28 Lancaster-Manchester Pic, and the EMT 13:42 Manchester-Nottingham. No reservation Windermere-Oxenholme as Northern don't require them.

Unfortunately the Northern train from Windermere was delayed, and only arrived at Oxenholme just as the 09:13 TPE was pulling out. I spoke to the platform and ticket office staff at Oxenholme, and they said that it was impossible to book my bike on a later TPE train because TPE don't do same-day cycle reservations, but they'd talk to the guard on the next TPE train to Lancaster to see if he'd be nice and let my bike on anyway (On that day there were problems with the next few Virgin trains so that wasn't an option). They also said that TPE would not formally accept any responsibility for any problems getting my cycle on a train because the problems weren't caused by one of their own trains: I'd missed my connection because of a delayed Northern train, not a delayed TPE one.

Now in fact the issues sorted themselves out nicely: What it seemed everyone had forgotten was that there was a 09:55 Northern train to Manchester calling at Lancaster. Northern don't require reservations, so as soon as I saw that train announced, I hopped on it, and was able to complete my journey.

But although everything worked out on that day, that got me thinking... If what I was told at Oxenholme was correct, and things had panned out differently, then theoretically I could have ended up stuck en route, unable to complete the journey I'd paid for, and with no TOC accepting responsibility for it. Is that correct? Do TOCs really have no responsibility for trying to get you on a train with a cycle if you've missed a connection due to a different TOC's train being late? And do TPE really not allow cycles unless you've booked the previous day - thereby making it impossible to rebook due to a missed connection?
 
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Bletchleyite

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As there is no need to mark compulsory reservations, I really don't understand why any TOC would not accept them right up to a sensible[1] threshold before departure. If TPE are indeed not doing so, they are fools and have introduced an unworkable policy.

[1] VT I think use 10 minutes to prevent anyone running around stations with bikes.
 

janb

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As there is no need to mark compulsory reservations, I really don't understand why any TOC would not accept them right up to a sensible[1] threshold before departure. If TPE are indeed not doing so, they are fools and have introduced an unworkable policy.

[1] VT I think use 10 minutes to prevent anyone running around stations with bikes.

Yep, TPE have introduced compulsory reservations but you can't book them on the day which has caused obvious problems.
 

CaptainHaddock

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Yep, TPE have introduced compulsory reservations but you can't book them on the day which has caused obvious problems.

Yes, I've found that they're very keen to enforce the new compulsory bike reservation policy as well. I've taken my bike twice on TPE trains in recent weeks and each time the conductor's been right in my face demanding to see my reservation before I've even strapped the bike into the cycle space.

I can't really answer the OP's question, but TPE's own policy seems ridiculous. Here's a couple of extracts;

"How will conductors make sure the space is only used by those with reservations?
Customers without a cycle reservation will be directed to store their bicycle at the station before boarding the train"


Er...what? Do they mean that you'll have to leave your bike behind then come back at a later date to collect it????

"What if the cycle space isn’t available to book after I have already bought my ticket?

Cycle reservations can be made at the time of buying your ticket through our website telesales team or at the booking office. If you can’t book your bike on the train which you have purchased a ticket for, you could consider parking it at the station, or discuss changing your ticket with our telesales team."


Nope, I still don't get what they're suggesting. Why do they think any cyclist would want to leave their bike behind at the station?

"Can short notice reservations be made?

Customers wishing to take their bike on the train need to book when they purchase their ticket through our website, or by calling 0345 600 1671 (select Option 3). Bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance of travel. Our reservation system cannot currently offer short notice reservations, however the new system coming on our new trains will allow us to explore this option."


So the new system might not necessarily allow reservations to be made on the day, it will merely "allow us to explore this option."

https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/travelling-with-a-bike/changes-to-bike-reservations

Surely the common sense solution would be for the conductor to allow the delayed traveller to take his bike on the next train, subject to space being available (which in my experience it usually is). The OP's experience just illustrated the impracticality of TPE's new cycle policy.
 

Bletchleyite

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Yep, TPE have introduced compulsory reservations but you can't book them on the day which has caused obvious problems.

Good lord. They really are utterly incompetent, aren't they?

I support compulsory bike reservations (bike spaces being a limited resource), I also wouldn't object to a token fee to cover the admin cost of this. However, there is no case whatsoever for them not being available up to a short time (5 or 10 minutes) before departure, just as VTWC have done for years.

What TPE seem too thick to appreciate is that *you don't have to mark compulsory reservations*.

This absolutely stinks but is typical FirstGroup.
 

yorkie

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The Advance Fare FAQs protect customers on Advance tickets in cases where you cannot get the bike on the appropriate train.

So, in both cases whether it's an Advance or a walk-up, it's a matter of taking the first available trains that the relevant company/companies allow you to board with your bike; I would expect any member of staff in a position to help, to do so, and that would include looking up alternative services.

You can claim Delay Repay to your journey if you are sufficiently delayed into your destination.

Unfortunately some rail staff are very unhelpful, though the majority are not like that.

TPE policy is extremely poor in many areas; clearly they have some non-railway people with an aklnti-passenger attitude in high up positions, however that policy should not be allowed to override common sense and certainly cannot override the contract to convey you to your destination in a timely manner.
 

erk

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What TPE seem too thick to appreciate is that *you don't have to mark compulsory reservations*.

TPE mark bike reservations with paper labels (as they do for passengers). I think it's this that prevents them from doing last-minute reservations.

I agree it's possible to think of better solutions, and some TOCs have done so.
 

Bletchleyite

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TPE mark bike reservations with paper labels (as they do for passengers). I think it's this that prevents them from doing last-minute reservations.

I agree it's possible to think of better solutions, and some TOCs have done so.

The pretty obvious solution is "to stop marking bike reservations". There is absolutely no need to mark compulsory reservations of any kind.
 

erk

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The TPE bike area also has tip-up seats. The last time I travelled with a bike on TPE, the presence of a reservation label in the bike space strengthened my case in persuading the passenger already there to move.
 

yorkie

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The TPE bike area also has tip-up seats. The last time I travelled with a bike on TPE, the presence of a reservation label in the bike space strengthened my case in persuading the passenger already there to move.
But there is (or certainly was!) a sign stating that bikes have priority in that area. If that sign was removed then reinstating it would be a good solution.
 

ForTheLoveOf

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Today I was travelling with my bike on a journey which unfortunately mandates the use of CrossCountry and TransPennine Express services. I had made cycle reservations both ways a number of days in advance, and was there in time to catch all my booked services.

On the way back, the CrossCountry service for which I had a cycle reservation was cancelled and I therefore had to take the next service, for which I had no reservation. I had to go to the ticket office, where the clerk was very unpleasant and rude and insisted that "technically no reservation is needed for CrossCountry so I shouldn't really issue one". The clerk didn't have anything to say after I tried to point out that the cancellation of the previous service might mean the one unreservable space is gone.

The best part of it all is that irregular timetabling meant I arrived at my destination just short of 30 minutes late, so no delay compensation either to make up for this poor experience. Sadly there are few alternatives when taking your bike to different places across the country.
 
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