More relaxed off-peak time restriction on EMR website. Does it supersede ticket retriction?

[hkstudent]

I am planning to get a (normal) off-peak ticket to the north with restriction code 9I, it has a stricter off-peak time (valid after 1025 from St Pancras) than information advertised on EMR (valid after 0846 from London) website: https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co....-right-ticket/off-peak-super-off-peak-tickets

Does the information on the website provide benefit to the customer for a more relaxed time restriction even if the ticket restriction does not say so?

 

[Bletchleyite]

No. The restriction that applies is the one on the ticket unless restrictions are lifted entirely due to disruption.

 

[lyndhurst25]

No. The restriction that applies is the one on the ticket unless restrictions are lifted entirely due to disruption.

Does the Consumer Rights Act not apply here?

"If a term in a consumer contract, or a consumer notice, could have different meanings, the meaning that is most favourable to the consumer is to prevail."

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/69

Even if it doesn't, if you were to buy a train ticket in good faith, based on the information on EMR's website, then they'd be very mean not to honour it. Not saying that you wouldn't get hassle on the day you tried to use the ticket though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In any case, where on there does it say "before 0846 from London"? It tells you to use the journey planner.

I wonder if they read this and fixed it?

 

[Tetchytyke]

In any case, where on there does it say "before 0846 from London"?

It's in the graphic further down the page.

 

[hkstudent]

In any case, where on there does it say "before 0846 from London"? It tells you to use the journey planner.

I wonder if they read this and fixed it?

They have to more precise indeed. I think EMR presume everyone buying a ticket from EMR will travelling on EMR from St Pancras, which is not the case.

 

[bb21]

They have to more precise indeed. I think EMR presume everyone buying a ticket from EMR will travelling from EMR, wihch is not the case.

My view is that you are arguably valid under contract law if purchasing on the basis of this information, especially if you could obtain a relevant itinerary.

However I am not the one travelling so I am not going to encourage you to take a course of action that has a high likelihood of resulting in hassle, but it all depends on your appetite for potential fights.

 

[hkstudent]

My view is that you are arguably valid under contract law if purchasing on the basis of this information, especially if you could obtain a relevant itinerary.

However I am not the one travelling so I am not going to encourage you to take a course of action that has a high likelihood of resulting in hassle, but it all depends on your appetite for potential fights.

Surely there would be loads of hassle very likely. Lucky that I am not that time-constrained on that travel which I can give a pass this time...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Surely there would be loads of hassle very likely. Lucky that I am not that time-constrained on that travel which I can give a pass this time...

You would almost certainly need to pay any excess requested and pursue a refund in the Courts.

 

[30907]

It's in the graphic further down the page.

The line immediately above the graphic reads:
"Here’s a quick guide to buying the best ticket for your trip to the capital."
From their description, I don't think the OP has an Offpeak Return from Anytown to London Terminals - have I misunderstood?

 

[sheff1]

Where are you travelling to ? A St Pancras - Sheffield (route Chesterfield) ticket, for example, has restriction code 9J which does allow northbound travel from 0847.

 

[alistairlees]

I expect that the OP has a London to Manchester Off-Peak Return, or similar. It is restriction code 9I and is valid via Sheffield. EMR obviously only considered their own off peak tickets when constructing that graphic.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I expect that the OP has a London to Manchester Off-Peak Return, or similar. It is restriction code 9I and is valid via Sheffield. EMR obviously only considered their own off peak tickets when constructing that graphic.

What you've got to bear in mind is that an Off Peak on the WCML is equivalent to a Super Off Peak on the MML and ECML, as the latter two introduced "Business Saver" type tickets which became the Off Peak, whereas VTWC preferred to do that sort of "peak smoothing" using Advances (for which they indeed invented the forerunner of the modern-day Advance, the Virgin Value Single) so they never went for a second level. Just recently they have introduced Super Off Peaks on a few specific flows (mostly those where LNR is caning them) but those are very heavily restricted, typically not valid in the morning at all and with a very wide evening peak period and in some cases weekend restrictions.

This is another case where simplification did nothing of the sort. If these tickets had remained called Saver (for the general regulated off peak ticket with morning and evening restrictions, but not unduly swingeing ones), SuperSaver (for the really cheap ticket with swingeing and possibly weekend restrictions) and Business Saver (for the one with some peak restrictions, but quite loose ones) people would have known what they were and this inconsistency wouldn't really have arisen.