MultiFlex and "break of journey"

[threepymeepy]

Hi,

I've been having an issue using TfW MultiFlex tickets to travel between Flint and Gobowen.

I generally change trains at Chester and buy a sandwich from WH Smith, which is on the OTHER SIDE of the ticket barrier (although still wholly within the station). The barrier never lets me through but staff do when I show them the ticket. I can then buy my sandwich / go to the loo / buy an onward ticket from Gobowen while I've got time.
However, I'm then often challenged on the way back through as the staff generally think I'm trying to re-use a ticket for a second journey (when I've not even finished the first one yet).

I've given feedback about this and have been told that I need to activate a second ticket to be able to regain entry to the platform area as "MultiFlex tickets do not permit a break of journey". I'm unconvinced that what I'm doing constitutes a break of journey. Having to use two tickets to be able to use station facilities seems absurd and obviously defeats the object of using MultiFlex by doubling the price. I can't see anything that states I can only use direct trains and the train I generally use to get to Chester is going to Crewe or Manchester, not Gobowen.

The situation is further confounded by the fact that MultiFlex tickets have started adding an hour onto the activation time if you leave the ticket and go back in at a later date (maybe a BST/GMT thing?). I suppose it's technically possible to have made a complete journey already were the revised timestamp actually correct, but the chances of you having had time to even leave the station in Gobowen in those circumstances are slim. I've made a separate complaint about the variable timestamp but they don't believe me about that either!

So, where do you think I stand on passing through the barrier to use the station facilities in those circumstances? (I guess there is a shop on the other side of the barrier doesn't do anything I can eat. And there's certainly not a ticket office there).

Many thanks!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Instead of scanning out, perhaps only go to the manual gate and say "I'm just popping to WH Smiths", then they'll recognise you when you come back?

Using station facilities between trains is not generally considered to be break of journey, though sadly there's no longer a formal written definition of what it is.

 

[threepymeepy]

Yes, that's what I'm doing but often they don't recognise me or it's a different member of staff. I'll have to get a bright green hat or something!

 

[Krokodil]

Out of interest, why do you need to change trains? Isn't there a direct service? I'm just scanning through journey planners and am struggling to find many journeys for which changing at Chester is worth doing.

You should be alright to scan when entering back, it's exiting that "finalises" a ticket.

 

[Watershed]

Hi,

I've been having an issue using TfW MultiFlex tickets to travel between Flint and Gobowen.

I generally change trains at Chester and buy a sandwich from WH Smith, which is on the OTHER SIDE of the ticket barrier (although still wholly within the station). The barrier never lets me through but staff do when I show them the ticket. I can then buy my sandwich / go to the loo / buy an onward ticket from Gobowen while I've got time.
However, I'm then often challenged on the way back through as the staff generally think I'm trying to re-use a ticket for a second journey (when I've not even finished the first one yet).

I've given feedback about this and have been told that I need to activate a second ticket to be able to regain entry to the platform area as "MultiFlex tickets do not permit a break of journey". I'm unconvinced that what I'm doing constitutes a break of journey. Having to use two tickets to be able to use station facilities seems absurd and obviously defeats the object of using MultiFlex by doubling the price. I can't see anything that states I can only use direct trains and the train I generally use to get to Chester is going to Crewe or Manchester, not Gobowen.

The situation is further confounded by the fact that MultiFlex tickets have started adding an hour onto the activation time if you leave the ticket and go back in at a later date (maybe a BST/GMT thing?). I suppose it's technically possible to have made a complete journey already were the revised timestamp actually correct, but the chances of you having had time to even leave the station in Gobowen in those circumstances are slim. I've made a separate complaint about the variable timestamp but they don't believe me about that either!

So, where do you think I stand on passing through the barrier to use the station facilities in those circumstances? (I guess there is a shop on the other side of the barrier doesn't do anything I can eat. And there's certainly not a ticket office there).

Many thanks!

Using station facilities, such as shops, toilets or the ticket office, was explicitly stated as not counting as a break of journey under the old NRCoC definition. Whilst there's no definition of the term in the NRCoT, the old definition would likely have some weight in the event of a legal dispute.

When buying a MultiFlex ticket, the TfW app simply says that break of journey isn't permitted, other than finishing short, and doesn't define this any further. Therefore TfW have no basis to argue that using station facilities counts as a break of journey, and thus no grounds for requiring you to activate an additional ticket to complete your journey.

If you've been forced to do this, you should write to TfW to claim back the unnecessarily wasted value of the journey(s) (1/12th of the ticket's cost). If they refuse to pay, then you'll have to consider your next steps, which might include taking the matter to Court.

 

[threepymeepy]

Out of interest, why do you need to change trains? Isn't there a direct service? I'm just scanning through journey planners and am struggling to find many journeys for which changing at Chester is worth doing.

You should be alright to scan when entering back, it's exiting that "finalises" a ticket

Yes, there are direct services but a train at the station is worth two on the timetable so I always get the first one! Flint is also rubbish for vegan sandwiches but that WH Smiths is great.