Nearly Caught Out by Expired Disabled Railcard

[Elecman]

The railway companies had no choice in not extending railcard validities as the DafT /Treasury said no !! They are paying and they call the shots

 

[Fawkes Cat]

If they'd had some commercial nous, they could have done a direct debit scheme at £7.99 a month, with a general offer of your first month for £1. I

I can't help but think that someone might spot a price rise from £30 to £88.89 per year.

 

[Bletchleyite]

And also that people forget about Direct Debits. People would sign up and never cancel, but putting 30+ quid up front makes you think if you need it or not.

 

[SteveM70]

Would you trust

And also that people forget about Direct Debits. People would sign up and never cancel, but putting 30+ quid up front makes you think if you need it or not.

Isn’t that a standing order? I think a direct debit is a “pull” from the company concerned rather than a “push” from the customer. But even so, would I trust the railcard people to stop taking the money? Not sure I would, especially if it was an age restricted card like a 16-25

 

[Bletchleyite]

Isn’t that a standing order?

No.

I think a direct debit is a “pull” from the company concerned rather than a “push” from the customer. But even so, would I trust the railcard people to stop taking the money? Not sure I would, especially if it was an age restricted card like a 16-25

You can cancel a DD with your bank. A company can recreate it, but if they do so without consent then the DD Guarantee kicks in and your bank refunds you. If you have signed a contract that doesn't allow cancellation, of course, they can still pursue you by other means for the money.

If you are in the demographic for a 16-25 Railcard you do trust Direct Debits, in any case. They have been around for about 25 years, the time to be concerned about them was before I was even old enough to have any. Everyone in that Railcard's demographic (other than the edge case of mature students) has never lived in a time when they weren't a thing.

 

[Dai Corner]

If you are in the demographic for a 16-25 Railcard you do trust Direct Debits, in any case. They have been around for about 25 years, the time to be concerned about them was before I was even old enough to have any. Everyone in that Railcard's demographic (other than the edge case of mature students) has never lived in a time when they weren't a thing.

More like 50 years, in fact. They were introduced in the mid 60s and in general use by the 70s

 

[SussexMan]

Took out a 3 year disabled railcard just before the pandemic started and its due to expire March next year, ... I feel cheated.

If you bought a 3 year card just before the pandemic and it expires next year you should feel cheated as that's 2 years.

 

[Bletchleyite]

More like 50 years, in fact. They were introduced in the mid 60s and in general use by the 70s

That I didn't know, but I don't think they were as widespread - certainly paying bills by cheque was the norm in my early adult days. But either way they are nothing new and those who are wary of them just need to allay their fears by reading the Guarantee and get on with it, and pretty much no 16-25 year old will be wary in that way.

 

[KT550]

My railcard, (1 yr Network, purchased on line) expires third week in September. I received an email reminder last week.

It was already in my diary though.

 

[Starmill]

I can't help but think that someone might spot a price rise from £30 to £88.89 per year.

I imagine the price will be increased to at least that much sooner or later now. Personally I'd rather pay monthly than stump up £100 or so in one go.

 

[yorksrob]

A Network Railcard wouldn't be worth £88. Only a proper National Railcard available to all would justify such a cost.

 

[Blinkbonny]

My railcard, (1 yr Network, purchased on line) expires third week in September. I received an email reminder last week.

It was already in my diary though.

So basically they're reminding some people and not others? That's useful.

And not so easy to keep a diary over a three-year cycle - especially as every other time it has needed renewal she has been informed.

 

[3rd rail land]

A Network Railcard wouldn't be worth £88. Only a proper National Railcard available to all would justify such a cost.

I travel on a lot on TFL services since I live in London and from next year I am no longer eligible for a 26-30 railcard. Since a Network railcard can't be added to Oyster I certainly wouldn't pay £88 or anywhere close to that for one, even if it was in monthly instalments.

I would however pay £30 upfront for one as I use enough non TFL trains to justify £30.

Do people think the government will make more out of charging fewer people £88, in monthly instalments, or more people £30 upfront? Less people will buy railcards at £88 a year even if they can pay in instalments.

 

[AlterEgo]

So basically they're reminding some people and not others? That's useful.

And not so easy to keep a diary over a three-year cycle - especially as every other time it has needed renewal she has been informed.

Might it have something to do with your registered communications preferences with the Railcard team?

 

[Blinkbonny]

Might it have something to do with your registered communications preferences with the Railcard team?

Hardly. They have never changed. More likely is that mailing people last February urging them to renew a card that they hadn't been able to use for most of the year, and with no immediate prospect of them being able to use again, was a step too far.

Fair enough, but then joined-up thinking would have meant sending a reminder now, and treating anybody who fell through the net with a certain degree of leniency. That may have happened of course. We only see the worst case scenarios.

 

[WesternLancer]

Reminders were never that I recall sent by post.

Showing your youthful age here Bletchleyite....

 

[Bletchleyite]

So basically they're reminding some people and not others? That's useful.

And not so easy to keep a diary over a three-year cycle - especially as every other time it has needed renewal she has been informed.

I make a habit of actively looking at it every time I travel, and if it's soonish put a note in.

 

[GodAtum]

As an aside, I assume the Disabled railcard has braille, otherwise how will blind people know when it expires?

 

[WesternLancer]

As an aside, I assume the Disabled railcard has braille, otherwise how will blind people know when it expires?

They can put a braille sticker on your Railcard if needed / requested.

 

[Wolfie]

The rail companies through the Rail Delivery Group recognised this issue, but it was at a time when they had to ask the government before doing anything that might have a cost. Extension of rail cards was deemed by DfT to have an unacceptable cost so permission to grant extensions was refused.

That sounds to have HMT's fingerprints all over it.

It does seem like sending out a few Railcard reminders could potentially be an easy way to get people back to travel. I wonder if rail companies have suddenly discovered that their GDPR permissions weren't explicit enough to allow an unsolicited contact !

I had wondered about GDPR. Anyone who had declined offers, mailing etc for a start...

 

[Bletchleyite]

That sounds to have HMT's fingerprints all over it.


I had wondered about GDPR. Anyone who had declined offers, mailing etc for a start...

That or email clients falsely putting it in spam, which does happen to something important occasionally.

 

[OldNick]

And not so easy to keep a diary over a three-year cycle - especially as every other time it has needed renewal she has been informed.

My phone calendar lets you "repeat" an entry, and you can select weekly, monthly, yearly etc (which I use for birthday reminders) - or custom, you can choose any number (1-365) of any day/week/month/year period - so 3 years is perfectly possible.

Paper diary a little harder, but some diaries and calendars have the next few years printed at the back in a condensed format which you could use to at least remind you to copy to the new calendar.. a bit clunky though.