Northern over-charging passengers during a made-up evening peak

[roversfan2001]

Numerous times now I have been over-charged during the evening peak by being sold Anytime tickets when an Off-Peak ticket would be valid. Wouldn't mind too much if it was easy to get refunded or compensated but it's a nightmare.

Does anyone else have any anecdotes of being over-charged, and any luck with being reimbursed?

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[sheff1]

Numerous times now I have been over-charged during the evening peak by being sold Anytime tickets when an Off-Peak ticket would be valid. Wouldn't mind too much if it was easy to get refunded or compensated but it's a nightmare.

Does anyone else have any anecdotes of being over-charged, and any luck with being reimbursed?

Northern staff have attempted to overcharge me a few times but I have declined their kind offers

 

[55z]

You have not said your journey details.

 

[_toommm_]

AFAIK northern don't have off peak singles that are reliable on board? Correct me if I'm wrong ofc

 

[gray1404]

I would point blank refuse to pay the Anytime fare on the basis that the Off Peak Return is valid.

 

[ainsworth74]

AFAIK northern don't have off peak singles that are reliable on board? Correct me if I'm wrong ofc

Of course they do! If I board a train at Marske at 1101 going to Middlesbrough the guard will sell me an Off-Peak Single at £3.80 because why on earth wouldn't they!?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Numerous times now I have been over-charged during the evening peak by being sold Anytime tickets when an Off-Peak ticket would be valid. Wouldn't mind too much if it was easy to get refunded or compensated but it's a nightmare.

Does anyone else have any anecdotes of being over-charged, and any luck with being reimbursed?

I've had the same issue by the incompetent bookings clerk at City Thameslink, and they didn't even dignify my complaint with a reply, yet alone a refund.

 

[roversfan2001]

You have not said your journey details.

Lostock Hall to Accrington return.

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[gray1404]

So as you are starting from an unmanned station I assume these issues are with the guards on the train.

 

[8J]

Off peak tickets for that journey have a B3 restriction which allows travel after 09:00 for the outward and return leg. That line is usually worked by Blackpool and sometimes Leeds traincrew. Maybe a letter to Northern stating that you are prepared to report them to the RDG might prompt some staff retraining...

 

[wibble]

Off peak tickets for that journey have a B3 restriction which allows travel after 09:00 for the outward and return leg. That line is usually worked by Blackpool and sometimes Leeds traincrew. Maybe a letter to Northern stating that you are prepared to report them to the RDG might prompt some staff retraining...

And what are you expecting RDG to do?

 

[furlong]

It's the ORR that regulates this, not the RDG. See consumer regulations guidance - although it largely reads as a document written in a way to excuse inaction

 

[njamescouk]

have seen similar issue s. yorks to w. yorks on northern in afternoon peak. peak fares don't apply if you're going over the border apparently.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

..... Maybe a letter to Northern stating that you are prepared to report them to the RDG might prompt some staff retraining...

Good luck with that. The letter/email/phone call would go to Carillion agency staff in the "Customer Experience Centre", so the chances of getting Northern to initiate training based on that alone is small.

have seen similar issue s. yorks to w. yorks on northern in afternoon peak. peak fares don't apply if you're going over the border apparently.

As a general rule it's within each of the PTE areas, however there are exceptions to that. Restriction codes beginning with an N (or Y in Merseyside) usually have an evening restriction.

 

[roversfan2001]

I've shot Northern/Carrilion an e-mail so hopefully I'll get a response before the New Year

 

[Francis]

Arrived at Liverpool Lime St from Euxton Balshaw Lane (EBA) about 12 noon. No ticket office or ticket machine at EBA. Guard's ticket machine wasn't working either.

Went to the guy selling tickets inside the barriers at Lime St. He sold me an anytime return instead of a cheap day return, saying I would need it to go back in the evening peak. I questioned this, because I knew that hadn't been the case, except within the Greater Manchester area. But put on the spot, one doesn't know if new regulations have just been introduced.

I checked on the National Rail site and brfares.com afterwards and found that he had been wrong. So in the evening I went to the ticket office and asked for my £2.20 (senior) back. It took 10-15 mins but I got it and an apology. The lady said the gateline staff get mixed up with the Duo railcard conditions. Yes, but I don't think they do Duo tickets into Lime St...? Staff training needed!

 

[janb]

Witnessed the invention of a fictional evening peak on a Ramsgreave to Blackburn ticket today. Seems conductors need to be sent that brief again.

 

[BurtonM]

If I remember correctly the evening peak fares only apply to journeys wholly within PTE areas. There's potential for confusion if guards are travelling in and out of them a lot.

PTE areas are silly.

 

[185143]

If I remember correctly the evening peak fares only apply to journeys wholly within PTE areas. There's potential for confusion if guards are travelling in and out of them a lot.

PTE areas are silly.

Mostly. Unless you travel to Warrington (either route), Skipton or Knaresborough (I think?) Then they also apply. So we pay a much higher fare, AND with the restrictions...
Buxton used to be included, but was soon dropped.

Also, the leaflets that were produced when this Money making scam evening peak nonsense first started stated that the 'associated routes' (the bits outside the PTE areas such as Warrington) only needed a peak ticket to travel to Manchester/Salford. (WY was the same to Leeds/Bradford) however I was told I'd need an anytime return to go from Warrington back to Birchwood in the evening.

I purchased an off peak ticket which had an ND restriction-and no easement, so they clearly were-and obviously still are-enforcing this.

I need to buy an off peak return to Manchester route:TPE ONLY in the 'evening peak' (valid anytime after 9:30) from my local Northern station covered by the PTE area peak restrictions and see what happens, don't I...

I did witness such a ticket be sold the other day, the clerk looked at the clock (15:45) and sold a TPE only off peak return. I obviously have no idea wether he was looking at the time to see wether the TPE service had departed or wether he was checking wether he thought an anytime was needed...

 

[Matt Taylor]

It isn;t exclusive to NT, our good friends at LO are at it too. A passenger on my train this morning questioned why he had paid almost twice as much for his ticket than his companion travelling from a nearby station. The ticket office at Clapton had sold him an anytime return to Portsmouth Stations for £79.20 despite the correct fare being £49.20 for a standard day return. The customer had questioned it at the time but was evidently told it was because he was travelling in peak hours!

I advised the passenger to retain the tickets and speak to LO.