NRCoC replaced by NRCoT from 1/10/2016

[OwlMan]

The NRCoC are being replaced with effect from 1st October by the NRCoT.
see http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/46427. A copy is attached.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/46427.aspx
National Rail Conditions of Travel

Please note: This page is for information regarding the National Rail Conditions of Travel, which will be applied from Saturday 1 October 2016.
For current National Rail Conditions of Carriage, please see here
Your rights and responsibilities when travelling on the National Rail network.

Introduction

When you buy a ticket to travel on the railway network you enter into an agreement with the Train Companies. That agreement gives you the right to make the journey, or journeys, between the stations or within the zones shown on the ticket you have bought. These National Rail Conditions of Travel are also part of that agreement and they apply to all domestic (non-international) journeys by scheduled passenger train services of the Train Companies on the railway network of Great Britain.

Your Rights


Whilst these National Rail Conditions of Travel set out your rights and any restrictions of those rights, the Train Companies may give you more extensive rights than those set out here. However they may not give you less, unless a Condition specifically allows for this, such as in the case of some types of reduced and discounted fare tickets eg. Advance Tickets. The National Rail Conditions of Travel therefore set out the minimum level of service you are entitled to expect.
A Train Company's ticket office staff will give advice about tickets, and any restrictions concerning their use, on an impartial basis unless the point of sale is dedicated to the sale of one Train Company's tickets.

A PDF version of the National Rail Conditions of Travel is available to download here.
This version is valid from Saturday 1 October 2016 and replaces the previous National Rail Conditions of Carriage. Any reference to the National Rail Conditions of Carriage on websites, Tickets, publications etc refers to the terms and conditions set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel. These conditions apply in addition to your statutory rights.
Reference is made in the National Rail Conditions of Travel to a Code of Practice for meetings arranged in connection with duplicate Season Tickets. A copy of this can be found here.
© Copyright Rail Settlement Plan Limited. Issue September 2016.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What's the point in renaming them? It does explain why I've seen NRCoT referred to before, though - thought it was a mistake!

 

[Romilly]

Maybe they are renamed because of the substantive changes.

For example, it seems to me that the new conditions 14.1 and 14.2 mean that the combination of a London Zones 1-6 travelcard, and a ticket between the Boundary of Zone 6 and a station outside the zones, is no longer valid: the last station at which one is valid is not the first station at which the other is valid, and your train will not stop at the station where you switch from one ticket to the other because that switch occurs not at a station but at the outer boundary of Zone 6.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Some of the information panels are quite useful, e.g. having this in writing:

INFORMATION: This means that you should buy a ticket from the
conductor on the train if there is one available; at an interchange
station provided there is sufficient time before your connecting
service; or, if neither of these is possible, at your destination.

Yorkie won't like this one, as it legitimises "Southern only" and "not Gatwick Express" as routeings. This being the case, the advice to ignore those must no longer be followed as of the start date of these Conditions, or prosecution may result.

NFORMATION: Restrictions may be applied to services departing
or arriving at certain times; to the services of one or more specified
Train Companies; or to groups of train services indicated by a
particular brand name or identity.
Details will be shown with your ticket and may be supplemented by
announcements.

This one is quite useful, as it basically says any route given by the NRE planner is correct.

INFORMATION: The National Rail Journey Planner lets you select
any specific journey, and allows you to include specific locations you
wish to travel through. It will display valid tickets for your chosen
journey alongside the train times.

The new wording of 19(c) (now 14.2) is interesting. It seems to have a few gaps in it - specifically that it could be interpreted to read that (a) only a combination of two tickets is permitted, no more; (b) that the second ticket can be anything e.g. another Season; (c) that a 14.2 split is only allowed where the tickets *do not* overlap. I'm certain the latter is not intentional but I'm equally certain it will be misused. I suspect (a) and (b) are also not intentional.

14.2
If you are using a Season Ticket, daily Zonal Ticket, or another area based
Ticket such as a concessionary pass, ranger or rover in conjunction with
another Ticket and the last station at which one Ticket is valid and the first
station that the other Ticket is valid are the same, then the train
does not
need to call
at that station for your combination to be valid.

Upgrading to 1st must, unless the TOC says otherwise, now be done before boarding unless there was no opportunity to do so (I guess). This was previously only the case in PF areas.

15.3 A standard class Ticket can in most cases be upgraded to first class. Where
this is the case you should pay the additional fare due before you board the
train. The amount you pay will be the difference between the fare you have
already paid and the appropriate first class fare for the journey you wish to
make.

15.4 Some Train companies allow you to upgrade on train on payment of a
supplement. Where this is the case it will be made clear by announcements
or notices

This is quite a good explanation:

16.2
Most Tickets allow you to break your journey. This means that you do not
have to make the whole of your journey at the same time or, where allowed,
on the same day.
15
16.3
Where a break of journey is allowed, there is no limit to the number of times
that you can do so within a Ticket’s period of validity, until the journey is
completed.

Would like to see some specific things e.g. feet on seats and the playing of music out loud included in this document specifically. Also conduct in Quiet Coaches.

19.1
You should show consideration for other passengers, so that everyone is
able to have an enjoyable travel experience on the National Rail Network.
Anti-social and criminal behaviour, in particular, affects other passengers and
can prevent them from enjoying their journey.
19.2
This behaviour is covered by the Railway Byelaws, which apply to anyone on
railway property, regardless of whether they have a Ticket or not.

This is good, with regard to cycle reservations:

17
21.4
Each Train Company publishes a ‘Disabled People’s Protection Policy’,
which sets out the way in which it will assist passengers with disabilities in
using its services. These policies are published on each Train Company’s
website and are also available at
www.nationalrail.co.uk
,
which provides a
wide range of other information for passengers with disabilities planning to
use the National Rail Network.
22. Taking your cycle on the train
22.1
Non-folding cycles are permitted on most train services, but restrictions may
apply at particular times of day and/or days of the week. In some cases, a
charge may be made and a reservation may be required.
22.2
Train Companies publish details of their cycle policies online. Details are also
available at staffed Ticket offices, and we will tell you about these restrictions
and any charges if you ask when buying your Ticket.
22.3
If a cycle reservation is not honoured, the Train Company responsible will
refund any reservation fee paid. If the Train Company is unable to provide
alternative equivalent accommodation for your cycle and you therefore
decide not to travel you will be entitled to claim a refund under Condition 29
for your journey, without any administration charge.
You must make your claim within 28 days of the planned journey, including
the Ticket and cycle reservation for the journey concerned

Luggage: now simply 3 items with some exceptions similar to before, no maximum sizes except for musical instruments and furniture, though it appears that because of this:

a Train Company has set out any special conditions relating to the
carrying of luggage on their own train services. In such cases these
conditions will be made available when buying your Ticket in advance,
and will be shown on the Train Company’s website.

...TOCs can give less favourable conditions. And notably I've never heard of a folding carry cot!

It also appears that TOCs can now ban or charge for dogs if they wish, using a similar wording.

Didn't see this before:

Animals, with the exception of blind or deaf persons’ assistance dogs, may
not be taken into buffet or restaurant cars (including first class
accommodation with at-seat meals service). Animals are not allowed on
seats in any circumstances

So no dogs in 1st on VTEC/VTWC at all.

Interesting that in 1st if there are no seats so you have to stand or sit in Standard, you can be refunded back to Standard - was that the case before?

 

[theblackwatch]

If there are substantive changes, I hope that those involved in checking tickets/revenue protection are made fully aware of them.

 

[Sprinter153]

Interesting change in terms of the long standing policy of a no discount Anytime ticket being sold to passengers boarding without a valid ticket. It looks like whereas currently the NRCoC allows us to charge this for the whole of a journey, the new NRCoT changes this so the Anytime fare can only apply to a station at which the current train calls.

...you will be liable to pay the full single fare or full return fare or, if appropriate, a Penalty
Fare (see Condition 4) for your journey. You will not be entitled to any discounts or special terms.

Contrasted to the new version:

9.2 If you are unable to present a valid Ticket when asked, we are permitted, in law,
to take one of the following measures...

b) To charge you the full undiscounted anytime single fare to a station directly served by the train that you are on. You will not be entitled to any discounts or special offers or for a Ticket to a station other than one served by the train that you are on;

 

[Bletchleyite]

Maybe they are renamed because of the substantive changes.

For example, it seems to me that the new conditions 14.1 and 14.2 mean that the combination of a London Zones 1-6 travelcard, and a ticket between the Boundary of Zone 6 and a station outside the zones, is no longer valid: the last station at which one is valid is not the first station at which the other is valid, and your train will not stop at the station where you switch from one ticket to the other because that switch occurs not at a station but at the outer boundary of Zone 6.

That would be a bit pointless given that BZ tickets are expressly intended for that purpose. However, I agree the wording of section 14 is terrible and introduces a load of holes - some in the passenger's favour, some very much not.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Interesting change in terms of the long standing policy of a no discount Anytime ticket being sold to passengers boarding without a valid ticket. It looks like whereas currently the NRCoC allows us to charge this for the whole of a journey, the new NRCoT changes this so the Anytime fare can only apply to a station at which the current train calls.

That was already an option in practice - you can always pay Anytime/PF to the first appropriate station then get off and rebook at a discounted fare. Technically I suppose you could alight at an unstaffed station, quickly wander out of the station to trigger a new journey, and immediately reboard

Where it does change is that you are only entitled to the Anytime Single, two of which in the South East tend to be rather more than the return, and that you aren't entitled to a through ticket even if you wanted one. I expect these are intended to be discouragement from boarding anyway if you did just want an Anytime ticket, and possibly also to simplify on-board sales so they can be handled more quickly.

 

[cool110]

Another thing in 19(a&c) -> 14.2 is that PTE tickets and concessionary passes are no longer excluded from the definition of a season and a day ranger can now be used with a single or return.

 

[NSEFAN]

Another thing in 19(a&c) -> 14.2 is that PTE tickets and concessionary passes are no longer excluded from the definition of a season and a day ranger can now be used with a single or return.

That is definitely an improvement!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Well I think they've made a right mess of Condition 19 (now 14).

 

[MikeWh]

What's the point in renaming them?

A move to plain English? Carriage is a rather dated word compared to Travel.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Maybe they are renamed because of the substantive changes.

For example, it seems to me that the new conditions 14.1 and 14.2 mean that the combination of a London Zones 1-6 travelcard, and a ticket between the Boundary of Zone 6 and a station outside the zones, is no longer valid: the last station at which one is valid is not the first station at which the other is valid, and your train will not stop at the station where you switch from one ticket to the other because that switch occurs not at a station but at the outer boundary of Zone 6.

Boundary zone tickets DO NOT have to comply with condition 19 (now 14) anyway as they are an extension of the travelcard and NOT a separate ticket.

 

[Puffing Devil]

I can see things getting messy when you board at a station without a ticket at a station with a card only TVM and you want to pay in Cash or RTVs.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can see things getting messy when you board at a station without a ticket at a station with a card only TVM and you want to pay in Cash or RTVs.

Yes, the wording does appear to require you to use the accepted method of payment whatever it is, if you have it. So you can only consider that there was not an opportunity if you do not *have* a card, not if you simply do not wish to use it.

I think it will be necessary and feasible to do that at some point in the future (cash really is on its way out), but society is not ready yet.

 

[LexyBoy]

Thanks for the heads-up OwlMan! From a brief skim it does seem a lot clearer and easier to follow than the NRCoC - bit of lunchtime reading required to go through it properly though.

Condition 14 is horribly clunky. I'm sure it's unintentional but 14.2 seems to only allow cases where tickets are used end-to-end: for example a London-Oxford season plus a Didcot-Bristol return would not be valid without a stop in Didcot. Unless the intended reading of " last station at which one Ticket is valid and the first station that the other Ticket is valid" is "station on your route at which one ticket is valid".

Not surprised to see an end to stringing together short distance tickets with one Season to allow long-stop travel.

On the plus side, 14.2 now allows Day Rangers (and Day Travelcards) to be used in combination to allow non-stopping combinations.

That was already an option in practice - you can always pay Anytime/PF to the first appropriate station then get off and rebook at a discounted fare.

Yes, you could just decide your journey was to be to the next station, rather than the station you originally wanted (and then rebook).

The new wording doesn't allow a passenger to buy a ticket to their intended destination unless it is directly served by that train, though.

 

[sheff1]

Some of the information panels are quite useful

but note that, on the first page, it is clearly stated that the panels are not intended to have contractual effect and do not form part of the contract.

Seems rather sly as, in some cases, the panels do not merely "help you understand" but add things that are not mentioned in the contractual paragraphs.

 

[MikeWh]

Yes, the wording does appear to require you to use the accepted method of payment whatever it is, if you have it. So you can only consider that there was not an opportunity if you do not *have* a card, not if you simply do not wish to use it.

I think it will be necessary and feasible to do that at some point in the future (cash really is on its way out), but society is not ready yet.

At risk of going off topic, that must be resisted at all costs. There may be very good reasons why a card must not be used, for example a company card where usage is only for specific agreed spending and disciplinary proceedings might be started if this is abused.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Condition 31.1 is interesting:

31.1 If you have a first class Ticket and the train service you use is shown as
offering first class accommodation at www.nationalrail.co.uk, but when you
travel first class accommodation is not provided or is otherwise fully
occupied, you may claim a refund. The minimum refund to which you will
be entitled will be the difference between the price of the first class Ticket
purchased and the cheapest valid standard class fare available on the service
you used.

Good that you're now entitled to a refund if you can't get a seat in first class. "Cheapest valid standard class fare available on the service you used" is horribly vague though. A £10 AP standard class ticket may be the cheapest fare on the train. Assuming they basically mean the walk-up single fare, it also means that if you are on an AP 1st class ticket chances are it is cheaper than a standard class single, so no refund for you either.

 

[maniacmartin]

The information panel under 16.4 might finally put to bed whether stopping short on a train only valid due to being a direct train is valid

INFORMATION: For example, where a train service makes a circular
journey, you may travel either way to the destination on your
ticket. However, you would not normally be allowed to get off at an
intermediate station where the fare would have been higher.

 

[Richard_B]

I am glad to see the area -> other ticket stopping requirement removed for day Rangers. But the wording of 14 is still a mess and suggests counter intuitive things about tickets with extra validity becoming invalid as LexyBoy points out

 

[Tetchytyke]

Condition 16.5 is mostly positive, it enshrines the fact you don't have to buy a whole new ticket if you get off a train early with an AP ticket:

16.5 If you start, break or resume your journey at an intermediate station where
you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. The
price for this will be the difference between the amount paid for the Ticket
you hold and the lowest price Ticket available for immediate travel that
would have entitled you to start, break or resume your journey at the station
concerned.

16.6 is a bad backward step though:

Tickets valid for travel across London using Transport for London services do
not entitle you to break your journey on London Underground and/or
the Docklands Light Railway, unless your Ticket is a Season Ticket or a
travelcard covering the Zones in which you are travelling.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....On the plus side, 14.2 now allows Day Rangers (and Day Travelcards) to be used in combination to allow non-stopping combinations....

Zonal tickets were allowed in multiple provided they covered the entire journey being made, now they will have to overlap by at least one station.

 

[Bletchleyite]

At risk of going off topic, that must be resisted at all costs. There may be very good reasons why a card must not be used, for example a company card where usage is only for specific agreed spending and disciplinary proceedings might be started if this is abused.

I do think "the railway only accepts non-cash payment" will be feasible within 10 years, and is broadly a good idea. Cash is costly and awkward, and gets in the way of proper revenue protection which would be enabled by making paying before boarding totally mandatory in all cases except where machines are actually faulty. RTVs are on their way out to be replaced with actual financial refunds or could, as near enough all gift vouchers are these days, be issued as a pre-paid card instead.

I do however think there is an issue with "normally you can pay cash, but today you can't because the ticket office is closed".

 

[sheff1]

Yes, the wording does appear to require you to use the accepted method of payment whatever it is, if you have it. So you can only consider that there was not an opportunity if you do not *have* a card, not if you simply do not wish to use it.

In the NRCoC there is a specific requirement to buy a ticket for part of the journey (the cost of which will be offset against the ticket you actually want) if the TVM does not sell the required ticket. This has disappeared in the NRCoT, however the wording says if there is a TVM in working order you must buy a ticket before you board. The implication is that the cost of any ticket you buy will not be offset against the ticket you want. As some TOCs wouldn't willingly comply with the existing condition anyway, even thought it was very clear, the chances are that it will become even more difficult to get your money back when the shortcomings of the TOC's retail facilities mean you are forced to pay twice for the same journey.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I can see things getting messy when you board at a station without a ticket at a station with a card only TVM and you want to pay in Cash or RTVs.

Is a TVM that doesn't accept cash, or won't sell you the ticket you wish to buy, in working order?

Asking for a friend.

I'm more troubled by 6.3(b):

b) Where you are specifically permitted to board a train service by an authorised
member of staff or notice of the Train Company whose service you intend to
board

Which means you can never be given permission by a staff member of a different TOC. Which will be fun where a station is operated by one TOC but the service is run by another.

 

[swt_passenger]

Break of journey is better defined all round, and it more explicitly states that it will not be available if going the long way round on a circular route, or a route only valid by the through train rule...

 

[sheff1]

The information panel under 16.4 might finally put to bed whether stopping short on a train only valid due to being a direct train is valid

The Information panel does not form part of the contract.

I'm more troubled by 6.3(b):



Which means you can never be given permission by a staff member of a different TOC. Which will be fun where a station is operated by one TOC but the service is run by another.

The condition could be read that the "authorised person" could work for any (or no*) TOC and only the notice must be issued by the TOC whose train you intend to board.

The Byelaws refer to "authorised persons" and I doubt the NRCoC/T can change that merely by using the word "staff".

* A constable is an "authorised person" under the Byelaws.

 

[RJ]

If there are substantive changes, I hope that those involved in checking tickets/revenue protection are made fully aware of them.

There are many ticket inspection staff who have been on the railways for several years and never opened a copy of the NRCoC - that's something which will probably never change.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that went straight to the split ticket clauses (Condition 14) to see what was new . The way I read it;

1. Only one ticket will be valid in conjunction with a season/geographical area ticket rather than the unlimited number that can be used at the moment.

2. The restriction on the type of the second ticket in a split has been removed - so now you can have two season tickets, rovers etc. for one journey without the need for the train to stop at the station where tickets are changed.

• Condition 16.3 pertaining to break of journey with open tickets is a welcome addition - too many staff out there penalising people for breaking their journey multiple times, or for more than one night where it's legitimate to do so. Bit shocking that this is a common belief, so I'm glad it has been recognised as a problem.

• I'm not sure that use of words like "generally" and "normally" (Condition 16.4) are appropriate in a contractual document of this nature.

• I approve of the validation of official itineraries as shown in Condition 20.

• The replacement of the current Condition 3 with the new Condition 6.3 is a positive change. Compliance with Condition 3 often caused more problems than it solved - many retail staff are reluctant to do anything which involves fare overrides.

• Condition 4.8 is slightly ominous - if a passengers damages the ticket by demagnitising the strip, they shouldn't be charged for a replacement.

• There is a typographical error in Condition 9.1 - surely the issue is with being unable to show a valid ticket, not being able to show one! A new addition to the document is the mention of prosecution for travelling without a valid ticket.

• Condition 13 (the routes you can take) needs further clarifying. Some staff in a dispute will read it and as soon as they see a mention of a direct train or shortest route, claim that's the only valid route which can be taken. It should be made clear at the beginning of the condition that all of the listed conditions form permitted routes.

• The wording in Condition 33 should be revised - the railways don't want to leave themselves open to exploitation by arbitrageurs or money launderers, which to be brutally honest is perhaps a bit too easy with current processes.

• Condition 36.2 - not all season tickets allow unlimited travel, some have time restrictions on them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The Information panel does not form part of the contract.

That is rather up to a Court. I have a feeling the railway will find that it in fact does.

 

[duncanp]

I don't think the new condition 14.2 prohibits using a Zonal ticket and a Boundary Zone - Destination ticket if the changeover station is not in both Zones.

Take for example travelling from London Victoria to Sutton using a combination of a travelcard season for Zones 1 - 2 and a single from Boundary Zone 2 to Sutton.

The last station at which the travelcard is valid is Clapham Junction, and the first station at which the single ticket is Wandsworth Common.

However it could be argued that the travelcard is valid up to the boundary between Zones 2 and Zone3, and that the single is valid from the same boundary, which is at some indeterminate point between the two stations.

What you couldn't do is make the same journey with the travelcard season and a single from Wandsworth Common to Sutton.

I cannot see the government, or for that matter the courts, allowing combinations of tickets which are currently valid to suddenly become invalid on some arbitrary whim.