Obligation to provide overnight accommodation- ferry crossings

[hermit]

I travelled on a day return from West Cowes to Basingstoke (through ticket) for a concert. My return journey, on a Cross-Country train, should have reached Southampton in plenty of time for connection with the last ferry to West Cowes. However, somewhere near Micheldever we were blocked by a broken down freight train. After a long delay, we were told that we would be returning to Basingstoke, and that the train would then be diverted via Salisbury. It was clear that there would be no chance of getting to Southampton in time for the last ferry (nor for the vehicle ferry to East Cowes). My question is whether I could have insisted on being put up in a hotel in Southampton over night.

In the event, I decided to go from Basingstoke to London, as I was due there two days later anyway. I claimed and received delay repay for the journey to Southampton, but my claim to be reimbursed the extra I had paid to go to London was rejected.

I am planning to go to to Basingstoke for another concert, so I would like to be prepared for a repeat situation! Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[philthetube]

I would imagine that ir you are travelling on a through rail ticket you would have a chance, but not sure, however you would have no hope if you had booked separately.

 

[hermit]

It was a through rail ticket (West Cowes - Basingstoke - West Cowes) so you would expect to be treated in the same way as someone who had missed the last train on a branch connection. But in this case there would be no possibility of laying on a taxi, so an overnight stay seems to be called for.
This situation must have arisen before, and it would be interesting to know whether the point has been tested, in relation to the IW or indeed anywhere else from which through rail tickets are issued (Isle of Man?, some of Calmac’s islands?)

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Looking at the links from https://iwradio.co.uk/2016/09/23/isle-wight-ferry-timetables/ both Wightlink (Portsmouth/Fishbourne) and Red Funnel (Southampton/East Cowes) seem to have an 0300 sailing to the IoW, with the next boats before 0600. So regardless of what the railways should do I am inclined to think that in practice if you missed the 0300 boat and could find someone to help you out, you'd be told to get the 0600 (or thereabouts) service - and not be put up in a hotel.

 

[hermit]

Thanks.

The last ferries to get me to West Cowes are at 2300 or 2345, depending on the day of the week. The same situation could arise on the Wightlink crossing from Portsmouth to Ryde and Island Line stations, where the last ferry leaves at 2245.

As you say, there are car ferries leaving at about midnight and 0300 on both routes, but these would not get me to the destination shown on my ticket - they go to East Cowes, which is 10 miles by road from West Cowes (no chain ferry across the Medina at night); and to Fishbourne, which is over 4 miles from Ryde.

But I doubt whether that argument would carry much weight, and I suspect that, as you suggest, the railways would regard the fact that I could get back to the IW at all, however late, as relieving them of any responsibility to provide me with an overnight stay. (And no chance at all of getting them to pay for a taxi on the IW!).