(Successful) Refund claim for additional fare due to East London Line disruption last week

[hozza94]

I previously had to take go into zone 1 with a zone 2-5 travelcard during the ELL disruption last week due to the safety inspections.

My regular commute would have involved going between Canada Water and New Cross Gate to connect between the Underground and Southern Rail, but as the line was shut that morning, I had to go through London Bridge, which incurred an additional £2.40

With the current refund system they have, I could only apply for a refund due to delay, which the journey isn't.

Is there anyway of getting that small amount of money back? Or just tough luck as I had gone into Z1?

 

[Bletchleyite]

What did they say you should do?

 

[matt_world2004]

I would contact tfl customer services and explain the situation. Morally they shoud.

 

[hozza94]

I would contact tfl customer services and explain the situation. Morally they shoud.

Will do now, I will see what they say

 

[londonbridge]

This sort of thing goes all the way back to when PAYG was first accepted on National Rail. If the Thameslink core is shut, travelling from East Croydon to St Pancras via Victoria or London Bridge + a tube journey obviously costs more than the direct train. On a couple of occasions I argued for a refund of the difference and was refused.

 

[hozza94]

This sort of thing goes all the way back to when PAYG was first accepted on National Rail. If the Thameslink core is shut, travelling from East Croydon to St Pancras via Victoria or London Bridge + a tube journey obviously costs more than the direct train. On a couple of occasions I argued for a refund of the difference and was refused.

I think for this occasion, as it was a disruption on LO's fault, I have managed to get a refund on the alternative route taken as there is a clear travel pattern on my journey history, which the customer service person identify as well.

 

[Be3G]

I've sometimes had difficulty persuading TfL to refund me an extra fare paid when engineering works have necessitated the taking of a longer (more expensive) route. With paper tickets it's not a problem of course because ticket acceptance is arranged for said alternative route(s), but with Oyster it's more of a grey area – has it ever been determined for certain whether there is entitlement to a refund? And does the answer to that question differ depending on whether it's pre-panned engineering works or last-minute alterations due to service disruption as with the OP's experience?

 

[bb21]

I am of the understanding that TfL's policy is generally last-minute on the day disruption - refund, planned disruption - no refund.

I can't remember why it was like that but I could be wrong.