Train cancelled - delay repay refused by LNER

[LNERpassenger]

I'd like some advice on what i should do following a claim for compensation to LNER which was rejected. LNER haven't explained to me why they will not refund my ticket even though i have asked them to provide a reason. They are just sending me standard text which refers me to their charter - which i have read.

I booked in advance a train journey from Leeds to London for Sunday 13th January. The journey involved changing trains at Peterborough as there were engineering works that day. I was due to arrive at Kings Cross at 8pm. When i got the train from Leeds to Peterborough there was an announcement that the train to London from Peterborough departed at 19.05 which would get me into Kings Cross after 9 pm. But my booking was on a train which was supposed to leave Peterborough at 18.45 and arrive at 20.02. My train was not on the board.

its says on LNERs website that it doesn't matter why a train is cancelled for delay repay to apply and i was delayed by over an hour so why would i not be entitled to a refund? The LNER desk at Peterborough said i would be refunded my journey but my claim has been rejected three times now.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I was booked on an advance single ticket for the 18.45 train departing Peterborough and arriving at Kings Cross at 20.02. This train didn't run and i had to get the 19.05 which arrived at 21.08. I booked my ticket directly on the LNER website.

 

[30907]

Very odd. Please could you give the exact times, as intended and for your actual journey? This will help people on here advise you.
It might be relevant as well if you could tell us what ticket/s you held.
Thanks.

 

[_toommm_]

Just out of curiosity, you mention both a refund and delay repay, which both have set criteria. You may just be using the work refund to refer to money coming back to you, but seen as you still travelled, did you definitely apply for delay repay?

 

[LNERpassenger]

Just out of curiosity, you mention both a refund and delay repay, which both have set criteria. You may just be using the work refund to refer to money coming back to you, but seen as you still travelled, did you definitely apply for delay repay?

Yes i applied under delay repay.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I'd like some advice on what i should do following a claim for compensation to LNER which was rejected. LNER haven't explained to me why they will not refund my ticket even though i have asked them to provide a reason. They are just sending me standard text which refers me to their charter - which i have read.

I booked in advance a train journey from Leeds to London for Sunday 13th January. The journey involved changing trains at Peterborough as there were engineering works that day. I was due to arrive at Kings Cross at 8pm. When i got the train from Leeds to Peterborough there was an announcement that the train to London from Peterborough departed at 19.05 which would get me into Kings Cross after 9 pm. But my booking was on a train which was supposed to leave Peterborough at 18.45 and arrive at 20.02. My train was not on the board.

its says on LNERs website that it doesn't matter why a train is cancelled for delay repay to apply and i was delayed by over an hour so why would i not be entitled to a refund? The LNER desk at Peterborough said i would be refunded my journey but my claim has been rejected three times now.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I was booked on an advance single ticket for the 18.45 train departing Peterborough and arriving at Kings Cross at 20.02. This train didn't run and i had to get the 19.05 which arrived at 21.08. I booked my ticket directly on the LNER website.

I don't have the necessary data to prove this, but I rather suspect that it may be a case of the timetable having changed between when you booked and the date of travel. Not that that has any significance to the legal contract, and your right to compensation, but that may be why this has all happened.

Escalate the complaint you have as far as is possible (see other threads where others have had issues with LNER for contact suggestion). If the matter still isn't resolved and you get a letter of deadlock (or 40 working days pass from when you first submitted your claim), you can take the matter to the Rail Ombudsman.

 

[Failed Unit]

For interest was the 1845 service a GTR train?

This is happening very frequently.

LNER open bookings but GTR haven’t bothered to remove their non-running trains from the booking engines.

If it is a GTR train try claiming from them. I know your contract is with the retailer but I suspect this is GTRs fault.

I have bought tickets myself for 3rd March which the LNER booking engine has put me on GTR services that won’t run because the line is physically shut.

 

[rg177]

I suspect this is indeed because GTR were late taking their services off the system.

It presented some potentially dangerous travel situations as LNER were selling advance tickets at one point for a 20:16 GTR from London to Peterborough followed by a connection to Newcastle.

The last train to Newcastle was the 19:46 from London, of course.

 

[robbeech]

So as others have said, this is likely to be the well known farce due to engineering works.
It may actually be that LNER are correct to reject your claim in this case but that doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to the compensation.
When you booked the ticket you’ll have received an email from LNER with your proposed itinerary. This should say what toc operates each train.
When you booked the ticket the timetable would have had a train in it that was later cancelled. The **45 is a regular GTR train between Peterborough and London. As the line was closed this can’t run and what you should have done was get the replacement bus service to Biggleswade and then the GTR train to London from there. The fact you caught another LNER service will be what has confused you into thinking you should claim from them. And this is understandable, it’s far too complicated to try and fathom, even the TOCs don’t get it. The tricky part is trying to claim from GTR as you didn’t catch their service but it was their issue that caused you to be delayed by over an hour from your original itinerary.

I guess you’ll need to get in touch with GTR by email and give them the following information :

Your journey details.
Photo of ticket
Screenshot of itinerary from your email
Your actual arrival time into London.
A reminder that the service you were booked to catch wasn’t running on the day.

It’s likeky that there will be some back and forth whilst they try and find someone to deal with this. However for reference, from experience, Amy on the social media team is experienced in dealing with these faffy things and can normally see the issue and forward it to the right people.

It is disappointing but unsurprising that LNER haven’t spotted the issue here and at least given you some indication as to what has gone wrong, especially given they’re the retailer too.
Do let us all know how this proceeds. I don’t think it will need escalating to the ombudsman but it might need a bit of communication to try and get their heads to see the issue.

 

[robbeech]

I suspect this is indeed because GTR were late taking their services off the system.

It presented some potentially dangerous travel situations as LNER were selling advance tickets at one point for a 20:16 GTR from London to Peterborough followed by a connection to Newcastle.

The last train to Newcastle was the 19:46 from London, of course.

Indeed. The common issue is GTR reject claims assuming you caught the 1946 LNER service. I’m not sure in what world it seemed appropriate to (when kings cross was running about 4 tph) to have 2 services set off simultaneously but that is how it was booked.

 

[LNERpassenger]

Many thanks for your replies. It wasn't a GTR service.
I did receive compensation for this journey in the end under their delay repay scheme. They also gave me an additional £20 for having to pursue this with them several times. They never explained why my claim was refused several times though but i thin it was due to the train i was booked on being cancelled after i had booked.
Its frustrating having to dispute claims - I suspect most people give up.

 

[yorkie]

I was booked on an advance single ticket for the 18.45 train departing Peterborough and arriving at Kings Cross at 20.02. This train didn't run and i had to get the 19.05 which arrived at 21.08. I booked my ticket directly on the LNER website.

I am surprised this was an LNER service for a 1hr 17min journey time, but presumably the lengthened journey times were due to the engineering works. Also a GTR train wouldn't usually take 2hr 3min.

Anyway if it was the LNER train that was cancelled on the day then it is LNER who should pay, and I am glad to hear they did finally do so.

Its frustrating having to dispute claims - I suspect most people give up.

Indeed, it's a national scandal. I think that's probably the intention of many train companies, yes.