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Journey by Journey => Cross Country services => Topic started by: LiskeardRich on November 03, 2016, 14:46:23



Title: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: LiskeardRich on November 03, 2016, 14:46:23
CrossCountry's website won't load at the moment for me.
Could someone advise the minimum delays for delay repay on CrossCountry services. My wife was on a voyager that failed a bit this morning.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: ChrisB on November 03, 2016, 14:59:51
From the XC website

Quote
If your journey with us was delayed by 30 minutes or more to the destination printed on your ticket, irrespective of what caused the delay you will normally receive compensation based on the following guidelines:

Delays of 30-59 minutes

50% of the cost of your single ticket or 50% of the cost of either portion of your return ticket

Delays of 60 minutes or more

100% of the cost of your single ticket or 100% of the cost of either portion of your return ticket

Delays of two hours or more for return tickets

If either or both the outward or return legs of your journey are delayed by more than two hours and you have a return ticket, you will be entitled to receive up to 100% of the cost of the return ticket


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: grahame on January 07, 2017, 05:51:56
I'm seeing how that works - held up by signalling failures and then a bridge strike between Sheffield and Leeds yesterday - 36 minutes late into Motherwell (and a dared long time to sit in the same seat from Cheltenham Spa!).

Online form relatively easy. Train manager on the northern England leg very good in announcing that delay repay was claimable, but no such announcements north of Newcastle. Gateline staff at Motherwell wanted to collect my ticket; good job I asked to (and was allowed) retain it as online claim form needed scan / photo of ticket.   Form and follow up email gives a case number and offers a 10 day response target but says it may take longer at busy periods.   Overall - system seems to be working but I could have fallen at the "picture of ticket" hurdle had I not known I might need my ticket beyond the gate line ...


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: ChrisB on January 08, 2017, 18:57:29
As you do for any delay claim, except Advances on Virgin WC?


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: bobm on January 08, 2017, 19:15:45
You know that and I know that - but the occasional traveller probably wouldn't.   ;)


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: ChrisB on January 08, 2017, 20:31:21
How else do you prove you were on train you claim to be on? Please give people the benefit of a brain


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: grahame on January 08, 2017, 21:23:03
How else do you prove you were on train you claim to be on? Please give people the benefit of a brain

I'm not sure how the ticket proves you were on *that* train and not one earlier or later.   I happened to have a seat reservation that I included too, and the time and collection on my ticket (07:12) was spot on for connection into the delayed train and included that with the photo.

However  ;D

I had the reservation on a semispeculative basis and decided on the morning to stay on the Voyager all the way from Cheltenham Spa to Motherwell, as it gave me a chance to work through the day. I could have switched to the West Coast at Birmingham and arrived in Motherwell an hour earlier, then noted that the train I had the reservation for had been delayed and fraudulently claimed.  Clearly not something I would do; mentioned here as a reminder of how difficult the proof is for this.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: JayMac on January 08, 2017, 21:55:41
How else do you prove you were on train you claim to be on? Please give people the benefit of a brain

That's a bit harsh. I know the system for delay compensation inside out, but even I have put a ticket I wished to retain in a barrier without thinking. Running on automatic, which many of us do. Doesn't mean we are brainless.

I think it's all to easy for someone less used to rail travel to surrender their ticket to a gateline, then find out later (perhaps after telling friends/family about their delayed journey) they were entitled to compensation.

A nice bit of bold text on the back of tickets perhaps? Informing people they may be entitled to compensation if delayed. And prominent posters at gatelines? That'd be nice, but would never happen. Can't have everyone who's entitled claiming, can we? TOCs would never agree.



Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: froome on January 08, 2017, 22:01:49
How else do you prove you were on train you claim to be on? Please give people the benefit of a brain

That's a bit harsh. I know the system for delay compensation inside out, but even I have put a ticket I wished to retain in a barrier without thinking. Running on automatic, which many of us do. Doesn't mean we are brainless.

I think it's all to easy for someone less used to rail travel to surrender their ticket to a gateline, then find out later (perhaps after telling friends/family about their delayed journey) they were entitled to compensation.

A nice bit of bold text on the back of tickets perhaps? Informing people they may be entitled to compensation if delayed. And prominent posters at gatelines? That'd be nice, but would never happen. Can't have everyone who's entitled claiming, can we? TOCs would never agree.



I know that on some occasions when I've said to barrier staff that I need to retain a ticket to make a claim, they have said I should have got a receipt from the ticket office when buying the ticket (with the suggestion that I shouldn't expect to be able to keep my ticket, even though they rip it to show it has been used).


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: bobm on January 08, 2017, 22:06:11
There's an irony there, in that had the ticket been stamped or scribbled on while on board it would be evident it had been used.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: tomL on January 09, 2017, 01:37:39
How else do you prove you were on train you claim to be on? Please give people the benefit of a brain

I remember once a TM had a 'ticket punch' that marked a date and the service headcode, e.g. 20160808-1L40.

Haven't seen it used since, but that would be a pretty decent way of proving which train you were on. Probably made things too easy for people claiming delay repay!  ::)


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: JayMac on January 09, 2017, 08:55:38
That'd be a Zifa ticket punch.

http://www.zifferndruck.de/en/products_ticketstamper.shtml

CrossCountry are very good at supplying their staff with these.

FGW (as was), were supposed to supply all their conductors and train managers with Zifa punches as a franchise commitment some years back. Like so many things FGW were supposed to do that would cost them money, they found away to ignore this commitment.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: LiskeardRich on January 09, 2017, 09:41:00
The last cross country I bothered to claim was 129 minutes late. The train manager announced several times to passengers to ensure he'd stamped their ticket as he would be informing control he'd stamped all genuine passengers tickets due to a recent spate of fraudulent claims. He then handed out paper claim forms. We'd broken down from memory. His date and headcode stamped were all correct unlike the principle operator in these parts who all seem to stamp 9z99.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: Fourbee on January 09, 2017, 10:25:02
The only thing about these punches is the ink does not dry quick/at all. There is a risk of smearing the text or adding a purple streak to your clothing (I found out the hard way with a nice white linen shirt).


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: ChrisB on January 09, 2017, 11:48:20
How else do you prove you were on train you claim to be on? Please give people the benefit of a brain

That's a bit harsh. I know the system for delay compensation inside out, but even I have put a ticket I wished to retain in a barrier without thinking. Running on automatic, which many of us do. Doesn't mean we are brainless.

Quite the opposite - given them credit for having one!
There is the education of advising pax that it can be claimed /times etc, but if they do know - and that now is a big majority, IMHO - then they also know to keep their ticket for proof, otherwise how to you prove you made the journey? Us Brits will always be keen on fraud, though, unlike the Europeans in my recent experience. For some reason, many feel a train journey should be free.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: trainer on January 09, 2017, 14:23:01
For some reason, many feel a train journey should be free.

It is most unfortunate that someone who represents passengers feels that 'many' of us feel this way.  Anecdotal evidence and vague wording is perhaps never ideal in reaching conclusions about the true state of affairs and attitudes of the vast majority.  But I'm sure this is does not inform the way we are represented.

I remember once a TM had a 'ticket punch' that marked a date and the service headcode, ... that would be a pretty decent way of proving which train you were on.

Couldn't agree more.  It means though that a ticket inspector is readily available at the time of the delay to stamp the ticket if not previously seen and not engaged in safety critical business.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: ChrisB on January 09, 2017, 14:31:09
'Many' certainly doesn't = 'vast majority' (your words, not mine). But it is certainly more than 'a few'

Opinion based on my observations at many ticket gates in checking that pax are being treated fairly, along with observations made while travelling in Europe. Far more try it on, it's a fact that we need to accept, educate that, in fact, one does need to pay, and move on in a better place.

It means though that a ticket inspector is readily available at the time of the delay to stamp the ticket if not previously seen and not engaged in safety critical business.

Or at any time until one alights, or at the alighting station.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: LiskeardRich on January 09, 2017, 14:38:20
'Many' certainly doesn't = 'vast majority' (your words, not mine). But it is certainly more than 'a few'


I read somewhere around 3000 a month are caught without a valid ticket for various reasons. I would certainly agree that's "many" but still only around 1% of rail journeys.


Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: trainer on January 09, 2017, 14:57:32
Far more try it on, it's a fact that we need to accept, educate that, in fact, one does need to pay, and move on in a better place.

I'm not able to compare how many 'try it on' in the UK compared with Europe in any meaningful way, but I couldn't agree more about the acceptance and education about paying for transport.  I have from time-to-time robustly challenged acquaintances who have had the temerity to boast about avoiding paying a fare/part fare.  It's not popular and a bit a 'downer' at a convivial gathering...but hey, who wants to be popular?   ;D ;D 



Title: Re: Minimum delay for delay repay (XC)
Post by: readytostart on January 10, 2017, 01:03:24
XC had a new supply of Zifas a few years back, replacing letters in headcodes with an extra numerical dial. I believe the addition of former CT services added too many letter to fit on a dial. An old Zifa for example would be 1S51 whereas the new ones would be 11951 (S being the nineteenth letter in the alphabet)!
That'd be a Zifa ticket punch.

http://www.zifferndruck.de/en/products_ticketstamper.shtml

CrossCountry are very good at supplying their staff with these.

FGW (as was), were supposed to supply all their conductors and train managers with Zifa punches as a franchise commitment some years back. Like so many things FGW were supposed to do that would cost them money, they found away to ignore this commitment.



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