Minimum Fare on Young Person's Railcard, July & August

[ic250]

Hi,

I've noticed that the conditions for the 16-25 railcard stipulate that no minimum fare applies in July and August:

Can I use my 16-25 Railcard at any time of day?
Yes you can. However, for all journeys made between 4.30am and 10am Monday to Friday a minimum fare of £12 is payable. There is no minimum fare when you travel at weekends, on Public Holidays, or during July and August.

http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/8/

However, my local ticket office aren't applying this rule, and insist that I have to pay a minimum of £12 for any fare before 10am. Are they incorrect, and can I get any of my money back from tickets I've been mis-sold?

 

[causton]

Hi,

I've noticed that the conditions for the 16-25 railcard stipulate that no minimum fare applies in July and August:




http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/8/

However, my local ticket office aren't applying this rule, and insist that I have to pay a minimum of £12 for any fare before 10am. Are they incorrect, and can I get any of my money back from tickets I've been mis-sold?

Definitely. I don't even know how they would apply the minimum, as the TIS I use in my ticket office doesn't even let you apply the minimum fare for journeys during July and August. I would definitely be making a complaint to the TOC who run the booking office.

Edit: Alternatively, if you can, book online and pick it up at the station in the meanwhile.

 

[grumblingalong]

Definitely. I don't even know how they would apply the minimum, as the TIS I use in my ticket office doesn't even let you apply the minimum fare for journeys during July and August. I would definitely be making a complaint to the TOC who run the booking office.

Edit: Alternatively, if you can, book online and pick it up at the station in the meanwhile.

However if the system does permit this I can see how the mistake would be made, however most people should remember upon having it pointed out to them. Send the ticket back to the TOC via a comments form and you'll get the difference back.

 

[transportphoto]

Make reference to the T&Cs in the 16-25 Leaflet at the Ticket Office next time you're there, I believe the relaxation of the minimum fare is mentioned in there, this should serve to act as a reminder for the clerk!

TP

 

[causton]

If the system still forces the £12 minimum then it is a bad system. Or if the clerk forces the £12 minimum (I don't think the button is even clickable for sub-£12 fares during July and August!) then they are a bad clerk - somewhere, the system is badly designed. I am 99% sure it mentions it in the leaflet, probably above the "receipt" section, so show them that and ask them what it means!

 

[grumblingalong]

If the system still forces the £12 minimum then it is a bad system. Or if the clerk forces the £12 minimum (I don't think the button is even clickable for sub-£12 fares during July and August!) then they are a bad clerk - somewhere, the system is badly designed. I am 99% sure it mentions it in the leaflet, probably above the "receipt" section, so show them that and ask them what it means!

The portable avantix machines have no such safeguard from experience! And it is definitely in the leaflet, I carry the leaflet of each railcard with me in my bag to check these things.

 

[furlong]

However, my local ticket office aren't applying this rule,

Can we ask which ticket office, or at least which train company runs it?

 

[TheEdge]

I know from experience last week the Avantix will happily let you enforce the £12 minimum fare at all times.

If it gets forgotten politely pointing out the July & August easement should result in a "oh, yea, of course" response. Getting uppity and immediately threatening complaints and waving leaflets in someones face will not get a good response.

 

[wellwhatitis]

I know from experience last week the Avantix will happily let you enforce the £12 minimum fare at all times.

If it gets forgotten politely pointing out the July & August easement should result in a "oh, yea, of course" response. Getting uppity and immediately threatening complaints and waving leaflets in someones face will not get a good response.

Seconded. It's easy for us to forget at 7am on the 6th 0500 start of the week! And we do.

Although you should remember that you shouldn't be asking for railcard discount if buying on board of course.

 

[MikeWh]

Although you should remember that you shouldn't be asking for railcard discount if buying on board of course.

Unless on board is the first opportunity to pay, of course.

 

[bb21]

Seconded. It's easy for us to forget at 7am on the 6th 0500 start of the week! And we do.

Although you should remember that you shouldn't be asking for railcard discount if buying on board of course.

I'd like to think that having already done several shifts in July the clerk would have realised earlier, unless there were a lot of missold such tickets.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I know from experience last week the Avantix will happily let you enforce the £12 minimum fare at all times.

If it gets forgotten politely pointing out the July & August easement should result in a "oh, yea, of course" response. Getting uppity and immediately threatening complaints and waving leaflets in someones face will not get a good response.

And if you have politely pointed it out and they still refuse to accept that you are correct (which seems to be the case here), then "waving leaflets" is one of the few things you can then do!

 

[wellwhatitis]

I'd like to think that having already done several shifts in July the clerk would have realised earlier, unless there were a lot of missold such tickets.

Sorry I was talking from Conductor's perspective , not ticket office. Because we do them less frequently and are often distracted by other goings on, it's easy to forget.

 

[Greenback]

The ticket office is wrong. They need a reminder or a refresher. Please tell the TOC that operates the office. This is something that they should know. A clerk can forget, but when the customer reminds them that the minimum fare is relaxed at this time, that should be the end of it.

 

[Starmill]

I bought a ticket in a hurry the orher day at 0730, showing my railcard but not mentiing it. The clerk said something I didn't hear but I just paid and got on the train. I realised later he must have been saying it was too early to use a railcard, because I'd been issued with a full-price Anytime Day Return (thankfully not a £12 ticket which would have been more expensive). I probably won't take them up on it, but it is easy to get it wrong on both sides. Our local TVMs still only let you have £12 tickets before 1000 too! :/