Strikes have driven a bulldozer through plans

[Kilopylae]

Hi all - not for the first time, I'm here with a "How far do my rights go when trying to piece together a Plan B on strike day?" question

I have an Oxford to Exeter St Davids off-peak single for 1 February - National Rail Enquiries suggests travelling via Basingstoke and using SWR to reach Exeter. Am I allowed to travel via Basingstoke? GWR's Twitter team refuse to give a straight answer, claiming that it's impossible for them to be sure without a photograph of the ticket (I don't see how).

Now for the nastier one. I have split flexible tickets* for a journey from Exeter St Davids to Leeds on 3 February, and CrossCountry has cancelled all trains. National Rail Enquiries indicates that it should still be possible to reach Leeds by using SWR from Exeter to London, Grand Central from London to York, and Northern from York to Leeds. Again, CrossCountry on Twitter refuses to give me a straight answer, saying that the fact I have split tickets "may" make it invalid (and ignoring subsequent messages). I don't feel particularly optimistic but: Am I allowed to travel using SWR and Grand Central?

[Edit: I have refunded the tickets and re-booked with a much cheaper Pinhoe to Leeds LNER Advance.]

Final question: AFAIK I am allowed to travel from Oxford to Exeter on the 31st instead and from Exeter to Leeds on 2 February instead. If I go down this route, am I entitled to any sort of compensation?

The rules about strike days are a real puzzle to me. I haven't been too impressed with customer services' attitude, although to be fair I expect this is all very confusing and frustrating for them too, so I'm not really annoyed. I think what really irks me is the lack of blanket ticket acceptance!

Spoiler: * Details of split tickets, in case it makes a difference

Exeter St David's to Taunton, Off-Peak Day Single
Taunton to Bristol Temple Meads, Anytime Day Single
Bristol Temple Meads to Cheltenham Spa, Off-Peak Day Single
Cheltenham Spa to Birmingham Stations, Off-Peak Single
Birmingham Stations to Derby, Off-Peak Single
Derby to Sheffield, Off-Peak Day Single
Sheffield to Leeds, Anytime Day Single

 

[mangyiscute]

Hi all - not for the first time, I'm here with a "How far do my rights go when trying to piece together a Plan B on strike day?" question

I have an Oxford to Exeter St Davids off-peak single for 1 February - National Rail Enquiries suggests travelling via Basingstoke and using SWR to reach Exeter. Am I allowed to travel via Basingstoke? GWR's Twitter team refuse to give a straight answer, claiming that it's impossible for them to be sure without a photograph of the ticket (I don't see how).

I'm assuming this is the ticket routed "not via London", in which case this is perfectly valid via Basingstoke - since NRE will produce an itinery with this routing for that price (at least I'm assuming so) it is a valid route. I expect the GWR twitter team didn't notice that you put that it was an off peak ticket (or you forgot to mention it) and wanted to check it wasn't an advance

Final question: AFAIK I am allowed to travel from Oxford to Exeter on the 31st instead and from Exeter to Leeds on 2 February instead. If I go down this route, am I entitled to any sort of compensation?

I don't know for certain but I highly doubt you'd be due compensation since if you still travel you are still using the ticket, and while you could technically claim that it is a delay due to cancellations so there should be some sort of delay repay the TOC could fall back on the rule that cancellations before 10pm the previous day don't count towards delay repay or whatever it is

 

[Kilopylae]

GWR now states:

"Thank you. This ticket is not valid via London, and the new journey plan changing at Reading and Basingstoke (the only route available on the 1st) does not involve going through London, however it involves using a different train operators service. We would indeed allow this ticket to be used on the Super Off-Peak services from Oxford to Reading, and Reading to Basingstoke, but you'd need to confirm with South Western Railway if they will accept this ticket on their services from Basingstoke to Exeter St Davids."

 

[mangyiscute]

GWR now states:

"Thank you. This ticket is not valid via London, and the new journey plan changing at Reading and Basingstoke (the only route available on the 1st) does not involve going through London, however it involves using a different train operators service. We would indeed allow this ticket to be used on the Super Off-Peak services from Oxford to Reading, and Reading to Basingstoke, but you'd need to confirm with South Western Railway if they will accept this ticket on their services from Basingstoke to Exeter St Davids."

Having a look at the restrictions states that it is valid on any trains arriving into Exeter St Davids after 11:30 - edit, it actually says to look at a different restriction that allows use on any train leaving basingstoke after 09:00. Ultimately, just search on NRE journey planner and any journey that it offers the super off peak ticket for, you can take that one
2nd edit: NRE doesn't seem to offer the fare on any train. From what I can see, the only relevant restrictions are not being able to depart Reading before 10:30 and after 15:29 and before 19:01, and also not leaving Basingstoke before 09:00 (which is obsolete). So you can take any route which has the Reading to Basingstoke train leaving outside of those times.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2023 ==

Actually, having a look at the routeing guide, it seems that an Oxford to Exeter ticket is not usually valid on the via Honiton route - although since via Honiton fares are sold, I'm not sure how that works with the routeing guide and tickets that suggest they're valid via that route but the routeing guide suggests otherwise - someone with more knowledge than me can advise.
Since it's a strike day, it's almost certainly going to be a perfectly fine route to go, and there are clear time restrictions for the ticket going that route too so I expect that what I put above are the timing restrictions you'll have to respect.
It is probably worth sending the SWR team a twitter DM just to see what they say, but if im honest i doubt theyll be able to tell you any timing restrictions. However, if they say its valid and you are questioned about it on the train, you will have that as proof to show them that you were advised to go this route

 

[Watershed]

I have an Oxford to Exeter St Davids off-peak single for 1 February - National Rail Enquiries suggests travelling via Basingstoke and using SWR to reach Exeter. Am I allowed to travel via Basingstoke? GWR's Twitter team refuse to give a straight answer, claiming that it's impossible for them to be sure without a photograph of the ticket (I don't see how).

You're entitled to have GWR re-route you that way, under Article 17 of the PRO (Passenger Rights and Obligations Regulation), as the cancellation of their services beyond Bristol means that you will clearly otherwise face a delay of well in excess of an hour. As there are no services along the normal permitted routes, SWR is also obliged to assist you under condition 28.2 of the NRCoT (National Rail Conditions of Travel), for example by accepting your ticket on their services.

Now for the nastier one. I have split flexible tickets* for a journey from Exeter St Davids to Leeds on 3 February, and CrossCountry has cancelled all trains. National Rail Enquiries indicates that it should still be possible to reach Leeds by using SWR from Exeter to London, Grand Central from London to York, and Northern from York to Leeds. Again, CrossCountry on Twitter refuses to give me a straight answer, saying that the fact I have split tickets "may" make it invalid (and ignoring subsequent messages). I don't feel particularly optimistic but: Am I allowed to travel using SWR and Grand Central?

Northern won't be running any services at all on that day. The service you saw between York and Leeds just hasn't been cancelled yet. Despite running a limited service on previous ASLEF strike days, TPE have now thrown in the towel completely, so the only way of getting to Leeds is to use LNER - they will operate a shuttle service from Doncaster, connecting with their (limited) Edinburgh service - or of course you could use Grand Central or Hull Trains to Doncaster, or indeed Grand Central all the way to Bradford if that's of any use. That is all in practical terms; what you can do with the tickets you hold is another matter.

Again, you're entitled to have XC re-route you at the earliest opportunity, which given the limited service on that day, will essentially mean travelling via London. Which option you take from London to Leeds is another question.

With both of the above, it's worth noting that the right to be re-routed is not the same as the right to simply get on an alternative train. The right to be re-routed is utterly toothless in that respect, and you may have to buy a new ticket - out of pocket - if you're unable to get anyone to endorse your ticket or offer you ticket acceptance, then having to claim this back afterwards. Whether you're willing or even able to carry such an out of pocket expense, possibly for weeks or months until they deign to give it back to you (and that's assuming they don't try and refuse), is something to bear in mind when deciding what to do.

Final question: AFAIK I am allowed to travel from Oxford to Exeter on the 31st instead and from Exeter to Leeds on 2 February instead.

Yes, tickets will be accepted the day before every given strike day, until (and including) 7 February.

If I go down this route, am I entitled to any sort of compensation?

If you travel before your booked date, it's highly unlikely that you will be entitled to anything, as there is no formal mechanism under Delay Repay schemes, the NRCoT or PRO for compensation for having to leave early.

The rules about strike days are a real puzzle to me. I haven't been too impressed with customer services' attitude

Poor customer service has been endemic during the many strikes this last year. Whilst I appreciate that the resolution of the strikes isn't realistically within the operators' control (their contracts with the government ban them from making any offer other than one approved by the government), they could be handling the customer service side of things so much better.

although to be fair I expect this is all very confusing and frustrating for them too, so I'm not really annoyed. I think what really irks me is the lack of blanket ticket acceptance!

It will no doubt be very frustrating having to deal with loads more angry and disgruntled passengers, but as you say, so much of this would be helped if the bare minimum of arrangements were in place - i.e. blanket ticket acceptance across all operators and reasonable alternative routes. However, the RDG seems to think that simply accepting tickets on a handful of other dates is enough. I suppose they're right insofar as most people are just likely to grin and bear it, and are unlikely to take any further action over their rights being trampled over.

 

[Kilopylae]

the only way of getting to Leeds is to use LNER - they will operate a shuttle service from Doncaster, connecting with their (limited) Edinburgh service

I have bought an Advance ticket for a direct train from Kings Cross to Leeds departing at 17:03. Is this an oversight in LNER's ticket booking system? Their strike day journey planner also seems to indicate a 'lone' direct train at 17:03.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2023 ==

You're entitled to have GWR re-route you that way, under Article 17 of the PRO (Passenger Rights and Obligations Regulation), as the cancellation of their services beyond Bristol means that you will clearly otherwise face a delay of well in excess of an hour. As there are no services along the normal permitted routes, SWR is also obliged to assist you under condition 28.2 of the NRCoT (National Rail Conditions of Travel), for example by accepting your ticket on their services.

Whilst I would have been perfectly prepared for a fight if needed, SWR have said on Twitter that I can travel via Basingstoke, so that makes life a lot easier.

 

[mangyiscute]

Yeah the only issue could be getting on a train which isn't allowed due to peak restrictions, but if I'm honest I highly doubt the staff will know exactly what the restrictions are either, so as long as you don't travel at like 7am (make sure you travel fairly off peak) I can't see you having an issue

 

[Watershed]

I have bought an Advance ticket for a direct train from Kings Cross to Leeds departing at 17:03. Is this an oversight in LNER's ticket booking system? Their strike day journey planner also seems to indicate a 'lone' direct train at 17:03.

It won't be down to their booking engine; if it is a mistake it will be down to the data that Network Rail provide to all retailers on behalf of LNER. However, I do recall there being one through train to Leeds on ASLEF strike days, so this could be correct.

 

[Haywain]

a direct train from Kings Cross to Leeds departing at 17:03. Is this an oversight in LNER's ticket booking system?

There is usually one direct train in each direction, and the northbound service would be the last train of the day to run to Leeds. A 17:03 departure is likely to be the relevant time for this so I would regard it as highly unlikely to be an error.