Arriva Wales Club 55 anomalies

[extendedpaul]

That's a relief - the wording is identical to the e mail I received last year.

ATW must lose weekday Club 55 custom from people who assume you can't pass through Cardiff before 9.30am. You'd think a promotion aimed at a mature age group would be made as clear and simple as possible.

It's still a far better deal than the very restrictive FGW version !

 

[John @ home]

I have now received tickets for a Manchester - Cardiff journey in December using ATW's Club 55 offer, which I booked on the ATW site. It seems to me that discrepancies between the offer conditions and the words on the tickets are likely to lead to conflict between passengers and train companies.

Validity of the Return leg
The ticket for my Return leg from Cardiff to Manchester includes the words Valid until 31.DMR.11. ATW's Club 55 Terms & Conditions state All travel must be completed by 14 December 2011. Travel on 15 December 2011 or later will require a new ticket to be purchased.

Valid routes when using using ATW's Club 55 offer
During the booking process, I was informed This ticket allows travel on any permitted route. The tickets include the words Route ANY PERMITTED. ATW's Club 55 Terms & Conditions state Travel is valid on the entire Arriva Trains Wales network and the services of the following operators (supplementary return add-on fare applies) which is followed by details of the optional add-ons using Chiltern, Cross Country, First Great Western, London Midland, Northern and Merseyrail. My Manchester - Cardiff journey does not use any of these optional add-ons.

The statement granting validity on the entire Arriva Trains Wales network adds this route, which is not normally a Permitted Route because none of the relevant maps shows a direct link between Warrington Group and Chester:

Manchester Group - Earlestown - Warrington Group - Chester - Wrexham Group - Shrewsbury - Craven Arms - Hereford - Newport - Cardiff

NRCoC Conditions 10 and 13, together with the words Route ANY PERMITTED printed on the tickets, ensure that a wide range of alternative routes are also available, including

Manchester Group - (Crewe and/or Stockport) - (Sheffield Group or Stafford) - (Birmingham Group and/or Smethwick Group) - (Worcester Group and/or Cheltenham) - (Hereford or (Gloucester and/or Bristol Group)) - Newport - Cardiff

 

[extendedpaul]

I noticed last year that my Club 55 return tickets all showed a 30 day validity even the one I bought only two days before the promotion ended.

I wonder what the legal position would be if used after that end date - ticket valid by date printed on it but not by the terms and conditions.

 

[trainophile]

I've just booked a Club55 ticket on ATW's website, first time I've done it as I usually buy them at the ticket office. The input screen insisted I gave a return date, even though these tickets are valid for a month. Just wondering whether the issued ticket will tie me to the return date I entered. It would probably be okay as I'm unlikely to change my plans, but curious as to why I couldn't bypass the return date field.

Maybe if I'd selected "single" journey instead of return? But then it might not have brought up the Club55 option. Will have to experiment next time I need one.

 

[yorkie]

I saw one of these tickets yesterday. The ticket type is not "advance", the issued ticket will not say "valid only with reservations" and the reservations (which you could simply chuck away) will not say "mandatory seat reservation" so there is nothing to worry about.

 

[trainophile]

Thanks Yorkie. I just collected my tickets and sure enough the return half says valid for a month after outward date. Just a software anomaly then.

 

[John @ home]

I've just booked a Club55 ticket on ATW's website, first time I've done it as I usually buy them at the ticket office. The input screen insisted I gave a return date, even though these tickets are valid for a month. Just wondering whether the issued ticket will tie me to the return date I entered.

No, it won't. The online journey planners generally insist on a return travel date before selling a return ticket. The reason given is that it ensures that passengers don't buy unsuitable tickets. I'm not wholly convinced, but I see little prospect of changing this.

Maybe if I'd selected "single" journey instead of return?

No that wouldn't work either. Club55 is a return ticket and only appears if you ask for a return journey.

Just a software anomaly then.

There are rather too many anomalies in the autumn 2011 operation of the three Club55 schemes. trainophile, you may be interested in our earlier discussion in Arriva Wales Club 55 anomalies.

 

[trainophile]

Thanks John, interesting reading. Don't know how I managed to miss that thread.

It has "clarified" (?) one thing for me - I'd assumed from the t&c's that I couldn't get the 06:25 weekday Hereford to Holyhead train, changing at Chester onto M/Rail for destination Southport, as the Chester to Liverpool connection would arrive in Liverpool just before 09:30. However reading the email that ATW sent to someone equally puzzled, it seems that would be alright as Liverpool isn't my destination.

Rather defeats the (assumed) object of reducing peak time congestion I'd have thought.

Edit: If Admin would like to merge this thread with the other one it would make sense.

 

[Welshman]

Thanks Yorkie. I just collected my tickets and sure enough the return half says valid for a month after outward date. Just a software anomaly then.

Please bear in mind, too, that the T&Cs state all travel must be completed by December 14th.

 

[John @ home]

Please bear in mind, too, that the T&Cs state all travel must be completed by December 14th.

But tickets with the outward leg dated 16 November 2011 and later contradict this. See my post #32 above. I expect there will be a number of wholly unnecessary disputes over this.

 

[Welshman]

I notice also, that FGW Club 55 tickets cannot be used for an outward journey after 20th November.

So does this mean FGW will be accepting ATW Club 55s [with add-ons] between Newport and Taunton after this date, but their own will not be available for outward travel?
You're right - the whole thing has been very anomalous this autumn - a pity as I think it is a good scheme. Let's hope it returns in the spring and is simpler.