16-25 Minimum Fare - dispute

[transportphoto]

Hi All,

I'm acting as an intermediary for a friend of mine who, for some reason, purchased a 16-25 discounted Anytime Day Single (£6.00) in advance of the date of travel. When travelling, he was charged for a brand new, undiscounted, ticket because he was travelling before the minimum fare threshold.

Was this correct procedure please? I have an inkling that it is.

Cheers,

TP

 

[yorkie]

Should have been charged an excess fare, in my opinion.

 

[Be3G]

It's a bit of a grey area; railcard literature makes it very clear what happens if one forgets one's railcard, in which case a new ticket should be sold, but that isn't applicable here. The closest match in terms of documented railway ‘offences’ that I can think of is the use of an off-peak ticket during peak hours, in which case as yorkie says an excess would be the appropriate course of action.

 

[ainsworth74]

I think an excess would have been appropriate but it's definitely a bit of a grey area!

 

[transportphoto]

An excess was indeed my initial thoughts too. I've told him to retain all tickets and I'll draft a letter to the TOC concerned.

TP

 

[LexyBoy]

I agree. NRCoC 12 states:

Restrictions apply to the use of some tickets (including those bought with a Railcard) in addition to/other than those in Condition 10 above such as the dates, days, and times when you can use them, and the trains in which they can be used. These restrictions will be made clear to you by the seller when you buy your ticket. If a restriction applies and the ticket you are using is not valid for the train you are travelling in, then:
(a) you will be liable to pay an excess fare (the difference between the price paid for the ticket you hold and the price of the lowest priced ticket available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to travel in that train for the journey shown on the ticket); or
(b) in the case of some types of discounted tickets (as indicated in the notices and publications) Condition 2 or 4 will apply.

The part I have bolded seems to apply pretty clearly to this situation. There is no mention in the Railcard T&Cs that travelling with a ticket below the minimum fare before 10 am will result in a new ticket being sold. Therefore I don't see 12(b) applying, which means that an excess is expected as per 12(a).

I can understand why a new ticket may have been sold though, especially if there is an Off Peak ticket valid after 10 am.

 

[revenueadvice]

It's common practice too excess the ticket. Have had people doing this on a persistent basis. Which has resulted in a statement being taken under caution and sent off to prosecution but as a one off mistake the excess fare is the "norm" where I work.

 

[transportphoto]

Certainly a customer service jobby then! Thanks for the NRCoC extract, may come in handy!

TP