Advance ticket confiscation

[35B]

This does make you wonder about how tax payers money is looked after if so someone missing a train is not bothered as the state will replace, no questions asked

That's unfair. I travel for work and, in similar circumstances, would claim the cost on expenses. I see no reason why civil servants should be held to a higher standard - all of our employers have to earn their corn.


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[SodTheDrummer]

This does make you wonder about how tax payers money is looked after if so someone missing a train is not bothered as the state will replace, no questions asked

it was a course I was required to attend to be able to continue to perform my duties. Using public transport (company policy where possible) failed to get me to the station on time as I had another meeting earlier on the same day. I did think I had allowed plenty of time to get there,(1hr across town, early afternoon) but the traffic across Mcr was a mare on that day.

Anyhow, the TPE guy sorted it, so no additional cost involved. Fail to see why I should be penalised for something outside my control.

 

[najaB]

This does make you wonder about how tax payers money is looked after if so someone missing a train is not bothered as the state will replace, no questions asked

It's not really that different to most other employers. If you are travelling for work and your travel plans were realistic and met the requirements of the travel policy, then you wouldn't be expected to be out of pocket for things going wrong that were completely out of your control.

 

[philthetube]

it was a course I was required to attend to be able to continue to perform my duties. Using public transport (company policy where possible) failed to get me to the station on time as I had another meeting earlier on the same day. I did think I had allowed plenty of time to get there,(1hr across town, early afternoon) but the traffic across Mcr was a mare on that day.

Anyhow, the TPE guy sorted it, so no additional cost involved. Fail to see why I should be penalised for something outside my control.

Totally agree, you shouldn't. Maybe I read your post wrong but the impression I got was that your work culture one of who cares if you miss the train, the tax payer will pay, sorry if I offended.

 

[SodTheDrummer]

Totally agree, you shouldn't. Maybe I read your post wrong but the impression I got was that your work culture one of who cares if you miss the train, the tax payer will pay, sorry if I offended.

You didn't mate. My cackhanded initial explanation probably didn't help!

Work are very big on getting best value on travel, and that usually means advance tickets. Once, in my whole 30 years, has first class been cheapest on advance, so I obviously felt duty obliged to take advantage (especially as it included a meal, so saved money on claiming the cost of that back!)

 

[Wookiee]

You didn't mate. My cackhanded initial explanation probably didn't help!

Work are very big on getting best value on travel, and that usually means advance tickets. Once, in my whole 30 years, has first class been cheapest on advance, so I obviously felt duty obliged to take advantage (especially as it included a meal, so saved money on claiming the cost of that back!)

My little corner of the civil service doesn't permit first class travel, even when it is cheaper than standard - it fails the Daily Mail test, apparently. I had to travel from Euston to Preston on that former Virgin service to Glasgow that only stopped there. The cheapest standard fare was just over £40, while the First Advance was £25 and would have included a meal. I had to pay the higher fare, plus an extra £20 for a meal after I arrived. Farcical.

 

[SodTheDrummer]

My little corner of the civil service doesn't permit first class travel, even when it is cheaper than standard - it fails the Daily Mail test, apparently. I had to travel from Euston to Preston on that former Virgin service to Glasgow that only stopped there. The cheapest standard fare was just over £40, while the First Advance was £25 and would have included a meal. I had to pay the higher fare, plus an extra £20 for a meal after I arrived. Farcical.

Indeed. My branch only allows it if is the cheapest option. (unless you are above a certain grade of course )

It used to be a 'right' to travel 1st if you were a certain grade, although I think this has been edited out of the T&Cs now. Must have been a dilemma for the unions whether or not they tried to object to that one! But if it's the cheapest option available on the the prescribed booking agency site, what the hell is the problem? (Apart from the Daily Mail)

 

[Fare-Cop]

I'm not sure how discussion about whether civil service staff should be able to travel first class or not helps the OP who queried whether rail staff were entitled to retain an Advance ticket, held by a third party, that the staff member felt had been misused?

We all know that threads do drift a little off topic sometimes, but this one seems to have completely lost its way

 

[Wookiee]

Indeed. My branch only allows it if is the cheapest option. (unless you are above a certain grade of course )

It used to be a 'right' to travel 1st if you were a certain grade, although I think this has been edited out of the T&Cs now. Must have been a dilemma for the unions whether or not they tried to object to that one! But if it's the cheapest option available on the the prescribed booking agency site, what the hell is the problem? (Apart from the Daily Mail)

We got rid of it for "certain grades" just before I reached that certain grade, so I've never been able to take advantage.

 

[SodTheDrummer]

I'm not sure how discussion about whether civil service staff should be able to travel first class or not helps the OP who queried whether rail staff were entitled to retain an Advance ticket, held by a third party, that the staff member felt had been misused?

We all know that threads do drift a little off topic sometimes, but this one seems to have completely lost its way

Guilty as charged! Apologies!

 

[Wookiee]

*hides*

 

[BestWestern]

Looking at prices from Liverpool Lime Street, an anytime day single to Malton is only 80p more than the first advance. Why didn't the conduct just charge her the 80p difference in price? It sounds like someone was hungry for commission!

Because that isn't what the Conductor is supposed to do! As above, if you travel on the wrong train with an Advance, you need to buy a new ticket.

 

[BestWestern]

From reading the comments on this and other threads it seems that some guards and RPIs are very knowledgeable about the rules and are determined to enforce the letter of the law (maybe the rules should be changed?) and forget that they are meant to be providing a service to the public.
If the original post is correct then why not smile, point out the passenger's error, and offer an excess to the anytime single fare, which a previous post states would have been 80p.
The passenger (customer) would have been happy, more likely to travel again, and would tell her friends of the good service received rather than being ripped off by the nasty railway.

Why not just forget checking tickets all together, smile profusely and give everybody a free G&T? I mean, who cares about revenue collection anyway, really. They're only rules, they're just there to annoy people... :roll:

Buying and then misusing a discounted ticket, and consequently being charged the appropriate amount as per the advertised conditions of use, is not being 'ripped off'. We hear it endlessly, on here and in the media, about people buying cheap tickets, failing to use them properly, being caught and appropriately dealt with, and then complaining about how terrible it all is. I wonder, is it okay for the TOC to feel 'ripped off' by these people trying their luck, or does that only apply to the passenger when they get caught and suddenly get all indignant and offended?!