Annual ticket advice - jury service

[adam6177]

Afternoon all, 1st post so please be gentle.

I have an annual season ticket from West st Leonards (east Sussex) to London terminals plus zones 1-6.

I've been selected for jury service at Lewes crown court, so on my permitted routes to London, Lewes is a station that I could pass through.

I've spoken with southeastern a couple of times and initially it looked like it would be a piece of cake to use my ticket for the journies, but now I've tried to action it they've claimed it's impossible and that I should buy daily tickets and reclaim as part of the normal jury service costs.

This seems logical but crazy at the same time, I've already paid for the journies to be valid, so what's the point in paying again.

Technically all I need is a ticket that would get me in and out of the barriers at lewes, as then my current ticket would be valid.

Does anyone have any suggestions or bright ideas? (Do platform tickets still exist for example?)

Cheers all

Adam

 

[gray1404]

If Lewes is a permitted route between West St Leonards and London Zone 6 then you are permitted to start, finish and break your journey there using your season ticket. It is normal for Customer Relations to not actually understand the routing guide so I would not be too concerned if you are given poor advise. If it is a permitted route then, if your ticket doesn't work the barrier then you should be manually let through.

However, as you rightly point out, you can claim travel expenses while on jury service so if you were to have to buy daily tickets you can claim these back. It is unlikely you will get anything if you use a season ticket you have paid out for already.

Others will know on here is there is a procedure for returning a season ticket to a TOC if it is not going to be used for a period for a partial refund (such as illness etc...)....and would jury service count given it is outside the OPs control and is compulsory?

 

[adam6177]

If Lewes is a permitted route between West St Leonards and London Zone 6 then you are permitted to start, finish and break your journey there using your season ticket. It is normal for Customer Relations to not actually understand the routing guide so I would not be too concerned if you are given poor advise. If it is a permitted route then, if your ticket doesn't work the barrier then you should be manually let through.

However, as you rightly point out, you can claim travel expenses while on jury service so if you were to have to buy daily tickets you can claim these back. It is unlikely you will get anything if you use a season ticket you have paid out for already.

Others will know on here is there is a procedure for returning a season ticket to a TOC if it is not going to be used for a period for a partial refund (such as illness etc...)....and would jury service count given it is outside the OPs control and is compulsory?

Thanks for the advice.

Honestly it's not about me claiming back money for my unused ticket etc it just seems a waste of money for the government to reimburse me for journies I've already paid for.... Even if it's 10 days, it'll still save them £175 when all its doing is going to the rail firms pocket

 

[gray1404]

The National Rail website is giving itineraries via Lewes and offering a through West St Leonards to London Terminals ticket (either an Anytime or Off Peak ticket). South Eastern's own website is also showing this and happy to sell the ticket giving an itinerary via Lewes.

You existing season ticket is therefore valid to get you to and from Lewes for your Jury service so you can use this. You do not need to purchase any more tickets.

 

[adam6177]

The National Rail website is giving itineraries via Lewes and offering a through West St Leonards to London Terminals ticket (either an Anytime or Off Peak ticket). South Eastern's own website is also showing this and happy to sell the ticket giving an itinerary via Lewes.

You existing season ticket is therefore valid to get you to and from Lewes for your Jury service so you can use this. You do not need to purchase any more tickets.

Thank you.

It amazes me that 3 different people all from the same company can give me different answers. I wonder what I'll be confronted with at Lewes by barrier staff! We shall see.

 

[gray1404]

It is usual to be given incorrect information. I find that actual operations staff on the ground know more. You route is permitted through according to the routing guide - so its valid.

If it helps though, you can log onto the National Rail website and also the South Eastern website and search for a West St Leonards to London itinerary and enter Lewes as a via point. It will then give you a journey with a service that calls at Lewes and the corresponding through fare. You can then print that off/show it on your phone as proof you are making a journey permitted by your season ticket and on a permitted route.

 

[adam6177]

Just been doing some more research:

From the: National Rail Conditionsof Travel document:

16.3. Generally, you may start, or break and resume, a journey (in either
direction in the case of a return Ticket) at any intermediate station, as long as the
Ticket you hold is valid for the trains you want to use. However, this may not be
the case with some through services that take an indirect route. You may also
end your journey (in either direction in the case of a return Ticket) before the
destination shown on the Ticket.

And specific to season tickets:

36.2. A Season Ticket gives you the right to unlimited travel on train services
between specific stations or within specific geographic zones during the period
up to and including the Season Ticket’s expiry date. This includes the right to
start, break or resume your journey, as described in Condition 16.3. It may only
be used by the person to whom, or on whose behalf, it was issued.


Think that sums it up! I may even print off the document just in case!

 

[ainsworth74]

If the journey you intend to make is on a valid route for the season ticket you hold then you are perfectly entitled to join or leave a train at an intermediate station. It is disappointing (though sadly not particularly surprising) that some TOC staff would get this wrong as the standards of training within the industry leave a lot to be desired.

I would doubt that you'll require your print out but there's certainly no harm in bringing it.