Catching a later train due to feeling unwell

[Alex C.]

I’m curious what the official position is here. SWR tweeted today that if you feel unwell you shouldn’t board and wait for a later train. I asked if the guard would endorse an Advance ticket (assuming the SWR leg was a +connections part). They responded that they would so you could travel on a later train. I’m suspicious of something so customer friendly (if you were travelling from an unstaffed station they would have no way of verifying this) so I’m wondering if this policy is documented anywhere.

 

[trainophile]

I would have thought there should be some criteria, i.e. seeking out a member of staff (where available) before missing your original train. Otherwise what's to stop someone just sleeping in and rocking up saying sorry mate I didn't feel well first thing?

 

[falcon]

Advance ticket is only valid on booked train that's the officail line.

In the event of death unforseen circumstances blah, blah that are not the fault of the railway then it's buy another ticket.

Faults due to the railway then travel on another train is allowed.

Also policy is if you are ill do not get on a train, seek medical assistance as there are no facilities on trains to assist ill people.

Hospitals and doctors for ill people.

Advanced tickets valid on booked train and seat shown only.

UK full of idiots that don't understand that!

 

[furlong]

Buy travel insurance?

 

[AlterEgo]

This is not a customer right and therefore it is not written down anywhere.

The TOC is within their legal rights to tell you to purchase a new ticket.

 

[WelshBluebird]

If the ToC is advising you to catch a later train if you are ill, and you are ill, so you get a later train, I'd like to see how a court would interpret that! Not that I would want to test that mind you!

 

[robbeech]

If the ToC is advising you to catch a later train if you are ill, and you are ill, so you get a later train, I'd like to see how a court would interpret that! Not that I would want to test that mind you!

Another example of the railway contradicting itself whilst trying its best to help and do the right thing. I think in many situations a guard might say “ok if you are feeling ok now then get on” if there was nothing significantly different about the train. For example if you were booked to catch the 1308 from London to York and you turned up at the 1700 then you’ll likely be told no. It’s peak time, it’s faster, it’s significantly later.

If it was the 1308 and the 1335 A’s far as Doncaster then a guard might use their discretion.

I agree that it adds confusion and a potential railway farce by putting up these signs.

 

[trainophile]

If you're unwell because of a hangover then why should you have flexibility? If you're unwell due to something that might be catching, should you be on any train at all?

 

[AlterEgo]

If the ToC is advising you to catch a later train if you are ill, and you are ill, so you get a later train, I'd like to see how a court would interpret that! Not that I would want to test that mind you!

You’d need to prove you were ill, for a start.

 

[jumble]

You’d need to prove you were ill, for a start.

This sounds a bit like my Son's school Welfare who when he was absent owing to headaches sent us a letter telling us that we needed to obtain a doctor's note the next time it happened.
I asked them exactly what they thought the Surgery Receptionist was going to say if I turned up there with him with this request.
The answer was along the lines of "The local authority mandate that we send out this absurd request but you can ignore it !"

Jumble

 

[Nick66]

This sounds a bit like my Son's school Welfare who when he was absent owing to headaches sent us a letter telling us that we needed to obtain a doctor's note the next time it happened.
I asked them exactly what they thought the Surgery Receptionist was going to say if I turned up there with him with this request.
The answer was along the lines of "The local authority mandate that we send out this absurd request but you can ignore it !"

Jumble

Sorry for going off-topic but I couldn’t resist. My son had a bad case of the sickness bug on a Wednesday night in early September. When I phoned on the Thursday I was told to make sure he was back on the Friday as they couldn’t authorise the absence because it would take him below the attendance percentage threshold for the year to date, which had just started! Email to the headmaster got the desired response....