Comparison of TOCs refusing to pay Delay Repay claims vs persuing fare evaders

[redreni]

Moderator note: Split from

Delay Repay after break of journey

On Friday morning I went from Broad Green to Manchester Piccadilly, spent several hours in Manchester, then went from Manchester Victoria to Todmorden in the late afternoon. Did both trips using the same outbound ticket of a BGE-TOD Off Peak Return. I arrived in Todmorden 20 minutes late. Both...

www.railforums.co.uk

It's always going to be difficult to claim for this sort of journey, and for a delay of 15-29 mins I doubt it's worth it.

If it was the entire journey, it would be £3.71.

However, Manchester to Broad Green is not much more than a third of the cost of the overall fare held, so the value being disputed is something in the region of £1.25.

The value being argued over is a matter of pence, so it will cost both parties more in the value of their time, than the actual amount in question.

As for those saying the amount isn't worth worrying about, do you think TOCs should let fare evaders off small amounts? If not, why should passengers be expected to let TOCs off small amounts that they owe us? It needn't be a faff; Northern is making it so.

 

[D1511]

Some sphincters are tighter than others, clearly.

 

[redreni]

Some sphincters are tighter than others, clearly.

Is that a yes to letting off fare evaders for small amounts, then?

 

[D1511]

Is that a yes to letting off fare evaders for small amounts, then?

Well, no, but I don't think the two things are comparable, other than that they both ultimately have a detrimental impact on railway finances.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2026 ==

I'm all for delay repay when there has been genuine inconvenience or the TOC has done something incompetent, and as a high mileage Avanti customer, I'm no stranger to making a claim. If Avanti control decide to terminate a train at Preston for the stock and crew convenience, then just try to stop me making a delay repay claim (provided it's of a worthwhile value), but if some ned in Warwickshire decides to take a short cut over the tracks and gets splattered all across the 4 foot, then I wouldn't, because that's not Avanti's fault. They are the victims, just as I am.
This is the stance I take because I want to support the rail network.......and thankfully because I'm not desperate for the money. And if a few more did the same, maybe the network would be a bit better because resource and money could be channeled elsewhere.

 

[ikcdab]

Well, no, but I don't think the two things are comparable, other than that they both ultimately have a detrimental impact on railway finances.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2026 ==

I'm all for delay repay when there has been genuine inconvenience or the TOC has done something incompetent, and as a high mileage Avanti customer, I'm no stranger to making a claim. If Avanti control decide to terminate a train at Preston for the stock and crew convenience, then just try to stop me making a delay repay claim (provided it's of a worthwhile value), but if some ned in Warwickshire decides to take a short cut over the tracks and gets splattered all across the 4 foot, then I wouldn't, because that's not Avanti's fault. They are the victims, just as I am.
This is the stance I take because I want to support the rail network.......and thankfully because I'm not desperate for the money. And if a few more did the same, maybe the network would be a bit better because resource and money could be channeled elsewhere.

Do you know how many billions the government throws down the drain without any benefit at all? It is billions a year. Until the government stop wasting money I will claim every penny I am entitled to.

 

[Coleridge]

I always claim Delay Repay, even if the delay wasn't the fault of the train company, or didn't inconvenience me, or is only for a small amount. It's often the principle, rather than the money: it only takes moments to make a claim, and it costs the company a lot more in time and effort than the amount they pay me.

 

[Lemmy99uk]

Do you know how many billions the government throws down the drain without any benefit at all? It is billions a year. Until the government stop wasting money I will claim every penny I am entitled to.

I’ve no idea. Please tell us.

 

[WesternLancer]

I’ve no idea. Please tell us.

Presumably one can expect the National Audit Office to investigate such things. As opposed to things random people consider to be a waste of money, in their personal opinion.
For example I’ve heard people who favour nuclear disarmament claiming the cost of nuclear weapons / the nuclear deterrent is a waste of money and thus presumably billions down the drain. But others will point to the weapons and say we need them and it’s thus not money wasted because this is what they cost.

 

[redreni]

Well, no, but I don't think the two things are comparable, other than that they both ultimately have a detrimental impact on railway finances.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2026 ==

I'm all for delay repay when there has been genuine inconvenience or the TOC has done something incompetent, and as a high mileage Avanti customer, I'm no stranger to making a claim. If Avanti control decide to terminate a train at Preston for the stock and crew convenience, then just try to stop me making a delay repay claim (provided it's of a worthwhile value), but if some ned in Warwickshire decides to take a short cut over the tracks and gets splattered all across the 4 foot, then I wouldn't, because that's not Avanti's fault. They are the victims, just as I am.
This is the stance I take because I want to support the rail network.......and thankfully because I'm not desperate for the money. And if a few more did the same, maybe the network would be a bit better because resource and money could be channeled elsewhere.

The deal is you pay a fare, but as specified in the NRCoT, if the railway delivers you to your destination late and the delay is at or above certain thresholds, compensation of a percentage of the fare is payable. To me, not claiming that rebate would be like paying for something in cash and not waiting for your change.

Maybe there are people who don't wait for their change, either, if it's less than a certain amount? I've no idea. It's not something I would do, personally. It's not about the money particularly, it's about correctness. I want to pay the right amount. No less. No more.

 

[gembercannelle]

The fact that a passenger can be penalised for travelling one stop without a ticket - even if there was no material loss to the railway (e.g. the fare from Canley to Euston and from Coventry to Euston is the same, yet, if you board at Canley with a ticket from Coventry, you get a PFN for 103.10) - makes me to submit Delay Repay claims even for small amounts.

 

[mmh]

My last delay repay payment was 40p. To those who'd say that's a waste of time, and my time is worth more than that, I'd say phooey. I claimed during time I was not working, and not being paid anything. That would have been the case if I'd claimed or taken the time to make a cup of tea instead. You're spending time posting on the forum and not getting paid for it - what's the difference?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Wednesday at 13:05 ==

The fact that a passenger can be penalised for travelling one stop without a ticket - even if there was no material loss to the railway (e.g. the fare from Canley to Euston and from Coventry to Euston is the same, yet, if you board at Canley with a ticket from Coventry, you get a PFN for 103.10) - makes me to submit Delay Repay claims even for small amounts.

Quite. The railway makes life awkward for people, and delay repay is the sole chance most have to have anything like a feeling that they're possibly being awkward in return.

Alternatively, as per the old public information advert, "dad says it keeps people in jobs."

 

[blimmo]

You're spending time posting on the forum and not getting paid for it - what's the difference?

Depends how much you enjoy making delay repay claims. Personally I don't mind it but I know many people find it indescribably boring and therefore don't bother.

 

[Tetchytyke]

This is the stance I take because I want to support the rail network

It was many years ago now, but the TSSA showed that the TOCs make more money out of delays than they give out to customers. It was partly this research which pushed Delay Repay down to 15 minutes.

My view is that it is my money and I will claim it.

I know many people find it indescribably boring and therefore don't bother.

It’s almost as though they’ve deliberately designed in friction!

 

[AlterEgo]

It was many years ago now, but the TSSA showed that the TOCs make more money out of delays than they give out to customers.

TOCs don't "make money" from Schedule 8 payments and the TSSA misrepresented what Schedule 8 is.

It was partly this research which pushed Delay Repay down to 15 minutes.

It really wasn't. The trigger for DR15 was sustained poor performance on GTR/Southern as well as the Consumer Rights Act coming into force.