Compensation for cancelled buses / Arriva West Midlands

[CharlieSpotted]

I've just started to use buses a lot more as, as the result of recent illness, I'm not able to walk as far as I once could. I was just wondering if there was any industry standard method of compensating passengers for severe delay / cancellation?

One day a couple of weeks ago I was forced to use an Arriva West Midlands service to get to a hospital appointment in Cannock (from Wolverhampton). The service should have been every 30 minutes (2 different bus numbers 70 and 71, to the same destination, alternating). We bought day tickets on Arriva's m-ticket app and arrived at the stop in good time. We waited for well over an hour (during which time we should have seen 3 buses) with no bus having shown up and eventually gave up and were forced to get an uber to get to the hospital in time.

I've written to Arriva to complain and requested compensation, in the form of a refund of our m-tickets, at least. I've received a couple of responses with apologies and excuses (sorry, explanations) but they seem to just ignore the question of compensation. The first email explained that the 70 service had been cancelled due to "heavy traffic" (!) and the 71 was running "over 30 minutes late". The second email explained that sometimes they need to cancel services or turn them around early so that drivers don't go over their hours.

My annoyance with Arriva's poor service aside, I wondered if there was any standard arrangement for compensation for cancelled bus journeys? Anything similar to "Delay Repay"? Or whether these companies can choose to offer compensation or not at their own whim? And whether Arriva WM are ever known to offer compensation?

Grateful for any thoughts.

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

I've just started to use buses a lot more as, as the result of recent illness, I'm not able to walk as far as I once could. I was just wondering if there was any industry standard method of compensating passengers for severe delay / cancellation?

One day a couple of weeks ago I was forced to use an Arriva West Midlands service to get to a hospital appointment in Cannock (from Wolverhampton). The service should have been every 30 minutes (2 different bus numbers 70 and 71, to the same destination, alternating). We bought day tickets on Arriva's m-ticket app and arrived at the stop in good time. We waited for well over an hour (during which time we should have seen 3 buses) with no bus having shown up and eventually gave up and were forced to get an uber to get to the hospital in time.

I've written to Arriva to complain and requested compensation, in the form of a refund of our m-tickets, at least. I've received a couple of responses with apologies and excuses (sorry, explanations) but they seem to just ignore the question of compensation. The first email explained that the 70 service had been cancelled due to "heavy traffic" (!) and the 71 was running "over 30 minutes late". The second email explained that sometimes they need to cancel services or turn them around early so that drivers don't go over their hours.

My annoyance with Arriva's poor service aside, I wondered if there was any standard arrangement for compensation for cancelled bus journeys? Anything similar to "Delay Repay"? Or whether these companies can choose to offer compensation or not at their own whim? And whether Arriva WM are ever known to offer compensation?

Grateful for any thoughts.

unfortunately there is no industry standard formula for compensation. Some companies are a lot better than others, with Arriva probably being one of the worst in the industry. Tbh you are lucky in that you've even got a half arsed apology... if you look on their various subsidiaries fb pages you'll see that any questions about late/ missing buses are always met with the same " due to technical difficulties" explanation {a euphemism for the bus broke down/ driver failed to report} along with an invite to log a formal complaint.... which, as will be seen most people see as a waste of time seeing as though they never get a response and nothing ever changes... even when the same journey is consistently complained about.

Best advice I can give is put it down to experience, write off the money you've lost and in future avoid using their services wherever possible and if you do need to use them then always pay on board in cash {or contactless if they accept it}

Of course you could also escalate your complaint to Bus Users UK and/ or the Traffic Commissioner

 

[Dentonian]

unfortunately there is no industry standard formula for compensation. Some companies are a lot better than others, with Arriva probably being one of the worst in the industry. Tbh you are lucky in that you've even got a half arsed apology... if you look on their various subsidiaries fb pages you'll see that any questions about late/ missing buses are always met with the same " due to technical difficulties" explanation {a euphemism for the bus broke down/ driver failed to report} along with an invite to log a formal complaint.... which, as will be seen most people see as a waste of time seeing as though they never get a response and nothing ever changes... even when the same journey is consistently complained about.

Best advice I can give is put it down to experience, write off the money you've lost and in future avoid using their services wherever possible and if you do need to use them then always pay on board in cash {or contactless if they accept it}

Of course you could also escalate your complaint to Bus Users UK and/ or the Traffic Commissioner

I would concur and suggest you write to the West Midlands Traffic Commissioner. This sounds like consecutive journeys failing, and a curt "heavy traffic" is not good enough, certainly for a low frequency service. If its generally heavy traffic it is the Operator's duty to schedule and register realistic timetables. If it is a specific event eg. major accident or road closure for another reason, the Operator should be able to explain precisely.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

Thanks both. Much as I expected, then.

 

[skyhigh]

I once complained to Arriva in similar circumstances and received £1 in travel vouchers... From that point I've just paid on board as suggested earlier!

 

[Mwanesh]

Which depot operates that route if its Wednesbury good luck .The depot is being closed so they are not bothered that much .I dont when

 

[Robertj21a]

Which depot operates that route if its Wednesbury good luck .The depot is being closed so they are not bothered that much .I dont when

??? - Wednesbury depot closed a long time ago !

 

[bussnapperwm]

Which depot operates that route if its Wednesbury good luck .The depot is being closed so they are not bothered that much .I dont when

It would be Delta Way, Cannock. One which certain members of the WM Bus Photos forum seem to have a hatred of.

??? - Wednesbury depot closed a long time ago !

Yeah, with most services now run by the almighty Rotala

 

[philthetube]

I have complained twice to Arriva about journeys in Watford and each time received vouchers for three journeys, no max value stated.

Arriva also used to offer your money back if you ere not satisfied with your journey on sapphire services, I don't know if they still do. I knew someone who got a refund because the wifi didn't work though it was advertised.

 

[Tetchytyke]

If you're using the app for m-tickets, the bus tracker on it tends to be pretty accurate. A good way of knowing if the damn thing will turn up or not.

They might give you a free ticket voucher, but you won't get a cash refund off any bus company.

 

[wibble1989]

If you're using the app for m-tickets, the bus tracker on it tends to be pretty accurate. A good way of knowing if the damn thing will turn up or not.

They might give you a free ticket voucher, but you won't get a cash refund off any bus company.

There's a Bus 18 initiative in West Yorkshire which standardise's refunds for the big 3 operators:

Free Journey Guarantee
Any passengers who are not happy with their bus journey can claim a free travel voucher from either; First, Arriva or Transdev.
Simply contact the appropriate operator, (see below) and they will arrange for a free journey voucher to be sent out, for use on a future date.

Free taxi if your last bus is late
Customers can call a taxi, save the receipt and claim the cost back from either First, Arriva or Transdev, if their last bus doesn’t arrive within 20 minutes of the scheduled time.

https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/bus18/

 

[cactustwirly]

Could the OP not claim a refund under the Consumer rights act?

 

[Mwanesh]

Just let it go and put it down as a lesson learnt.As pointed above just buy from the driver.The paperwork and time is not worth it .

 

[Dentonian]

Just let it go and put it down as a lesson learnt.As pointed above just buy from the driver.The paperwork and time is not worth it .

Not very helpful! Apart from the straight financial aspect, it is unacceptable for Operators to run so unreliably for no good reason, and it is particularly stressful if visiting Hospital

 

[Dentonian]

Free taxi if your last bus is late
Customers can call a taxi, save the receipt and claim the cost back from either First, Arriva or Transdev, if their last bus doesn’t arrive within 20 minutes of the scheduled time.

https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/bus18/

Interesting wording; "late". The last registered bus running late is very rare. Far more likely to not run at all, or to run early.

 

[Volvo142]

You won't get a cash refund off any bus company.

You do from TrentBarton

 

[CharlieSpotted]

Thanks for all of your replies. I recieved vouchers for 4 journeys out of the blue in the post today. I'll take that - I'll use them to get to Bridgnorth for a ride on the Severn Valley Railway one day when the weather's a bit better. Every little helps.

Interested to hear that some have negative opinions of Arriva's Cannock depot. This first experience of them was far from positive!