Delay Repay - 2 Operators

[RAPC]

I currently do 4-6 returns from the north west down to London for work each month. The most common ticket I have is a Leyland - Euston - Leyland, usually booked as two advanced singles due to Virgin pricing.

I often return on the 17:57 from Euston, arriving at Wigan North Western at 20:00 and connecting to the Northern 20:05 service to Leyland. Occasionally there are delays to the Virgin service and I miss the Northern connection. A delay repay claim to Virgin is processed pretty swiftly and without issue.

However a couple of months ago the Northern connection at Wigan was cancelled and the next one was late, so I arrived over an hour late. I submitted the delay repay for the cost of the ticket (£132 from memory for an advanced standard single) and Virgin were in contact a few days later to say that it had been sent to Northern to process as they caused the delay. After some chasing, Northern finally processed it and they replied with £5.70 to cover the cost of a Wigan to Leyland ticket. Having spoken to customer services there, they are adamant that they have covered what is liable, namely their delayed service.

Before I go back and get stroppy, I thought it was best to ask for advice here from those far more knowledgeable.

1) Who is actually liable for the delay repay in this situation? Virgin or Northern (ticket bought via The Trainline)
2) Should the delay repay amount cover the full ticket cost, or just the cancelled element?
3) If it is the full amount and Northern on the hook, any advice on how to escalate? I've been politely given the 'nothing more to talk about' treatment from CS.

Thanks in advance for any advice that can be offered.

 

[roversfan2001]

1) Northern, they caused the delay.
2) The value is based on the full value of the ticket.
3) Escalate it to Transport Focus, or e-mail the Northern Managing Director directly.

 

[RAPC]

Thanks that is what I believed it to be, but the response with the £5.70 and then the follow-up with CS were so strongly claiming that Northern were only liable for their element, that I was doubting myself. Thanks for the recommendations on escalation routes as well. Much appreciated.

 

[AlterEgo]

1) Northern, they caused the delay.
2) The value is based on the full value of the ticket.
3) Escalate it to Transport Focus, or e-mail the Northern Managing Director directly.

Just to confirm (and I've worked in this area before), this is the correct course of action. Let us know how you get on. Northern's response is scandalously bad here.

 

[roversfan2001]

Northern's response is scandalously bad here.

...but not surprising.

 

[Starmill]

After some chasing, Northern finally processed it and they replied with £5.70 to cover the cost of a Wigan to Leyland ticket. Having spoken to customer services there, they are adamant that they have covered what is liable, namely their delayed service.

That's hilarious! I wonder what could possibly have given them the impression that that's how Delay Repay works?

So convenient that this 'misunderstanding' just so happens to cut down their payment to you by £127. I wonder how many other people they have denied similar sums of money to by employing this "method" of calculating delay compensation?

If you're certain you arrived at your final destination more than 60 minutes late, I would definitely encourage you not to give up until you have 100% of your ticket price back from them.

 

[PaulC88]

I have just stumbled across this post and I'm in a similar situation from the Northern strikes last week. My cancelled train made me 2 hours late to my destination and when submitting my claim to Virgin Trains they too a few days later replied to say they have forwarded my claim onto Northern. I'm awaiting a response but this has prompted me to chase them up. Good to know that I should be getting a full refund and not just the Northern connection cost, Preston to Manchester Piccadilly, Cheers.

 

[yorkie]

I have just stumbled across this post and I'm in a similar situation from the Northern strikes last week. My cancelled train made me 2 hours late to my destination and when submitting my claim to Virgin Trains they too a few days later replied to say they have forwarded my claim onto Northern. I'm awaiting a response but this has prompted me to chase them up. Good to know that I should be getting a full refund and not just the Northern connection cost, Preston to Manchester Piccadilly, Cheers.

Yes, if a delay experienced on the leg of the journey that was planned to be on a Northern train caused a delay of 30 or more minutes into your final destination, then Northern are liable to pay Delay Repay compensation for your full journey (you may use two or more tickets for one journey, so it makes no difference if the journey is made on one ticket or more than one ticket).

If Northern do not compensate you for your full journey, you can refer the matter to Transport Focus.