Nuneham bridge - ticket acceptance

[hwpa46]

My wife had an off-peak Crosscountry return ticket Basingstoke - Macclesfield with a reservation around 14.00 yesterday, arrival due at Macclesfield around 18.00. Because of the closure she decided to go via Waterloo and Euston, leaving Basingstoke 14.57 and intending to take the 16.53 direct to Macc. At the barrier at Euston she was told she couldn't travel because her Crosscountry ticket was off-peak. After a lot of argy-bargy they eventually relented and she travelled as planned. I had assumed that as her journey was "off-peak" as far as Crosscountry were concerned, Avanti should accept her reasonable alternative route as such also, their own rules notwithstanding. I would be interested to know who was right.
I don't think that there will be a problem with the return journey on Friday afternoon because it seems that everything on Friday is off-peak as far as Avanti is concerned.
Graham

 

[30907]

IMO the Euston staff were in the wrong - which is not entirely unheard of.
The restrictions on the actual ticket held apply (incidentally, this would equally apply if a ticket normally routed via Euston had different restrictions to "normal").

 

[Watershed]

Your wife should raise a complaint with Avanti. Their barrier staff's actions were bang out of order.

There is no general, blanket definition of "off-peak", much though ill-informed staff may suggest otherwise. The definition of "off-peak" depends on the ticket you hold, and the restrictions applicable to it. In your wife's case, that was a ticket with restriction code 2V; 2V only bars travel before 09:30 - there is no evening peak restriction. Therefore your wife's ticket was valid to use at any time from 09:30 onwards.

XC's ticket acceptance doesn't state that any additional time restrictions apply when using the alternative routes/operators. Therefore your wife's ticket was valid via London from 09:30, just as it would have been for avoiding London.

On Friday afternoon, your wife shouldn't experience the same issues because as you say, the restriction codes used on most of the Off-Peak tickets that staff at Euston will be familiar with (e.g. 2C) don't apply on Fridays. Technically speaking the "not before 09:30" restriction still applies though.

 

[hwpa46]

Thank you both for your helpful replies!
G

 

[Jimini]

I need to go from Coventry to Reading twice next week, so looking forward to having this debate with the Avanti folks when I travel on the 0810 or 0840 services down to Euston (the 0825 XC southbound service is off-peak but the Avanti ones aren’t).

 

[sk688]

I need to go from Coventry to Reading twice next week, so looking forward to having this debate with the Avanti folks when I travel on the 0810 or 0840 services down to Euston (the 0825 XC southbound service is off-peak but the Avanti ones aren’t).

if you want to save yourself potential hassle from the Avanti Euston gateline , you could use LNR up to Watford and change for the fast Avanti service from there to avoid the unpleasant gateline staff at Euston on the return

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I need to go from Coventry to Reading twice next week, so looking forward to having this debate with the Avanti folks when I travel on the 0810 or 0840 services down to Euston (the 0825 XC southbound service is off-peak but the Avanti ones aren’t).

Thought that the XC priced "not via London" Coventry->Reading Off Peak Return is only valid at or after 0930 midweek.

 

[Jimini]

Thought that the XC priced "not via London" Coventry->Reading Off Peak Return is only valid at or after 0930 midweek.

Sorry should have been clearer — final destination is Swindon (lucky me), that one’s valid on the 0825.

 

[sonic2009]

Sorry should have been clearer — final destination is Swindon (lucky me), that one’s valid on the 0825.

Can you share a link to the ticket you are referring to please?

 

[Jimini]

Can you share a link to the ticket you are referring to please?

I don't have one sorry, but I book it on a very regular basis. 0826 XC service to Reading, then west from there to Swindon. Off peak return. Just had a quick look on NRE and it comes up on there, albeit currently as a longer journey with the replacement bus journey factored in.

FYI the 0926 southbound to Swindon via. Reading is a super off peak journey, so even cheaper.

 

[MrJeeves]

Can you share a link to the ticket you are referring to please?

Likely the simple Coventry to Swindon SVR (route Reading Not London)?

This only has restrictions about departing stations, none of which are enroute to Reading on the COV - RDG 0826 service. Even if you (incorrectly) take into account the "trains timed to depart Reading after 0429 and before 0940" statement, the service in question arrives into (and terminates at) RDG at 0940, meaning the restriction couldn't apply to that, either.

 

[Jimini]

Likely the simple Coventry to Swindon SVR (route Reading Not London)?

This only has restrictions about departing stations, none of which are enroute to Reading on the COV - RDG 0826 service. Even if you (incorrectly) take into account the "trains timed to depart Reading after 0429 and before 0940" statement, the service in question arrives into (and terminates at) RDG at 0940, meaning the restriction couldn't apply to that, either.

That's the one aye.

 

[crablab]

What is, officially, the rule on advance fares via any "reasonable route" in this situation?
If the booked train had been cancelled the NRCoT are clear. But it's more complex when the booked train isn't necessarily cancelled, but an alternate "reasonable route" is permitted on an otherwise totally inflexible ticket.

My approach has been to "not take the mickey" and start my journey at the same time as my booked advance.