One-leg change-of-route excess on a return ticket

[colinz]

I would appreciate some advice on a change-of-route excess issue, particularly following the NRCoT changes earlier this year.

I held a Salisbury–Chippenham Off-Peak Day Return, route via Melksham, costing £17.80. The corresponding Any Permitted return was £24.20.

I intended to travel via Bath Spa on the outward journey and return via Melksham. My understanding was that I could obtain a change-of-route excess for the outward portion only, paying half the difference between the two return fares, i.e. £3.20.

I was unable to find the guard on my first GWR train after leaving Salisbury (he was in the rear cab). I therefore got off at Trowbridge, before the two routes diverged, intending to obtain the excess from the ticket office. However, the ticket office was closed.

Before boarding the next train towards Bath, I spoke to the guard and explained the situation. He told me to board and speak to the ticket inspector.

I found the inspector after departure and asked for the change-of-route excess. She refused to issue it, saying that “it would be cheaper than an Any Permitted ticket”. Eventually, I proposed to buy a Trowbridge–Chippenham Any Permitted ticket for £10.40 instead and she agreed.

Could anyone advise whether I was still right on the £3.20 fare and should write to GWR for a refund of £7.20?

Many thanks

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Added at 22:13
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My full journey today was from Woolston to Chippenham with split-ticketing. The first ticket being Woolston-Salisbury, and the second ticket Salisbury-Chippenham via Melksham.
The departure station Woolston was unstaffed. The Southern train from Woolston to Southampton Central was delayed, packed with cyclists, and in a tight schedule, so I didn’t have a chance to speak to any staff onboard or at Southampton Central, before catching the GWR train heading all the way to Trowbridge/Bath Spa. Therefore, the first staff I had a chance to speak to was the Trowbridge to Bath GWR train guard, who directed me to the onboard inspector.

 

[redreni]

The change to the NRCoT makes it clear you have to stick to the route restrictions on your ticket or get a change of route excess before boarding. In your situation I would have been inclined to buy the ticket and get the change of route excess from the ticket office at Salisbury.

That said, I would certainly be complaining about the on-board staff's refusal to issue the excess when you had boarded the train with specific permission from the guard. The fact it would be cheaper than the Any Permitted return is neither here nor there - this reflects that you would be using the route with the cheaper fare in one direction.

 

[colinz]

The change to the NRCoT makes it clear you have to stick to the route restrictions on your ticket or get a change of route excess before boarding. In your situation I would have been inclined to buy the ticket and get the change of route excess from the ticket office at Salisbury.

That said, I would certainly be complaining about the on-board staff's refusal to issue the excess when you had boarded the train with specific permission from the guard. The fact it would be cheaper than the Any Permitted return is neither here nor there - this reflects that you would be using the route with the cheaper fare in one direction.

Thanks. Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to do that as I was travelling on a split-ticket trip. The full journey started at Woolston which was unstaffed, and the first train was delayed meaning I didn’t have enough time to visit a Southampton ticket office when changing trains either. As a result my actual first chance was when speaking to the ticket inspector.

 

[redreni]

Ah, this is interesting, then.

I'd be interested in the fares experts' views. If an excess is a "Ticket" within the meaning of the NRCoT (and the definition is extremely broad) then the lack of opportunity to buy it before boarding entitles you to buy it on board. I would be complaining to GWR on that basis.

The November 2025 changes attracted criticism at the time for making it compulsory to purchase a change of route excess before boarding even though excesses are notoriously difficult to obtain at all, and can only be sold in person.

 

[AlterEgo]

Why didn't you ask at Salisbury ticket office?

 

[colinz]

Why didn't you ask at Salisbury ticket office?

Thanks. I didn’t explain that to begin with as I was afraid to make the story too long.

Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to do that as I was travelling on a split-ticket trip. The full journey started at Woolston which was unstaffed, and the first train was delayed meaning I didn’t have enough time to visit a Southampton ticket office when changing trains either. As a result my actual first chance was when speaking to the ticket inspector.

 

[Watershed]

I would appreciate some advice on a change-of-route excess issue, particularly following the NRCoT changes earlier this year.

I held a Salisbury–Chippenham Off-Peak Day Return, route via Melksham, costing £17.80. The corresponding Any Permitted return was £24.20.

I intended to travel via Bath Spa on the outward journey and return via Melksham. My understanding was that I could obtain a change-of-route excess for the outward portion only, paying half the difference between the two return fares, i.e. £3.20.

I was unable to find the guard on my first GWR train after leaving Salisbury (he was in the rear cab). I therefore got off at Trowbridge, before the two routes diverged, intending to obtain the excess from the ticket office. However, the ticket office was closed.

Before boarding the next train towards Bath, I spoke to the guard and explained the situation. He told me to board and speak to the ticket inspector.

I found the inspector after departure and asked for the change-of-route excess. She refused to issue it, saying that “it would be cheaper than an Any Permitted ticket”. Eventually, I proposed to buy a Trowbridge–Chippenham Any Permitted ticket for £10.40 instead and she agreed.

Could anyone advise whether I was still right on the £3.20 fare and should write to GWR for a refund of £7.20?

Many thanks

————-
Added at 22:13
————-
My full journey today was from Woolston to Chippenham with split-ticketing. The first ticket being Woolston-Salisbury, and the second ticket Salisbury-Chippenham via Melksham.
The departure station Woolston was unstaffed. The Southern train from Woolston to Southampton Central was delayed, packed with cyclists, and in a tight schedule, so I didn’t have a chance to speak to any staff onboard or at Southampton Central, before catching the GWR train heading all the way to Trowbridge/Bath Spa. Therefore, the first staff I had a chance to speak to was the Trowbridge to Bath GWR train guard, who directed me to the onboard inspector.

At worst you should have been charged the difference in fare, as that is what the NRCoT says should be charged for a change of route. You should not have been required to buy a new ticket.

The custom and practice of charging half the difference for a one-way excess on a return ticket is documented in industry procedures but there doesn't appear to be any legal right to this as it is not mentioned in the NRCoT or other (official) documents.

 

[furlong]

The custom and practice of charging half the difference for a one-way excess on a return ticket is documented in industry procedures but there doesn't appear to be any legal right to this as it is not mentioned in the NRCoT or other (official) documents.

The TSA requires that, if an Excess Fare is sold to travel on a different route in one direction with a return fare, it can only be half the difference. (Any higher amounts must be documented by the fare-setting operator which hasn't been done here.)

 

[Watershed]

The TSA requires that, if an Excess Fare is sold to travel on a different route in one direction with a return fare, it can only be half the difference. (Any higher amounts must be documented by the fare-setting operator which hasn't been done here.)

But the customer is not party to the TSA, so they wouldn't have the necessary standing to enforce any breach. Again, there's no doubt that industry procedures require half the difference to be charged, but the OP is probably more interested in their recourse if GWR refuse to reimburse the amount overcharged.