paying excess fare on e-tickets isn't supported properly

[Bletchleyite]

Even if consistency is achieved by not allowing excesses on e-tickets, that's better than it being random, because you then know not to use an e-ticket if you think there is a chance you may need to excess.

The best outcome is of course all ticket issuing methods treated the same.

But the most important thing is that at the point of purchase you know what you are buying.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

Shame we can't read the e-mails between the two as it would be interesting to see what they both say.

Isn't TfW subject to the Freedom of Information Act?

 

[roversfan2001]

Even if consistency is achieved by not allowing excesses on e-tickets, that's better than it being random, because you then know not to use an e-ticket if you think there is a chance you may need to excess.

And then when e-tickets become the only option - no more excesses! I assume this is the 'simplification' that everyone wants...

 

[Bletchleyite]

And then when e-tickets become the only option - no more excesses! I assume this is the 'simplification' that everyone wants...

Single-fare pricing can allow abolition of excesses, just refund and replace, waiving the admin fee if a replacement (or set of replacements, if for instance you want a route that isn't available on one ticket) is issued on the spot, or just bin the admin fee entirely as nobody has any actual human admin to do anyway.

 

[infobleep]

Isn't TfW subject to the Freedom of Information Act?

If they are publicly owned when you are right. I had forgotten they were publicly owned.

 

[allotments]

There's no issue with TfW who have been consistent open and proactive but Rail Delivery Group initially denied there is a problem with some TOCs policy such as LNER and supplied a factually incorrect answer.

 

[infobleep]

There's no issue with TfW who have been consistent open and proactive but Rail Delivery Group initially denied there is a problem with some TOCs policy such as LNER and supplied a factually incorrect answer.

No but could RDG tell TfW they are wrong and get them to change their mind?

 

[allotments]

Ticketing centrally controlled by Great British Rail would presumably resolve this but meanwhile TOCs must stop overcharging customers by refusing to take an excess fare. Bullying the passenger into paying substantially more by selling a new ticket: is that mis-selling and is it breach of NRCoT contract?

 

[island]

Ticketing centrally controlled by Great British Rail would presumably resolve this but meanwhile TOCs must stop overcharging customers by refusing to take an excess fare. Bullying the passenger into paying substantially more by selling a new ticket: is that mis-selling and is it breach of NRCoT contract?

It depends. The rules and practices around excess fares are extremely complex. Some are contractual entitlements, others are allowed by custom and practice, and others still are not supposed to be sold but can be obtained from some sellers.

 

[hkstudent]

Something to add to the case.
I tried to excess my West Coast ticket to Lake District at my local Bexley stations on Bexleyheath Line, all said cannot.

There was a bit of drama at Welling, as I was there just after the staffs finished the lunch (5 people inside the room), and none of them can do it. The lady even advised me to cancel/amend the ticket instead or buy two single tickets to and from London.

In the end, the core reason for denial was revealed at Bexleyheath Station, with the friendly gentleman told me that they have no barcode reader to read e-ticket to excess that, and advised me to go to London Terminals to do that. (I know, Southeastern don't do e-ticket at metro stations, can't expect they have barcode reader)

I will go to London later, and hopefully, that will be sorted.

 

[allotments]

I've enquired at Southeastern offices Slade Green and Deptford recently： both couldn't find a method until encouraged politely to look at their computer system and enter 12345 as dummy ticket number... then it could be done.

 

[hkstudent]

I've enquired at Southeastern offices Slade Green and Deptford recently： both couldn't find a method until encouraged politely to look at their computer system and enter 12345 as dummy ticket number... then it could be done.

I did suggest the 12345 method, but seems they don't want to risk that...

 

[Bletchleyite]

I did suggest the 12345 method, but seems they don't want to risk that...

Are you after excessing the start of the ticket? If so you can't normally do that anyway (though some staff may agree to it).

 

[hkstudent]

Are you after excessing the start of the ticket? If so you can't normally do that anyway (though some staff may agree to it).

The outbound date is on the 20th. Just want to do that before the journey to have some sense of security.
(Oyster Card PAYG fare is more expensive than the excess)

 

[Bletchleyite]

The outbound date is on the 20th. Just want to do that before the journey to have some sense of security.
(Oyster Card PAYG fare is more expensive than the excess)

What I was saying is that overdistance excesses are not strictly speaking available on the origin station of the ticket, only the end (though overdistance isn't an "entitled excess" anyway). So telling you to refund and replace is in my understanding correct.

However you will find some staff will do it anyway if their TIS lets them.