Severe disruption on 26/6

[JBuchananGB]

Yesterday's journey was affected by major disruption between Bournemouth and Southampton affecting CrossCountry services, a signal failure between Reading and Didcot having a further impact, and a points failure near Watford Junction scuppering the West Coast Mainline.

Intended journey:
Didcot Parkway depart 1704 on 2E14 to arrive Oxford 1723
Oxford depart 1738 on 1M26 to arrive Stafford 1932

Actual Journey:
Didcot Parkway depart 1708 on 2E14 to arrive Oxford 1727
Oxford depart 1744 on 1E56 and arrive Birmingham New Street 1852
Birmingham New Street depart 1911 on 2W52 arrive Wolverhampton 1938
Wolverhampton depart 2016 on 9K35 arrive Stafford 2029.

Note:
1M26 arrived Birmingham New Street at 1933 and terminated there.
The next XC service available to the passenger had they been on 1M26 and stranded at New Street was 1M66 which would have got them to Stafford at 2113.
The ticket held was an Off-Peak Single Didcot Parkway to Stafford via Oxford.
What is the received wisdom as to the Delay Repay claim?

 

[jfollows]

57 minutes Delay Repay from Cross Country

 

[JBuchananGB]

I think the passenger is going to submit their intended itinerary to XC and let them work out the Delay Repay. It's a long time since I use XC's DR process. Others I have used just ask for the intended itinerary and work it out themselves.

 

[jfollows]

Delay Repay is claimed on actual incurred delay against the company first responsible for causing the delay.

It's clear.

You don't claim Delay Repay against a hypothetical arrival time as if you'd done something different.

That's incorrect.

The advantage of submitting the claim without asking for anything specific is that Cross Country may mis-calculate and overpay, in which case you can pocket the bonus if you want.

 

[Haywain]

The advantage of submitting the claim without asking for anything specific

Don't most Delay Repay forms ask you to state the extent of the delay incurred?

 

[JBuchananGB]

The last time I claimed DR was with Avanti and I wasn't asked for the amount of delay claimed. I just spelt out the intended itinerary (journey with 4 legs) and they worked it out correctly. Passenger in this case will no doubt follow XC's DR claim process accurately she travels a lot and makes many claims. She used the flexibility of the off-peak single to make good choices to reduce her delay. She reported that 9K35 was full of people trying to get to Scotland, because services from Birmingham to Scotland were being diverted to avoid Birmingham.

 

[jfollows]

Cross Country asks (https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/customer-service/contact-us/delay-repay)

Delay length
30 to 59 minutes (1/2 hour or more, but less than 1 hour)
60 to 119 minutes (1 hour or more, but less than 2 hours)
120+ minutes (2 hours or more)

 

[JBuchananGB]

They will be very busy with claims from yesterday. 1E56 was already 90 minutes late when this passenger boarded it. It was destination York, but terminated short at Doncaster, but for the journey in this case it did not contribute to the delay. The passenger being in Birmingham at 1852 and knowing that the XC 1901 was running late could reasonably have expected to catch the 1907 Avanti service to Stafford to get there at 1945. Which is why there could be an argument for submitting the DR claim to Avanti on whose train she eventually travelled, because the LNR 1934 service was cancelled.

 

[redreni]

Don't most Delay Repay forms ask you to state the extent of the delay incurred?

Yes but, in my experience, which option you choose (or whether you fill it in at all if using a paper form) has no bearing on anything.

I've suggested before, to a member who had concerns about delay repay abuse and the amount this costs the industry/taxpayer, that not paying out more than the claimant has requested might be one simple, low-friction way of reducing that.

 

[JBuchananGB]

There is no suggestion of abuse in this case. I suppose XC is the root cause of the delay, because, having arrived in Birmingham at 1852 on the delayed 1E56 the next timetabled options to Stafford were XC at 1901, Avanti at 1907, LNR at 1934 then the XC at 2001. Those services were respectively Cancelled, Cancelled, Cancelled, and departed at 2044.
In reality the passenger moved forward (in the interest of comfort) to Wolverhampton, but boarded what would have been the 1855 Avanti from Birmingham, which left Birmingham at 1953. OK, in the end a 57 minute delay, but she said it felt a lot longer and more stressful than that!

 

[ricoblade]

Don't most Delay Repay forms ask you to state the extent of the delay incurred?

Yes, I got caught up a bit in this yesterday where my 19 :27 Birmingham to Doncaster Cross Country was delayed by about 30 minutes into Birmingham and then we were slow behind the EMR to Leicester and "2 trains returning to the depot" according to the Train Manager. We were about 50 minutes late into Doncaster and some passengers were complaining that "they're doing it deliberately to avoid paying out for an hour's delay"

Simple process of selecting "30-60 minutes delay" on the Cross Country website.

 

[redreni]

There is no suggestion of abuse in this case.

Agreed!

I suppose XC is the root cause of the delay, because, having arrived in Birmingham at 1852 on the delayed 1E56 the next timetabled options to Stafford were XC at 1901, Avanti at 1907, LNR at 1934 then the XC at 2001. Those services were respectively Cancelled, Cancelled, Cancelled, and departed at 2044.
In reality the passenger moved forward (in the interest of comfort) to Wolverhampton, but boarded what would have been the 1855 Avanti from Birmingham, which left Birmingham at 1953. OK, in the end a 57 minute delay, but she said it felt a lot longer and more stressful than that!

I'm afraid delay repay is based on the difference between scheduled and actual arrival time, though, as has been covered further up the thread. It doesn't compensate you for the inconvenience of having to make extra changes or not having your reserved seat. The passenger could write and complain about those things if she wishes - maybe some sort of gesture would be forthcoming, or maybe they'd say sorry this was outside of our control and you can claim for the 57 minute delay.

When the infamous May 2018 timetable changes meant I was claiming delay repay 4 to 5 times a week on my commute, the cancellation of my direct City Thameslink to Slade Green train meant the quickest journey opportunity would generally be the next Thameslink train to London Bridge to connect with Southeastern to Slade Green, however, it was generally impossible or very uncomfortable to board a Southeastern train at London Bridge in the evening peak. Consequently I would change my route by starting my journey from Charing Cross instead of City Thameslink so that I could get a seat. I would claim based on either the quickest journey I could have made if I had pitched up at City Thameslink in time for my intended train, or my actual arrival time having started from Charing Cross instead, whichever was less favourable to me, because ultimately I felt it was my choice if I wanted to change my route to achieve a more comfortable journey and delay repay is to compensate for delay rather than general overcrowding, stress, being forced to change trains, not having a seat etc. Usually the arrival time at Slade Green would have been the same either way, or at least similar enough not to affect the amount due, in any case.

 

[Jimini]

Full refund for me from yesterday's fun and games. Was on the (cancelled then reinstated) 1615 from Reading to Coventry. Made it just past Pangbourne before grinding to a halt and joining a queue of three other trains stuck at the signal failure at (I think) Moreton Cutting. The York service cited above was at the head of the queue. Think we sat there for about 1h10m before slowly making our way to Didcot East, then we went back to full linespeed. No catering available either. Service eventually terminated short at New Street instead of Manchester.

To add insult to injury, the delayed 1515 used the Reading West curve to avoid calling / reversing at Reading, and then the 1715 was signalled down the DM line and overtook us while we were sitting at Goring & Streatley on the DR waiting to get past the problem area!