Should compensation be available for travelling early?

[northwichcat]

Theoretically say you're in possession of a normal day ticket from A to B. The train times are 11:00, 12:00 and 13:00. Catching the 13:00 train would mean you arrive too late but catching the 12:00 would mean you arrive at a suitable time. At 10:00 you check train running information and it states the 12:00 will be cancelled due to staff shortages.

Now if you catch the 13:00 then you're entitled to National Rail vouchers as compensation, or if you decide not to travel then you're entitled to a refund.

However, if you catch the 11:00 service should you be entitled to compensation?

 

[tractakid]

This would be open to huge amounts of exploitation. So, even if a passenger has to waste time by travelling earlier, a compensation scheme based on trust cannot be workable in the society we live in.

Everyone on the 1100 would claim 'but I wanted to travel at 1200' to get money back.

 

[34D]

It's a great question/suggestion. Can anyone suggest how it could work though?

 

[Zoidberg]

I think that this is a non-starter. One difficulty would be how would one demonstrate that one travelled early? Perhaps by showing a reservation on, in this case, the 1200 service? That'd mean one would need to make a reservation - but what about services where one cannot reserve a seat?

My practice is to catch the train one earlier than I need to if I need to be somewhere by a certain time - in his case I'd be on the 1100 anyway.

 

[jon0844]

I guess if you can get an earlier train, you do so and don't make a claim.

If it's too late to do so once you realise the train is cancelled, you make the claim.

I assume that even though you might wake up, see the cancelled train, rush to get the earlier service doesn't mean you're entitled to anything for the time you had to rush about, compared to what happens when you're losing time and might be late for something.

 

[GodAtum]

I would say you caught the 1300 one and claim a delay repay.

 

[Muzer]

I would say you caught the 1300 one and claim a delay repay.

Trouble is, it might make up a couple of minutes/arrive early due to timetable padding and you'll end up being 58 minutes late and not get full delay repay (or get nothing with some passenger charter schemes...)

 

[Tibbs]

Even I think that this one is a non-starter. Sorry

 

[Deerfold]

I would say you caught the 1300 one and claim a delay repay.

And hope you didn't have a ticket clipped with an 1100 headcode.

Your experience may vary by TOC.

The first time I ever used an advance on Virgin I made my way to New Street in plenty of time, found my train was cancelled and caught the train before (having various issues, but being allowed to travel by the TM).

I was just glad to have managed to avoid the doubly busy later train and to have got to my destination on time.

 

[IanD]

If you travel early and that train is delayed by an hour so you arrive at your original intended arrival time, would you be able to claim as you're not actually late?

 

[Flamingo]

Bloody hell, does every thing in life deserve compensation?

I had a muppet on a train a few weeks ago demanding compensation because the train reversed direction half way through the journey, so they were now travelling backwards! (and before the pedants start up with "I can't travel backwards, I'm delicate", there were alternative seats).

 

[jon0844]

I had a muppet on a train a few weeks ago demanding compensation because the train reversed direction half way through the journey, so they were now travelling backwards! (and before the pedants start up with "I can't travel backwards, I'm delicate", there were alternative seats).

You should have stung them for a new ticket for the section covered twice, as the ticket held was now used...

 

[northwichcat]

This would be open to huge amounts of exploitation. So, even if a passenger has to waste time by travelling earlier, a compensation scheme based on trust cannot be workable in the society we live in.

Everyone on the 1100 would claim 'but I wanted to travel at 1200' to get money back.

Ah but the NRCoC term for compensation only applies if you didn't know about the cancellation at the time of purchasing your ticket. I don't think many people buy a ticket, go away for an hour and then travel.

Also you don't get your money back you get a NR voucher for part of the cost paid on a 1 hour delay, which is usually 25% of a return ticket price or 50% of a single.

 

[OLJR]

I would say you caught the 1300 one and claim a delay repay.

And hope you didn't have a ticket clipped with an 1100 headcode.

Honesty always pays, for peace of mind if nothing else.

You should have stung them for a new ticket for the section covered twice, as the ticket held was now used...

 

[northwichcat]

Bloody hell, does every thing in life deserve compensation?

No but in the example I posted the passenger knows about the cancellation before leaving home. They have to arrive either an hour early or an hour late and if they choose the latter they can claim compensation but not if they chose the former.

I had a muppet on a train a few weeks ago demanding compensation because the train reversed direction half way through the journey, so they were now travelling backwards! (and before the pedants start up with "I can't travel backwards, I'm delicate", there were alternative seats).

Northern Rail subjected me to 90 minutes of Pacer travel today (30 minutes of that would have been on a Sprinter if the booked traction had turned up.) Can I have compensation?

 

[sheff1]

Northern Rail subjected me to 90 minutes of Pacer travel today (30 minutes of that would have been on a Sprinter if the booked traction had turned up.) Can I have compensation?

Write to Virgin saying how you much prefer their trains to Northern's - make sure your letter is lengthy though. They won't read it but may send some RTVs

 

[MKB]

This has happened to me.

I've been on a trip to London and become aware through the TOC Twitter feed that my booked train (and several others) were not going to be running. The next train would have meant the loss of two hours sleep that night, so my only option was to cut my day short and go home early.

This was a serious inconvenience -- I missed the last half hour of the show I was seeing -- and it didn't seem fair that this didn't merit an equivalent to delay repay that would have been payable if I'd attempted to catch my cancelled booked train.

 

[455driver]

Maybe we should stop running trains so everyone has to travel by road, I mean if the railways are so bad that everyone is compensated for the train being late, the train being early, not getting a seat etc etc then the railways will cost even more and so not be viable. :roll:

 

[bb21]

Did you arrive at your destination late? If so, claim under the normal arrangements.

If not, why do you think you should be entitled to compensation?

Maybe EMT should compensate me the next time there is no trolley onboard.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

"My train smelt of toilets; can I have some compensation, guv?!"

 

[Techniquest]

Northern Rail subjected me to 90 minutes of Pacer travel today (30 minutes of that would have been on a Sprinter if the booked traction had turned up.) Can I have compensation?

I'd have LOVED to do that when I used to trek all the way from just east (literally) of the Mid Wales border to London just to travel on a GC HST, only to be confronted with a 180. "Excuse me sir, I demand compensation for having to suffer this awful piece of junk and not the booked traction!"

Would have been brilliant!

 

[northwichcat]

Maybe we should stop running trains so everyone has to travel by road, I mean if the railways are so bad that everyone is compensated for the train being late, the train being early, not getting a seat etc etc then the railways will cost even more and so not be viable. :roll:

In all EU states (excluding Malta and Cyprus) the following is a legal requirement:

If your train is cancelled or delayed, you always have the right to adequate information about what is happening while you are waiting.

If you are told you will arrive at your final destination with a delay of at least 1 hour, you are entitled to:

* cancel your travel plans and request an immediate refund of the cost of your ticket (sometimes in full, sometimes only for the part of the journey not made.)

You may also be entitled to a return journey to your initial departure point, if the delay stops you from fulfilling the purpose of your trip, or

* be transported to your final destination at the earliest opportunity (or a later date of your choosing). This includes alternative transport when the train is blocked and the service is suspended.

* meals and refreshments (proportionate to the waiting time)

* accommodation – if you have to stay overnight.

If you decide to continue your journey as planned or to accept alternative transport to your destination, you may be entitled to compensation of:

* 25% of the ticket fare, if the train is between 1 and 2 hours late.
* 50% of the fare, if the train is more than 2 hours late.

You will not receive compensation if:

* you were informed of a delay before you bought your ticket

If you think your rights have not been respected, you can complain to the railway company, which must reply within 1 month.

If you are not satisfied with their reply, you can contact the national enforcement body in your country.

For buses or coaches the following applies:

If the service is cancelled or delayed, you always have the right to adequate and timely information about what is happening while you are waiting.

If the long-distance service (more than 250km) you are booked in for is cancelled or departure is delayed for more than 2 hours, you will be offered a choice:

* Either you can get a refund for your ticket and where necessary free journey back to the service's initial departure point – for instance if the delay or cancellation stops you from fulfilling the purpose of your trip

* or you can be transported, under similar conditions, to your final destination at the earliest opportunity, and at no extra cost.

If you are not offered this choice at the time, you can later complain and claim a refund for the ticket plus compensation worth 50% of the ticket price.

If your long-distance journey (more than 250km) was scheduled to last more than 3 hours and departure is delayed by more than 90 minutes or cancelled, you are also entitled to:

* meals and refreshments - proportionate to the waiting time or delay

* accommodation if you have to stay overnight – for up to 2 nights, at a maximum rate of 80 euros per night. Carriers are not obliged to cover accommodation if the delay was caused by severe weather conditions or natural disasters.

Before you claim the latter is more lenient. Virgin Trains advertise that are competitive against domestic flights. A 3 hour delay or cancellation with a flight means you are entitled to 250 Euros compensation on an EU flight of under 1,500km if you want to use an alternative carrier instead to reach your destination and that isn't reduced if you pay just 10 Euros for a flight as Ryanair found out in the Italian courts!

 

[455driver]

Did you arrive at your destination late? If so, claim under the normal arrangements.

If not, why do you think you should be entitled to compensation?

Maybe EMT should compensate me the next time there is no trolley onboard.

If he arrived early maybe he should be paying the TOC for the extra time he has available, this compensation should be paid at the same cost per minute as the most expensive ticket on the flow the OP has taken!

 

[maniacmartin]

Ah but the NRCoC term for compensation only applies if you didn't know about the cancellation at the time of purchasing your ticket. I don't think many people buy a ticket, go away for an hour and then travel.

Also you don't get your money back you get a NR voucher for part of the cost paid on a 1 hour delay, which is usually 25% of a return ticket price or 50% of a single.

Not the way I read it.

If you travel and are delayed you get some form of partial or full compensation under Delay Repay or Passenger Charter compensation from the TOC that caused the delay.

If you decide not to travel and instead claim under NRCoC, you get a full refund:

26. Refunds on tickets that have not been used.
If you decide not to use a ticket (other than a Season Ticket - see Condition 36) to make all
or part of your intended journey, then:

(a) if the train you intended to use is cancelled, delayed or your reservation will not
be honoured, you decide not to travel and at that time you return the unused
ticket to any ticket office, the Train Company responsible for that ticket office will,
wherever possible, give you an immediate full refund as shown in Condition 27;

(b) if the train you intend to use is cancelled, delayed or your reservation will not be
honoured, your ticket or relevant portion of it is completely unused, you decide
not to travel and you submit a claim for a refund within 28 days of the expiry
of the ticket to the Ticket Seller you will be given a full refund as shown in
Condition 27 as soon as practicable and in any case within one month of your
claim being received.
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