TOCs obligations following train cancellation

[Greenback]

Of course there is no such thing as a free lunch. What we are talking about is looking after customers rather than leaving them fend for themselves.

The railway has, traditionally, made every possible effort to keep the trains running. When they couldn't run, it was impossible to find alternative transport as nothing else was running either! Of course, it is right that in extreme circumstances TOC's are not liable to attempt the impossible.

It's also right that it is only in severe and extreme circumstances can passengers simply be abandoned without any assistance whatsoever. That is how it has always been in reality!

 

[AlterEgo]

I would very much like to know which TOC refused to make alternative travel arrangements in this case.

Legally, in this case, as we've already established, the TOC has no obligation to provide a hotel or transport home. They only have to honour the ticket on the next available service to the destination.

However in the interests of good customer service I would expect the passenger to be given alternatives other than to be left stranded.

Any chance of naming the TOC concerned?

 

[scrapy]

Well now you know that when you buy a ticket it does not legally cater for that option. Buy yourself some travel insurance - as you would if you were travelling by air ?

Travel insurance usually only covers journeys where you are staying away from home for at least one night and the journey is in excess of 50 miles. Travel insurance would not cover a daily commute or local shopping trip for example so I would guess that much less than 50% of rail journeys are easily coverable by insurance.

 

[185]

Most train companies are sensible enough not to strand passengers.

Except one company. I won't name the EXCEPTion.

 

[cuccir]

Have you a reason for saying that - the xc bashing thread is elsewhere!

A couple of comments:

More people probably have travel insurance than realise. Any decent insurance that covers you in the EU will cover you in the UK. It's one of the reasons that annual coverage is much better than single trip.

Secondly, despite the comments above, I think a TOC would be in very dodgy circumstances if they left someone stranded in a potentially dangerous situation eg a single woman with no money at a rural station at night. I'd be very cautious about the potential negative coverage from telling customers "nothing we.can do", whether or not it is legally correct.

 

[HST Power]

Except one company. I won't name the EXCEPTion.

You should've spelt it XCeption.

I've been stranded by EC on a few occasions; twice at Lincoln. The first time, it was due to disruptive passengers, the second time we were supposed to get a replacement service but after an hour and a half of no information and no train I gave up and booked a hotel!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I think a TOC would be in very dodgy circumstances if they left someone stranded in a potentially dangerous situation eg a single woman with no money at a rural station at night. I'd be very cautious about the potential negative coverage from telling customers "nothing we.can do", whether or not it is legally correct.

Heaven forbid, if such an occurrence as that you describe was ever to occur, can you imagine how the tabloid press would react! There would also be the chance that both local and television stations would feature this and take the opportunity to make "considered" comment.

The matter of legal niceties as to the actual position of any TOC unfortunate to find themselves in, in such a situation, would be subjugated by the outrage that would be forthcoming.

Any TOC surely would have already considered the possibility of such an event ocurring and would have recognised procedeures in place to deal with the public relations aspect of such matters....or at least I hope they have.:roll:

 

[whhistle]

High winds is not "exceptionally severe" weather. Even on one of the few days each year where a few houses get blown down I would expect the railway to still be running or provide alternative transport as 3 days a year is still not an exception.

If on the other hand, a hurricane arrives or an area floods (ie high rains) that hasn't flooded in over a decade, that would be exceptionally severe!

... but unlikely.

Who are you to say high winds are not severe? Surely high winds are? Otherwise it would just be a "windy" or "blustery" day?

Of course, we all have our own opinion, therefore in your opinion high winds are not severe. In mine, they are :roll: