TOCs selling return tickets,with no intention of honouring them.

[Optimo]

Just wondering what (if any) recourse I can take around a ticket sales tactic that First Capital Connect use at the weekends on the Great Northern route.

On the 7th of September, they sold me an off-peak day return from HGY thru to MAI. I travelled on an early train, 07:04. All good.

The return journey however was disrupted due to engineering works, so no services where running to HGY. No replacement bus service was provided either. Details of alternative routes were not forthcoming on the NR apps, so customers were just left to work it out for themselves.

Is it legal for TOC to sell a ticket they have no intention of honouring for its period of validity? Shouldn't they just sell singles during these periods?

They have happily taken passenger money, then refused to countenance a reasonable refund of a small portion (cost of paper ticket from FPK to HGY - where we walked the section that I'd paid for), because they put up a poster at the station.

Or is it reasonable to assume that since they've lost that route (GN took it over last week), they don't give a flying one anymore?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

And for those of us without encyclopedic knowledge of CRS codes....

HGY - Harringay
MAI - Maidenhead

Any alterations to the timetable should be displayed at the stations affected, if it was not you have cause for complaint. If you bought the ticket from a ticket office and the clerk knew about the engineering works but failed to mention them, you have cause for complaint. I would expect a ticket clerk to know about alterations that affect the station they are working at. As for what you would get beyond an apology, I honestly couldn't tell you.

 

[bb21]

Were there not arrangements in place for acceptance on local buses?

 

[Hadders]

I can't speak for Harringay station but at all the other FCC/GN stations I've travelled from/to have had posters advertising engineering work and changes to train times. Perhaps you missed the poster? There would certainly have been details at Kings Cross/Finsbury Park that you could have seen on your on your return journey. Did you ask any staff for advice?

I believe rail replacement buses can't serve Harringay as they are unable to gain access due to the surrounding narrow residential streets. Also, Harringay Green Lanes and Manor House stations are only a short walk away and I'm pretty sure your ticket would have been valid to use to/from these stations.

As for only selling single tickets the difference is only £2 on that route. The price of Finsbury Park-Maidenhead is the same as Harringay-Maidenhead.

 

[CyrusWuff]

The general line when trains can't call at Hornsey/Harringay in one direction is that passengers should travel to Alexandra Palace or Finsbury Park and change there for a train going back the other way.

I believe the lack of RRBs is due to a combination of the road layout at Hornsey, which precludes the station being served in both directions, and Wightman Road (which Harringay's on) being relatively narrow.

 

[Mojo]

There were trains running to Harringay on Sept 7th, as I travelled on one. As CyrusWuff says, trains were only stopping on the way into London, customers leaving London had to go to Alexandra Palace and double back. Trains resumed calling on the down late evening time.

 

[Tetchytyke]

National Rail Enquiries says this:

Engineering work is taking place between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage via Hertford North closing all lines and also between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace until 20:00 with various line closures.

All day, buses replace trains between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage via Hertford North.

Until 20:00, north-bound trains will not call at Harringay or Hornsey. Passengers should use south-bound trains changing at either Finsbury Park or Alexandra Palace as appropriate, to complete the journey.

I think that's fairly self-explanatory, and trains were running.

The weekend after- 14 September- early morning trains were not stopping at all and there was ticket acceptance on the W3 and 29 buses from Finsbury Park.

I believe the lack of RRBs is due to a combination of the road layout at Hornsey, which precludes the station being served in both directions, and Wightman Road (which Harringay's on) being relatively narrow.

At Harringay the problem is that all the residential streets nearby are really narrow, the only bus that goes near is the W5, which is operated with Solos.

At Hornsey the road is fine, RRBs would just need to go round the one-way loop that the 41 uses.

Really, though, RRBs don't run because the two stations are so close to alternative stations that there's little point.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The return portion of a Stockport -> Denton ticket rarely gets honoured!

Why sell them?

 

[yorkie]

The return portion of a Stockport -> Denton ticket rarely gets honoured!

Why sell them?

It wouldn't be practicable to alter the range of tickets depending on the timetable.

Also, although I accept it's rare anyone would want to do this, a return ticket would allow you to make an outward & return journey by remaining on board the train, changing at Guide Bridge & Manchester on the return portion.