Will my Delay Repay be validated?

[AlterEgo]

Do Virgin compensate for all events like TOCs under Delay Repay? So is the only difference is that Virgin only pay for delays over one hour whereas Delay Repay TOCs pay out after thirty minutes delay?

Yes, they do. They don't have any exceptions for weather or "acts of God" etc - check their charter.

The threshold is one hour though (or 45 minutes on the Euston-Wolves route).

 

[radamfi]

Do Delay Repay TOCs shell out a significant proportion of their revenue on compensation, and the administration of the compensation? What percentage of rail journeys (i.e. whole journey including connections) are delayed by more than thirty minutes? Of course, only a small proportion of those entitled to the compensation actually claim, so the outlay would be even lower.

 

[Goatboy]

Do Delay Repay TOCs shell out a significant proportion of their revenue on compensation, and the administration of the compensation? What percentage of rail journeys (i.e. whole journey including connections) are delayed by more than thirty minutes? Of course, only a small proportion of those entitled to the compensation actually claim, so the outlay would be even lower.

I would imagine it's mostly only going to be journeys with connections which end up being entitled to large amounts of Delay Repay.

Of the few full refunds I've got, all have been as a result of missing a connection which only runs every 2 hours. Essentially on my regular trip if the XC train I am on is late by more than 35 minutes then I arrive at my destination 2 hours and 20 minutes late.

 

[D1009]

The rulebook requires running brake tests in falling snow (for very good reason - the Stobart shed falling off the railway was caused by frozen brakes!!!), and a 10mph reduction in permissible speed for disc-braked multiple units so by definition, trains will run late.

I'm quite interested in this. Does this apply to all permissible speeds including restrictions, in which case what happens when the permissible speed is 10 mph? Also who makes the decision as to when the conditions warrant the application of the rule?

 

[Ferret]

I'm quite interested in this. Does this apply to all permissible speeds including restrictions, in which case what happens when the permissible speed is 10 mph? Also who makes the decision as to when the conditions warrant the application of the rule?

Doesn't apply to linespeeds below 50mph, and the driver! Although, it's quite obvious when there is falling or drifting snow one would say

 

[Zoidberg]

I'm quite interested in this. Does this apply to all permissible speeds including restrictions, in which case what happens when the permissible speed is 10 mph? Also who makes the decision as to when the conditions warrant the application of the rule?

Ferret has answered your question but you may wish to know that the Rule Book may be accessed at http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Rule_Book/Forms/Live_Documents.aspx

"Working trains during snow conditions" is Section 18 of module TW which is at the end of http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Rule_Book/Rule Book Modules/TW - Train Working/GERT8000-TW1 Iss 8.pdf

 

[D1009]

Ferret has answered your question but you may wish to know that the Rule Book may be accessed at http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Rule_Book/Forms/Live_Documents.aspx

"Working trains during snow conditions" is Section 18 of module TW which is at the end of http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Rule_Book/Rule Book Modules/TW - Train Working/GERT8000-TW1 Iss 8.pdf

Thanks for the links and to Ferret for answering the question. Just to point out that Ferret used the term "linespeed". Although in common use I believe this term is now obsolete and can be misleading, as it used to refer to the Maximum Permissible Speed over a route when this was shown in the Sectional Appendices many years ago.

 

[yorkie]

Add to that the constant whining over "delays" that are no more than 5-10 minutes, sometimes on journey times that measure several hours, or over a route where there is no means of transport that is even vaguely comparable in terms of time. Do people really have a sad enough life that a five minute delay on a journey makes that much difference?

A 5-10 minute delay to a journey does not seem much, so I agree it would seem unreasonable to constantly whine over such delays.

However a 5-10 minute delay to one leg of a journey can put a connection in jeopardy which could result in a missed train, resulting in a delay of an hour, two hours or potentially alternative transport being arranged due to missing the last train of the day.

And if the delay is as frequent as they say, why not leave 10 minutes earlier?

If the train service that is frequently delayed by 5-10 minutes operates every 10 minutes then that would seem a very sensible conclusion to leave 10 minutes earlier.

However it would, for reserveable connecting trains, only be viable if the Operator allows people on Advance & Connections tickets to take any "appropriate" train as per the Conditions, rather than enforce the part in the Advance Fares FAQs that state it is not possible if the connecting train is reserveable. The conflict between the Conditions & The Manual does cause some concern to passengers wishing to take the advice to take an earlier connecting train (example: "& Connections" Advance question)

 

[Flamingo]

Agreed, a missed connection is a diffrent ballgame entirely. But the Pad-Rdg run, for example, where the non-stop trains are even timetabled between 25 and 35 minutes for the same journey,some passengers react with horror that it took 35-40 minutes "and what are you going to do about it!"

 

[Tom B]

I have noticed since moving to London that people do not leave sufficient time for their journey, and as such, the slightest delay causes havoc!

I always aim to get to work approximately 20 minutes before my shift start time. Apart from anything else, it means that if there is a delay I am very rarely actually late, as I have time to take a different route or a later train and get to work with time to spare.

I know of people who plan to arrive at work at exactly the time they start - so of course the smallest delay to their service, and they are out the window.

 

[DelayRepay]

I have noticed since moving to London that people do not leave sufficient time for their journey, and as such, the slightest delay causes havoc!

I know what you mean... I don't have to be in the office for a particular time but if I have a 9:00 meeting I will aim to arrive at work for 8:00. That gives a good hour for contingency, but if all goes well and I actually arrive at 8:00 it gives me time for coffee, emails etc. I appreciate everyone is not so lucky in terms of flexibility.

Within our office is another team who have to work 9 - 5. It always surprises me how many of them normally arrive at 8:57. Sometimes they are late, blaming the tube/train. If I was the boss I would be asking why they don't allow some contingency time for delays.

 

[Flamingo]

I know plenty of rail staff who have had official warning letters placed on their files (and being told to go home again and docked a days pay) a result of a single late arrival, which was due to their train into work being late.

The railways approach is it's up to the worker to get to work on time. If that means catching the train 30 minutes earlier, then do it.

 

[Goatboy]

The railways approach is it's up to the worker to get to work on time. If that means catching the train 30 minutes earlier, then do it.

It always will be the official line because telling staff to get to work 30-45 minutes early 9 times in a row so that on the 10th time they arrive on time because there is a delay costs the organisation nothing, all the cost is on the reduced personal time of the staff in question.

 

[radamfi]

Choosing to make a contingency is a typical trait of people who are risk averse. I'm too risk averse myself as I probably leave too much time for appointments, meaning that I waste a lot of my life arriving too early. Successful people (e.g. business people) generally aren't afraid to take risks, and these people usually cut things fine.

 

[michael769]

Some people do not have the choice to take an earlier service, if for example you have to wait for a nursery to open before getting the train. Likewise if you need to get the first train of the day!

I do agree though that many folks are their own worst enemy. There is a tendency in the morning for some people to fritter their time away so then end up having to rush to make tight connections. I know of people who choose to get up earlier to avoid this only to find that the extra time makes them just take longer to get organised and then end up rushing anyway.

Many people get too uptight about being late occasionally. Yes some companies are ridiculous (and some like the railway are critically reliant on folks arriving on time) but for many the boss is just as subject to being held up and actually does not bother knowing that most folks can be either trusted to make it up or are already working more than their allotted hours most days so it all balances out.

 

[Chrisgr31]

I used to get in to work in half an hour early, however work then moved the office so whilst I still catch the same train I now get in on time. Not catching an earlier train though as its uncomfortably full, which on a journey of an hour isnt great.