XC Delay Repay questions

[181]

I want to make a Delay Repay claim for a recent journey, but I'm not familiar with the process, so I'm wondering if anyone can provide any advice.

I reached my final station about 55 minutes late because the first train was cancelled; this was an XC train, as was the one an hour later that I caught instead, but the others weren't (Virgin West Coast and Scotrail).

a) Presumably it's the arrival time at my final station that's relevant and XC that I need to claim from -- is this right?

b) What I need to explain is that I intended to use trains A, B and C but A was cancelled so I had to use trains E, F, G and H (D, due 30 minutes after A, still hadn't turned up when E did, and it wouldn't have got me to my destination any sooner anyway). However the form (available as a pdf download at https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/customer-service/contact-us/claiming-compensation-for-a-delay) obviously isn't designed for that -- it just has a section called 'About your CrossCountry journey', with 3 sections for different legs (it's not clear whether these refer to the trains you intended to get or the ones you actually got), and a brief 'details of the delay' section. Can I forget about the form and just send a letter explaining the situation, or will that confuse the system or get ignored?

(The online form just has a box entitled 'connection delay' in which I can presumably write anything I like, but I don't have an easy way of scanning the ticket).

c) If I choose to have the compensation paid in RTVs, is it possible to ask for small denominations?

d) How long should I expect them to take to deal with the claim?

Thankyou for any answers you can provide.

 

[causton]

a) Yes.
b) If there is not enough room in the form provided, you are probably okay just enclosing a blank sheet of paper with the reason handwritten on. Or, as the form says, "Should you have any difficulty with completing this form please call us on: 03447 369 123"
c) Probably, but why, when it can be paid straight into your bank account via BACS?
d) It says on the form "Our Customer Relations Team will respond as soon as possible. We aim to reply within 10 working days."

 

[bb21]

Is there any reason why the stations and train in question are in codes? If you use the actual details it will make it easier for people to help.

 

[181]

Is there any reason why the stations and train in question are in codes? If you use the actual details it will make it easier for people to help.

Sorry, I just thought too much detail might be confusing rather than helpful.

My intended journey was Oxford-Coventry-Glasgow Central, walk to Glasgow QS and then a (planned) replacement bus to Stirling. A broken down freight train near Basingstoke was causing chaos to XC services and my 11.40 train from Oxford was cancelled. I ended up getting the 12.40, changing in Coventry an hour later than planned and travelling via Haymarket to Falkirk High for a replacement bus which got me to Stirling about 55 minutes later than planned, just too late for the last bus of the day towards my final (non-railway) destination; the 25% refund which I think I'm due would conveniently cover my taxi fare (plus a few pounds more).

(I don't think the 12.12 from Oxford, even if on time, would have got me to Stirling any sooner than the 12.40; in any case the 12.40 turned up first).

 

[bb21]

All sound quite reasonable to me.

I find it easier sending an email to XC at Customer.Relations@crosscountrytrains.co.uk. I always found it easier sending an email attaching an image of the ticket (cut in half if it still has validity left in respect of "valid until" date). In the email you can simply state my booked itinerary is this, and I did this. I was this many minutes late at destination so would like to apply for Delay Repay compensation. You can then add additional requirements at the end, eg. smaller denomination RTVs, but just bear in mind that these additional requests may not be honoured.

As for time they take, give it four weeks to start with. XC ime are on the longer side timewise. You should however receive a notification allocating you a case reference within 2 days. If you don't hear in two days, send them another one. They do get missed occasionally ime.

 

[181]

In case anyone's interested, I got a colleague to scan in the ticket and used the form on the XC website. This appeared to have a box in which you could type whatever explanation you liked, but when I tried to submit the form I found that there was a (fairly small) limit to the number of characters -- I suspect the design of the form hadn't been thought through very thoroughly. By adopting a telegraphic style with much use of 3-letter codes for stations, I managed to explain my planned and actual journeys in the permitted number of characters, and the people at the other end understood this well enough to send me the refund I was due.