Great Western Coffee Shop

Hi,

Yesterday I renewed my Reading-London season ticket.  It was nice that the price has come down form last year but I was a bit surprised to be told there had been no void days in the past year.

I then thought am I doing myself a disservice?  Maybe the system has changed and I need to start writing when I get heavily delayed between Reading and Paddington.  Whilst I understand some of the incidents in the past year are not FGW faults I can remember at least two incidents where I got delayed by more than an hour due to faulty trains.  As I'm not sure what/how triggers the void days should I always write to FGW to be compensated for such delays - I thought previously that for monthly and yearly season ticket holders the void days system was intended to form the compensation but I now assume I am wrong.

Looking ahead will the line closure at Christmas between Reading and Paddington be catered for in next year's renewal?

Thanks,

Boppy.

Void days are declared byu the TOC when their service is so shite that it's easier to give a day than to write cheques out to everyone - also declaring a void day removes those setrvices from the Passenger Charter statistics...useful when that day's delays would push the Charter into offering discounts....

Now their performance is robust enough that it would take many shite days to reduce their Charter figures low enough to offer a renewal discount again, it is very unlikely that viod days wiould be declared.....

They looked into moving over to the Delay/Repay scheme, but abandoned it when it was realised that some customers would actually lose out...


Yes, you are wrong - Monthly & longer seasons are compensated via the 5% / 10% discounts given when annual rolling Charter performance figures drop below a stated minimum requirement.


No - because they will be giving due notice of the disruption. TOCs are entitled to alter timetables with enough notice at any time.

Thanks,

Boppy.
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Thanks for the reply ChrisB.

I think it was hearing about the Delay/Repay scheme not being implemented that made me think (incorrectly) that void days would be used instead.

Thanks for clearing it up - I'll have to be more vigilant at recording delays this year!

Boppy.

AFAICS monthly and longer seasons are still compensated for void days as well - if any are declared - by either extension of season ticket validity or refund. It's on page 23 and 25 of the customer charter booklet:



Paul

Oh indeed - IF any void days are declared.

But as I said, these days, extremely unlikely.

Delay/Repay is a DfT requirement in new franchises which have been let since some point in 2006 or 2007, and indeed many already have it e.g. East Coast and XC. However, it was not specified for the current GW franchise which was tendered and awarded shortly before the requirement was introduced. My understanding is that it won't be imposed on FGW retroactively, but it will apply once the franchise is awarded again in either 2013 or 2016, although I stand to be corrected if anyone knows better.

You are correct.  Although of course by 2013/2016 the Governemnt may have changed its mind on the matter.

Indeed, don't forget it was introduced by the ex-Governing Party....