Misinformation by TfL staff resulted in missing the last train home - any compensation? *RESOLVED*

[dbcc33]

This isi a bit of an odd one - wondering if anyone can help.

 

Earlier today due to a ton of engineering works on practically every line possible, I was travelling via Chiltern Railway from Harrow to Marylebone and then onwards to the other side of london. As a young female travelling alone, I was very anxious about not missing the last train home, so i specifically asked the TfL staff (the guys wearing the blue jumper with logo and carrying radios) when the last return train back to Harrow from Marylebone was - he radioed through and then confirmed to me it was 12:20 am. beaing that in mind on my return jounrey i ensured i arrived back in marylebone by around midnight, only to find out that all the info i was given was wrong and i had already missed the last train. I had no choice but to go outside and pick p a cab, during which time i was hassled by a gang of drunk men for over 20 mins which was very distressing , anfd finally i anaged to get into a cab and it cost me over 50 Pounds to get back home. Needless to say i am extremely ****ed off that i was told the wrong info by TFL who actually radioed through -- hw does this happen?! also when i got back to harrow, the staff there told me i should write in to tfl and complain explaining this in detail as the radio calls are recorded and i should be compensated. I have just submitted something by email in anger (i have just got home!) but i was wondering if anyone had any better advice on how to approach this.

 

I am very annoyed about a) being over 50 pounds out of pocket and b) having had such a distressing journey home causing me stress and anxiety, all because TfL could not get their facts right. This was on a day that even without the mishap took over 1.5 hrs to travel a few miles due to horrendous engineering works.

 

Is there anything that can be done about this??

[Grotesque]

The Evening Standard would love it.

[firstclassx]

This isi a bit of an odd one - wondering if anyone can help.

 

Earlier today due to a ton of engineering works on practically every line possible, I was travelling via Chiltern Railway from Harrow to Marylebone and then onwards to the other side of london. As a young female travelling alone, I was very anxious about not missing the last train home, so i specifically asked the TfL staff (the guys wearing the blue jumper with logo and carrying radios) when the last return train back to Harrow from Marylebone was - he radioed through and then confirmed to me it was 12:20 am. beaing that in mind on my return jounrey i ensured i arrived back in marylebone by around midnight, only to find out that all the info i was given was wrong and i had already missed the last train. I had no choice but to go outside and pick p a cab, during which time i was hassled by a gang of drunk men for over 20 mins which was very distressing , anfd finally i anaged to get into a cab and it cost me over 50 Pounds to get back home. Needless to say i am extremely ****ed off that i was told the wrong info by TFL who actually radioed through -- hw does this happen?! also when i got back to harrow, the staff there told me i should write in to tfl and complain explaining this in detail as the radio calls are recorded and i should be compensated. I have just submitted something by email in anger (i have just got home!) but i was wondering if anyone had any better advice on how to approach this.

 

I am very annoyed about a) being over 50 pounds out of pocket and b) having had such a distressing journey home causing me stress and anxiety, all because TfL could not get their facts right. This was on a day that even without the mishap took over 1.5 hrs to travel a few miles due to horrendous engineering works.

 

Is there anything that can be done about this??

 

You can pretty much forget about getting any taxi fares back.

 

Chiltern obviously haven't done anything wrong, so they can't help you out. Besides, the difference between a single and a return is usually pence, and as you used the outward portion without a problem, the refund would be next to nothing.

 

TfL aren't going to refund a National Rail ticket.

 

I suspect all you will get is an apology from TfL, with, perhaps a small token gesture voucher, but nothing that exceeds the ticket price. If your email complaint comes across as over the top or is insulting/demanding - you'll probably just get an apology.

 

The drunks etc aren't really TfLs problem, nor is it their fault you felt harassed.

 

Engineering works are advertised weeks, if not months in advance, and you presumably still decided to buy a ticket with the knowledge that their was going to be an element of disruption.

[dbcc33]

Firstclass - you seem to miss the point. I am not complaining about planned engineering works - I am complaining about staff underperformance and misinformation - radioed through and verifying information that was completely inaccurate. I would say an apology and good will gesture should be minimal, particularly as it can be proven by listening to the radio transmission if they can be bothered.

Also, am assuming by your username that you may work for the rail companies, which is then surprising that you are not aware that Chiltern Railway tickets come out of oyster cards not national rail tickets, so TfL do get that money. Either way, am not complaining about getting a refund for this, as you say I used the inward journey, and the outward journey never happened because tfl staff gave me the wrong information which made me miss the last train.

 

All i can say is, in these cases, TfL underperformance of TfL staff is worse/more dangerous than them not being there at all - if i hadnt been told the incorrrect info, i would have made other arrangements to make sure i wasnt stranded. The fact remains TfL gave me innacurate information, which put me in an awful situation; it can be proven, and they should do something about it.

 

i wasn't necessarily expecting a refund of the whole taxi fare but an apology and some sort of compensation for realising what the misinformation resulted in (as they can imagine for anyone that would have been in the same situation) is frankly just courteous.

 

would be more than happy to go to the Evening Standard.

[firstclassx]

Revenue allocation is a whole different matter, (just because it's Oyster doesn't mean TfL gets to keep anything!). TfL manage the Oyster card scheme, but they don't necessarily profit from every single journey you make, especially when it comes to National Rail! There's a 200+ page guide somewhere that explains the processes and formulas which must be used to determine which company gets what!

 

My point is that you won't get the compensation you hope to achieve, even if you do go to the papers, (who won't run such a story anyway!)

 

I can guarantee that no radio transmissions are going to be checked for something as minor as this, it's a very time consuming task, and by the time your complaint is investigated, (28 days or so), it won't even exist. Consider also that it is very likely the staff involved will not even recall the incident if they are asked about it. It could even go the other way, and they do remember the incident, and it could transpire, or they could claim, that you have misunderstood what was said.

 

I am sure you will receive a genuine apology from TfL, which, given that no member of staff is going to deliberately give you false information, should suffice. Mistakes can happen unfortunately. Doesn't make it right, and I understand your frustration,

 

I suspect if they are feeling generous, you might get a £5/£10 TfL voucher, but even then, I really wouldn't count on it.

[andydd]

Its not clear what advice you expect from here, clearly there is no legal obligation to refund you anything. The best you can do is write to the company and you may receive an apology.

 

Andy

[rebel11]

Hi dbcc33

 

I think you are right to lodge a complaint. Providing the correct information to travelers is important and isn't something that should be taken lightly. A big part of the railways business is based on providing the correct information. Even the staff at Harrow stated that you should write and lodge a complaint. If there was a major incident, a fire for example, would it be acceptable for TfL staff (the guys wearing the blue jumper with logo and carrying radios) to provide the wrong information? Passenger's are owed a duty of care by TFL. Let us know what they say.

 

As the recording lasts for 28 days, or so.

 

Write a Formal Letter of Complaint, mark it as such.

Explain what was said to you, how they have let you down and what you would like them to do.

 

Send it:

 

TFL commissioner Peter Hendy - [email protected]

 

TFL/PCO, MD David Brown - [email protected]

[PresleyPlays]

Again - not sure what you realistically expect to receive here. No way you're going to get compensation. And you need to take emotion out of this rather uneventful story and stop being sarky to First Class and bringing up engineering works and drunks which are irrelevant.

 

Be honest - all you are likely to receive is an apology from some bod at TFL you've never heard of.

 

So from me, an employee you've never heard of, I am sorry. Now take this apology, forget the experience and move on with your life. It's a new day and new dawn and I'm feeling good.

 

 

 

Firstclass - you seem to miss the point. I am not complaining about planned engineering works - I am complaining about staff underperformance and misinformation - radioed through and verifying information that was completely inaccurate. I would say an apology and good will gesture should be minimal, particularly as it can be proven by listening to the radio transmission if they can be bothered.

Also, am assuming by your username that you may work for the rail companies, which is then surprising that you are not aware that Chiltern Railway tickets come out of oyster cards not national rail tickets, so TfL do get that money. Either way, am not complaining about getting a refund for this, as you say I used the inward journey, and the outward journey never happened because tfl staff gave me the wrong information which made me miss the last train.

 

All i can say is, in these cases, TfL underperformance of TfL staff is worse/more dangerous than them not being there at all - if i hadnt been told the incorrrect info, i would have made other arrangements to make sure i wasnt stranded. The fact remains TfL gave me innacurate information, which put me in an awful situation; it can be proven, and they should do something about it.

 

i wasn't necessarily expecting a refund of the whole taxi fare but an apology and some sort of compensation for realising what the misinformation resulted in (as they can imagine for anyone that would have been in the same situation) is frankly just courteous.

 

would be more than happy to go to the Evening Standard.

[Grotesque]

My point is that you won't get the compensation you hope to achieve, even if you do go to the papers, (who won't run such a story anyway!)

 

...can tell you're not from London

[dbcc33]

Thanks to Rebel for the only support on this thread. I am please to report the following outcomes:

1. A sincere apology from some employee I've never heard of

2. The matter was escalated to the Group Station Manager who is going to deal with the member of staff

3. A full refund of my entire taxi fare

So, it turns out, that TFL did indeed take my "uneventful" complaint more seriously than the (non-customer service oriented) rail employees on this forum, which is just as well.

I for one can't wait until they sack all the ticket inspectors and replace them with machines, as this event has just shown how useless staff are worse than none at all!

Take note - rail employees on this forum (particularly sarcy Presley!)- with your overconfidence - "no way you're going to receive compensation"....turns out its best not to be so arrogant about something you know nothing about!!

Anyway it certainly is a new dawn, new day and I'm feeling good

[PresleyPlays]

Genuinely pleased with the outcome, I thought it unlikely, but congratulations. I do like to see a win over the 'establishment' in any walk of life.

 

So, DBCC, the beers are on you then! Mine's a Guiness to wash down the humble pie.

 

 

 

Thanks to Rebel for the only support on this thread. I am please to report the following outcomes:

1. A sincere apology from some employee I've never heard of

2. The matter was escalated to the Group Station Manager who is going to deal with the member of staff

3. A full refund of my entire taxi fare

So, it turns out, that TFL did indeed take my "uneventful" complaint more seriously than the (non-customer service oriented) rail employees on this forum, which is just as well.

I for one can't wait until they sack all the ticket inspectors and replace them with machines, as this event has just shown how useless staff are worse than none at all!

Take note - rail employees on this forum (particularly sarcy Presley!)- with your overconfidence - "no way you're going to receive compensation"....turns out its best not to be so arrogant about something you know nothing about!!

Anyway it certainly is a new dawn, new day and I'm feeling good

[andydd]

A great outcome and I am surprised.

 

Please remember that all members here give their time freely for no reward and this includes the members who work for/have TOC knowledge so please temper your outbursts how ever tempting it may be to say 'I told you so'.

 

I don't agree with some of their replies but the world of TOC's is rather complex as are the various statutes and byelaws and they help posters here try to understand this murky world but often the answers are not what they want to hear.

 

The TOC's are not known for being over generous, just look at the amount given out for delayed trains, often its 50% of 50% of a percenatge of a week, so you can be stuck on a train for hours yet receive a few quid compensation, it does show though that complaining gets results, I complained about the way I was treating by 2 ticket inspectors and got apologies, was told they would be disciplined and £20 rail voucher I recall.

 

Ill mark this resolved.

[rebel11]

Well Done dbcc33, pleased for you:-), a bit harsh on the guys, they call it how they see it.

Well Done to TFL.

[dbcc33]

Thanks all.

Humble pie eaten gracefully Presley

Point taken Andy - just wanted to make the point that one shouldn't be put off complaining when it clearly achieves results.

TBH I was surprised by the outcome too ( though I think it is the correct option) - I assumed they would apologise and send maybe me some rail vouchers, so it was a good result.

Fine to mark thus thread closed now.