Curtailed journey - refund or delay repay?

[Haywain]

My journey a few days ago was from London Liverpool Street to Sheringham (for an onward bus journey), using an Advance ticket. The train from Norwich to Sheringham was terminated short at Cromer due to a track problem, and we were advised to wait an hour for the next train to Sheringham. Instead, I aborted the journey at Cromer and took a bus from there for my onward journey - the same bus that I would have taken at Sheringham.

The question is, should I claim Delay Repay from Greater Anglia (RTT says the subsequent train arrived at Sheringham 59 minutes later then my schedule) or obtain an abandoned journey refund from the retailer in accordance with NRCoT? It appears that there is a clear entitlement to either.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If claiming DR it has to be based on what you did, thus the time you arrived by bus? Though most people probably would claim it based on the next train it's not technically a valid claim.

 

[Haywain]

If claiming DR it has to be based on what you did, thus the time you arrived by bus?

That would be a 58 minute delay, instead of 59!

 

[MrJeeves]

I would go back to the retailer for a refund due to an abandoned journey.

Straightforward, and it is what happened here as you gave up on completing your journey by rail and arranged your own transportation.

 

[Adam Williams]

This has been subject to some debate here before, but I am (personally) of the same opinion as @MrJeeves

The NRCoT allows you to but doesn't force you to return to your origin if you have to abandon your journey due to disruption and pursue non-rail transport. There's nothing to specify how close you can't be to your destination or stipulate that you must immediately try to return home in order to claim an abandoned journey refund.

 

[Essexman]

Surely this is open to many claims of full refund for abandonment?
For example, I often travel to Torquay changing at Newton Abbott. If there is a cancelled train to Torquay could I just get the bus to Torquay and claim a full refund as I abandoned the journey by rail?
If I got the bus I would expect to base any claim for delay repay on when the next train arrived at Torquay, albeit without me on it. I'd never considered that was not an acceptable claim.

 

[Adam Williams]

If I got the bus I would expect to base any claim for delay repay on when the next train arrived at Torquay, albeit without me on it.

The Delay Repay claim should be based on what you actually did and when you actually arrived. I don't think it's right to use the arrival time of a train you didn't take or a "theoretical delay duration" to claim compensation and I'd be very hesitant to misrepresent the facts when making a Delay Repay claim, personally.

Surely this is open to many claims of full refund for abandonment?

Where do you draw the line? If I board a train from Euston to Shrewsbury and due to a train fault it breaks down at Watford Junction, and I bail there having lost confidence in the rail system/then decide to stay in accommodation or rent a car to continue my journey, why isn't that an abandoned rail journey?

The rail industry could clarify this position in the NRCoT if it wanted to, but it hasn't..

 

[Essexman]

The Delay Repay claim should be based on what you actually did and when you actually arrived. I don't think it's right to use the arrival time of a train you didn't take or a "theoretical delay duration" to claim compensation and I'd be very hesitant to misrepresent the facts when making a Delay Repay claim, personally.

I haven’t made a claim like this but it doesn’t seem unreasonable to claim if a train is cancelled and one chooses to make alternative arrangements to complete their journey.

 

[MrJeeves]

I haven’t made a claim like this but it doesn’t seem unreasonable to claim if a train is cancelled and one chooses to make alternative arrangements to complete their journey.

It's fine to do this, just that you should use the time that your alternative arrangements arrived.

E.g., last service of the day cancelled so you get a night bus. Don't say you had a 2h+ delay and had to get the first service of the morning, say what time you arrived through your alternative arrangements.