Early view of new restrictions/easements

[AshValePsngr]

One of the tickets I use to get to work has been shown to be valid a number of times, but it irks a specific guard who works the route. No other guard has ever shown any problem with the ticket. He has taken it upon himself to make this ticket no longer valid. He tells me a new restriction is being put on the ticket in January. I'm not sure if this will be an easement, or a restriction, but being it's coming in January I assume it will be a restriction. Is there any way to get an early view of changes of ticket, or easements? Is there any consultation process?

Does the guard gain anything from this behaviour? What is in it for him?

The guard is always polite, and seems like a nice guy. Please don't take this as an attack on him, or guards in general.

 

[bb21]

Is it a bit of a loophole/small loophole/big loophole?

 

[soil]

He may be BSing you.

 

[bb21]

He may be BSing you.

Yes, that's also a big possibility.

 

[AshValePsngr]

Is it a bit of a loophole/small loophole/big loophole?

By my interpretation it's not valid via the human readable routing guide, but via the electronic routing guide (checked on nationalrail.co.uk, and in station) it is valid, and I can get seat reservations.

 

[soil]

By my interpretation it's not valid via the human readable routing guide, but via the electronic routing guide (checked on nationalrail.co.uk, and in station) it is valid, and I can get seat reservations.

If it's valid on the electronic version, they can change it quite readily without any oversight, and what he says is plausible, even if it isn't necessarily true.

 

[AshValePsngr]

If it's valid on the electronic version, they can change it quite readily without any oversight, and what he says is plausible, even if it isn't necessarily true.

Do I just have to wait until January to find out, or is there any way to view the proposed changes before they happen, or a consultation process? Sorry, I like this ticket and would hate to have to lose it if there is anything I can do about it (I doubt there is!)

 

[bb21]

By my interpretation it's not valid via the human readable routing guide, but via the electronic routing guide (checked on nationalrail.co.uk, and in station) it is valid, and I can get seat reservations.

I do wonder how he is so certain that it is coming in January, unless it's something specific to do with the fare itself (to coincide with the next fares round), or he is just talking out of his backside.

Surely if it is something simple to do with the electronic version of the RG, they don't really need to wait till then. (If it requires the approval of Passenger Focus, et al, then he can't possibly guess how long it would take.) If the restriction text or the routing on the fare is being changed then I don't think there is any way of previewing the change until NFM17 is released.

Certain changes are supposed to go through a consultation process with relevant stakeholders, such as Passenger Focus and the DfT, but we all know how useful Passenger Focus are at protecting our rights.

 

[SickyNicky]

Do I just have to wait until January to find out, or is there any way to view the proposed changes before they happen, or a consultation process? Sorry, I like this ticket and would hate to have to lose it if there is anything I can do about it (I doubt there is!)

Unfortunately, we only get the electronic version of the routeing guide on the day it goes live, so no advance notice. I doubt ATOC would tell you if you asked them.

 

[AshValePsngr]

He said a restriction, but perhaps he meant change of route? The ticket is an anytime day return, so it wouldn't be a different restriction as I don't think those tickets have restrictions? Maybe the route is being changed, currently it is any permitted. When I first spoke to him he dragged me off to an intermediate ticket office (Where I was changing) to check the validity, then when it was confirmed valid he told me he'd be speaking to the fares manager about the ticket.

This ticket doesn't have any restrictions anyway.