EMT accept GroupSave but this was quite literally 'the wrong type of GroupSave'.
The rules here are absolutely clear: EMT are contractually obliged to allow travel. They cannot charge the customer any additional fare. They can take photos of the tickets or even withdraw them, providing they issue free of charge replacements.
Unfortunately train companies like EMT, GTR and GWR are ignoring the rules, breaking contract and consumer laws and charging customers.
EMT need to refund you in full for any monies charged.
I am happy to proof read a letter; feel free to send me a direct conversation message.
East Midlands Trains are not part of the main Group Save scheme, but do have their own specific groupsave tickets. Therefore the advice is correct and East Croydon were wrong to sell the tickets.
But staff were wrong to refuse travel. The customer must not be charged again.
This is a classic example where the railway gets it completely wrong. A mistake is made by a TOC - it is correctly picked up by another TOC. Instead of penalising the passengers who did nothing wrong the second TOC should replace the tickets at no charge and bill the first TOC for getting it wrong. Now we have a case of disgrunteld passengers who are less likely to use the train in future and a ticket office that doesnt know it has mis-sold a ticket. And we wonder why no-one trusts the railways.
This is the right answer.
Unfortunately I'm aware of many cases where train companies act in this appauling way. There is no-one with the will and power to stop them.
They even refuse valid tickets!
I' be expecting a full refund from GTR for the cost of the additional tickets that were purchased.
If a delay occurred because of having to sort out new tickets I'd expect GTR to pay delay repay compensation as well.
No, EMT were obliged to accept the tickets. Any dispute between GTR and EMTbis an internal rail industry matter and not the customer's problem.
Customers can not be told to pay again.
The railway doing what the railway does best: ah yes, we do accept GroupSave Tickets, but not tickets with Groupsave.
That's how train companies like EMT like to behave, yes.
And they know no-one can stop them.