Welsh Concessionary Travel Card query

[Western 52]

The Welsh Concessionary Travel Card gives free bus travel in Wales for those over 60. It also allows free winter travel on the Heart of Wales line. Given the usual unreliability of the HOWL what would be the position if the last train was cancelled? Would it then be possible to go via Hereford and Cardiff using the card?

 

[nwales58]

No.

Were the last train cancelled I would expect a replacement bus or minibus to run. Although the uncertainty of when that reaches someone waiting at Builth Road, say, makes it unattractive.

 

[gray1404]

If the last train was cancelled and no alternative transport provided then yes, they would be required to get you to your destination. Any train company in a position to help must. So if TfW can route to by an alternative route then they must.

 

[Western 52]

I had wondered what the contractual position would be as the ticket was free? I guess though its not different to the situation if you'd paid for the ticket? For the concessionary card, Welsh Government have paid instead of the passenger.

 

[Belperpete]

I had wondered what the contractual position would be as the ticket was free? I guess though its not different to the situation if you'd paid for the ticket? For the concessionary card, Welsh Government have paid instead of the passenger.

Note that the travel card itself is not a ticket, you are required to use it to get a ticket. If you have had no chance to get an actual ticket for your journey, your contractual position might be weak.

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way to obtain a ticket on-line or from a TVM, only from a TFW booking office (where there is one, and it is open) or from a TFW guard on the train. Non-TFW booking offices and guards don't seem able to issue them (or at least, none that I have tried, such as BHM or EUS).

Some delay repay websites (such as Avanti's) refuse to accept a zero value ticket! Okay, you aren't going to get much compo for a zero value ticket, but you may want to use it for the last part of a split-ticket journey.