Merseyrail's unfair season ticket policy
I'm pleased to be able to report that Merseyrail have agreed to review their "unfair" policy for zone changes to season tickets.
This might not sound like a big issue on the face of it, but I'll explain why it is.
I recently moved home from Burscough to Formby. As a daily user of Merseyrail I have an annual season ticket which cost £688. I used to catch the train from Ormskirk and the price of a season ticket from Formby to Liverpool is exactly the same price.
Naturally I thought I would be able to change the zones on the season ticket, after all it should have just been a matter of printing out a new pass.
But, upon attempting to get details of how to make the change I was told by Merseyrail that they do not make changes to tickets midway through the year and I would have to have a refund and buy a new pass.
I was then told that as you effectively get 12 months travel for the price of 10 months I would not be entitled to a pro-rata refund, meaning I would lose two months worth of travel equivalent to around £115.
This struck me as fundamentally unfair. Not least because Trio passes (which cover trains, buses and ferries and are administered by transport authority Merseytravel) can be changed at any time at no cost. At a time when train operators and transport authorities are keen to increase patronage Merseyrail's policy is less than customer friendly.
These are the rules on Trios:
Simply call into the Ticket Unit. You will be charged for any extra zones or areas you need, or you will receive a credit
note if you don't need as many. You may need a new photograph. There is no charge for this service.
These are the rules on railpasses administered by Merseyrail:
When a customer needs to change a zone or area on their Railpass, they need to submit the ticket for refund, and purchase another ticket to meet their new requirements.
Customers who purchase annual tickets get their tickets at a greatly reduced price, as they effectively obtain two months worth of free travel - as opposed to purchasing 12 individual monthly railpasses. They, therefore, obtain considerably less of a refund than they are generally expecting, when surrendering their ticket early. This is because, refunds on such tickets are calculated by deducting the price of tickets applicable for the length of time used, from that originally paid, together with a standard administrative fee of £10.00. However, if a new ticket is purchased at the same time as the old one is submitted for refund, this administration fee is waived as a gesture of goodwill.
Following a complaint and representations from me the company agreed to change my ticket at no cost, and have agreed to review the policy. It is the right outcome and hopefully it will mean that in future others will not have to go through the same hassle as me.
I'll report back on the outcome of the review.
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David Bartlett - City editor of the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo covering politics, regeneration, and urban affairs. He was previously chief reporter of the Daily Post and here he gives his insight into the workings of regional politics.
As good as this is, I wonder if you were not a journalist in the only local paper, if anything would have been done? I certainly don't think that the Post or Echo would have taken up the issue.
This sort of unfairness could encourage you to use your car- and what would that do for the environment?
I hope you continue to enjoy your travel by train to and from your Formby mansion. Better get yourself some bus timetables incase the trains go off. It's a drag on the bus David.
I see you have now crossed into the Merkyside border. You'll have to start writing letters in the Southport newpapers.
David Bartlett, disgusted from Formby, Nr. Southport.