GWR is joining the scheme where a passenger whose train is cancelled can use any train up to 2 hours before or 2 hours after with original ticket even if it alternative train is with another operator (or by any reasonable alternative route)  No need to buy replacement or extra ticket.

Avanti West Coast, Chiltern, Cross Country also joining.

East Midlands will remain outside common scheme for now (don't think it applies to TfW, Scotrail, Merseyside either)

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/your-cancellations-covered-new-scheme-to-help-stranded-rail-passengers-arrives-this-weekend

 

A step in the right direction ... and of potential general use.   What about SWR?   One can only hope that this applies uniformly across all train operators once nationalised (so perhaps not lines like Paignton to Kingswear).   One can only dream of this applying to intermodal changes allowing you to use a following train if the bus is late, or a following bus if the train is late.

 

SWR is already in the scheme, the list from Sunday is :
c2c
Gatwick Express
Greater Anglia
Great Northern
LNER
London Northwestern Railway
Northern
Southeastern
Southern
Thameslink
South Western Railway
Transpennine Express
West Midlands Railway
Avanti West Coast (new)
Chiltern Railways (new)
CrossCountry (new)
Great Western Railway (new)

 

That makes sense, thank you. In the GWR area, then, the only exceptions where it may not apply when GWR cancel a service are Cheltenham Spa to Gloucester and Severn Tunnel Junction to Pembroke Dock inclusive of all intermediate stations.

 
I'm still a little confused. This was announced on the radio news this morning as if it applied to all operators from this weekend, but then the official DfT announcement states that East Midlands joins later - see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/your-cancellations-covered-new-scheme-to-help-stranded-rail-passengers-arrives-this-weekend

Why the delay for East Midlands? Who else is left out? Is it just TfW, Scotrail and TfL? 

 
Reading the announcement, you would never guess that, except for holders of train-specific advances and some other irritating operator-specific fares, much of this would have been possible anyway. Your average Saver fare being inter-available and valid on any later train, not just within a two hour window (peak restrictions apart).

However there does seem to be some advantage in allowing off-peak tickets to be valid on a peak train after a cancelled off-peak service. Also the "reasonable route" allowance would (presumably) clear up any worry, say of traveling Swindon-Westbury via Bath if the Melksham service is cancelled. (We can have fun later in investigating the difference between a "reasonable route" and a "permitted route").

 
I think its an excellent idea,but how many travelers would check their booked train is not cancelled before they leave home?

 

Good question - I would be guessing at an answer on that.   In fact I'll start a poll / new thread (here) as we're straying from the original topic.

 
"Customers holding a valid ticket [...]"

So I have a Network Railcard discounted ticket from Waterloo - Exeter, possibly split at Honiton.  Is that valid to travel on GWR via Taunton?

I have a series of split tickets Paddington - Plymouth, with a Network Card split at Newbury, Pewsey and Hungerford.  Is that valid to travel on a non-stopping service?

I have a Sheffield - Taunton not via London ticket Is that valid to travel via London?

"[...] using a direct or reasonable alternative route"

How is everyone going to know my train was cancelled across all those regions/operators?  Can I just buy a cheaper ticket and make it up or will I be expected to have proof?

 


On line systems typically let staff look up cancellations all across the network; they can find the proof.

Reading the statement with a pedant's eye in answer to your questions

* London stations to Exeter "via Honiton" WILL be accepted via Taunton.

* Sheffield to Taunton "not via London" WILL be accepted via London but not on East Midlands Trains

* It says "ticket" singular, so a split ticket booked journey must still stick to the "must call at" rule.

And adding some thoughts of my own

* Nothing is said about failed connections - only cancellations. So a late running train that fails to connect with another operator is not covered.  For example, a Penzance to Cheltenham Spa Advance ticket on GWR to Plymouth then XC but where the train from Cornwall is late - it does NOT cover onward travel by GWR from Plymouth and you must wait for the next Cross Country service.

* Can we treat a train that stops short as a cancellation - for example, if a Bristol to Portsmouth passenger who finds his (advance ticket) train gets cancelled beyond Southampton - I'm unclear as to whether he can carry on with SWR or Southern or must wait for the next GWR service an hour later

* A passenger planning to travel from Melksham to Bristol Parkway, tickets only available via Bath Spa, CAN travel via Swindon if the service via Bath Spa is cancelled - and indeed may want to because it's much faster

* Passengers from stations with occasional services cannot take advantage of the scheme if the next train isn't until more than two hours later.   Menheniot, Pilning, some gaps at Melksham, smaller stations on the halts train in Oxfordshire

* I am unclear as to how this works with tickets sold on virtual branch lines - a ticket from Kingsbridge to Kings Norton, for example.

I am probably overthinking this and in practise I find staff pretty reasonable when things go wrong.

 
One wag on Facebook:

"It’s great to see that railway passengers can now switch to another operator without charge when their train is cancelled.
The next time I go to the Isle of Wight and can’t get from Shanklin to Ryde Pier Head, I’ll just hop onto ScotRail instead."

(Yes, I know ScotRail aren't part of the scheme)

 

I am relieved to read this, albeit that since I retired this is no longer the issue it was. I'd guess on average about twice a year there would be a blockage or closure of the North Downs line between Reading and Guildford, so I'd use the "zig-zag" alternative, namely Reading-Basingstoke (usually by Cross-Country), Basingstoke-Woking then Woking Guildford (both SWT/SWR) or the same in reverse if this occurred on my return journey, in any such case to undertake a GWR service. This was never a problem on the rare occasion that my season ticket was checked, and on a few occasions this was encouraged by staff. Hence much of my confusion when the story broke. 

 

Alternative routes was probably one thing that wasn't automatically OK (hence my mention of via Bath vs. via Melksham). However, if someone checking tickets ever raised an objection, I think the worst outcome (according to NRCoT) would be a route-change excess fare (and no penalty or need to buy a complete new ticket).

 

There are reports - I'm sure correct, though now historic, of people being excessed for travelling via Bath Spa even at times of service disruption making that route, unplanned, being the only practical alternative for them when they had planned to go via Melksham.   So the new policy, whilst it may not now make much "actual" difference, does flag up / market / remind people of what can be done - and that in itself is good in helping reduce the worry / reticence people have as they travel and are concerned at having the right ticket.