Dispute with Train Company

[jsmith589]

Hi, I recently used my local train company to get to work and due to a number of faults on the line that morning, two or three trains worth of passengers were all squeezed onto the same train.
I suffer from chronic back pain and being younger than most commuters, can't really ask people to give up their seat. I ended up having to stand in between two cars as more and more commuters flooded on to the train. During the hour long journey, the automatic doors for the cars closed 5 times leaving me stranded inbetween two cars, bouncing up and down as we went over the rails. I was completely trapped and had no buttons to press to escape. Passengers were frantically trying to open the automatic doors to get me out but the doors seemed to just randomly open and shut. It was the most harrowing ordeal I have ever suffered. When I got off, I complained to station staff and was given an address to send my complaint. My back was in agony for the rest of the day and I had to leave work early as a result. For the next few days it was very tender, and I have been very worried about using the train again in case a similar situation develops and I get trapped again.
I have just received a letter back from the train company offering me 50% of my ticket price seeing as the train was delayed. No acknowledgement of my having to stand trapped in-between two cars for an hour.

I don't think this is a suitable resolution and I would be grateful if any forum users might be able to offer any assistance or suggestions.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

Hi,

I am ex BR staff and I am disgusted that this has happened to you, to help you I first need a few bits of info.

Which rail company were you travelling with?
Are you registered as a disabled person? (seems totally irrelevent but will become clearer!)
Did at any time to your memory the staff at the station radio for the TCS? (Train Crew Supervisor)


I worked for many rail companies before leaving after a series of assaults and incidents (otherwise know as PTSD) and in all my time I have never heard of this happening before, so please rest assure this is an isolated incident, and if the TCS was called for, that train is now out of service.

Once I know which company it is you were travelling with, I will be able to find out exactly who needs to deal with this.,

Finally was the claim for for Network Rail or for an individual company?

[CleverClogs]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

Did at any time to your memory the staff at the station radio for the TCS?

Or for the FC or the FC's boss, the VFC?

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

normally its the TCS as they are based on station.

If its a fault the TCS is called and they can get authority to remove the stock there and then, i've known a few and they make the All Blacks look small

Normally this is at a main station, hence asking what company it is the OP is travelling with.

If the OP got a claim form for Network Rail, they may very well get the standard "Money off" letter..

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

and sorry the FC's boss is the BWTBH (Bloke with the big hat)

[jsmith589]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

Hi there, many thanks for your posts.
The company in question is Greater Anglia on the line between Cambridge & London Liverpool Street.
On the day in question, when I got off at London Liverpool Street, I approached two ticket guards and said "I have just experienced the worst train journey in my entire life and I wish to speak to someone in charge", they were very helpful and took me over to the information kiosk.
I joined a queue of other hacked off passengers. When it was my turn, they guy was very unapologetic and gave me a 'Customer Comments' form and told me to fill out the back and send it to the free post address. I explained to him that this was a very serious incident and how on earth would I ever fill in all of the information on such a small piece of paper, he pointed to an email address and said, send it there! I felt like it is their normal procedure to fob a complaing customer off by handing them a very small leaflet and getting them to fill a few lines out in their most smallest handwriting.

I am in the process of registering as a disabled person, but first need to get my paper work in order; these days they are very particular on what they will accept when it comes to evidence of a condition.
Nothing was mentioned about train crew supervisors or anything else.

I am guessing that the automatic car slidy doors were overwhelmed by the number of passengers aboard and as a result, kept attempting to close and then would randomly re-open. Passengers were frantically pressing the open buttons as well as using their fingers to try and free me, but all to no avail. I literally had nowhere else to stand, even if the doors had remained open.
An absolute horror of a journey, and an insulting 50% ticket refund, plus no real acknowledgement of their failings.
Since Greater Anglia have taken over the line, I have noticed a change in attitude (although, I don't use their services that often), they do appear to try to make things better, staff are much better than before but inevitably, with prices on the rise etc commuters such as myself will not stand for incidents like the one highlighted here. I had to book an appointment with my osteopath as my back was in such pain from the journey and have been seeing him since to try and help control my pain when using the dreaded train. I understand they can't always guarantee seating space, but I was literally hemmed in and being physically trapped by their glass doors is just not acceptable. I now live my life in fear of taking the train! I have to take it now and again, and feel quite panicky when it pulls in as I know if I don't get a seat, I am going to be in quite a lot of pain at the other end.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I feel I need to make a stand. Thankfully I am not too old (yet), but I dread to think what would have happened if there was someone aboard older than me with a similar condition.
It was not just the back problem here, it was the being trapped in-between two carriages. That is what has really shocked me, that GA don't seem to concerned about this!

[wales01man]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

One would expect that the train company might act on your complaint if you can provide some independent witnesses i would think there are numerous complaints about overcrowding on trains i know its a nightmare travelling on such a service we have all done it the train companies seem to have become immune to this,

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

Unfortunatly GA don't have the greatest records of Customer Service

Your idea of the doors simply being overwhelmed is a good one, and possibly right.

It looks like the C/S dept knew there had been a mass of complaints about late running and simply did the standard "1 hour late, ticket refund" route, VERY poor but... well its been known to happen before shall we say.

May I reccomend a nice little letter to the Rail Complaints
http://www.passengerfocus.org.uk/help/rail-complaints

Also a word with the H&S exec too would.. move things along a little.

IF you are made a disabled person, you are entitled to a disabled persons railcard, saving you money and giving you a "Can I steal a seat" lever too

[ploddertom]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

If it's with Network Rail then don't hold your breath as they just ignore everything you ask. Even involving a TOC or Passenger Focus has no effect. My next stop is the ORR.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

Just spoke with an old mate, Mel who works *Ta da* at GA rail.

if you ring G.A and ask to speak to a Senior Manager regarding this incident please... they want dates and times (well thats easy enough) and blow the trumpet about no accident forms being filled in, no assistance from staff, the fact that passengers were trying to help you etc, also if you had to take time off work and consulted your doctor, can he write a note confirming your back problems (they kinda went grey when I started mentioning the TCS etc).

Mel leaves on Maternity today, didn't even know she was preggers but hey ho, but if you call the C/S and say that "My friend called earlier on my behalf about the xxx train where I was trapped in the doors" they will be expecting you

[jsmith589]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

Hi there, thanks very much for all of your posts. You have all gone to so much trouble trying to find out what step is next for me, and I greatly appreciate it. Unfortunately, I did not see the post from Hurricane Puffrose until just now so I am assuming your friend will now be on maternity. I am not that great on the telephone and thought it might be better to keep things in writing so that I have an audit trail.
I had real initially in getting hold of them and they have apologised for this saying it was a technical problem on their part. It cost me several hours of my time in re-writing letters and chasing up. I feel that they should be compensating me for this expense of time, not to mention letters. The last one I sent (had all 3 copies of the times I had contacted them and had nothing back) cost over £3.00 to send!

I didn't think to ask any passengers for contact details at the time, but I did take a series of pictures showing just how crampt it was. I included these in my last letter. I would have tried to do a video, but I was bouncing around all over the place. When you are in the carridge, you don't really notice the bumps, but for some reason (I am guessing due to the placement of the wheels) when in between two cars, you bounce all over the place.

I am tempted to respond to GA's latest letter saying that I would like them to further compensate me at least for my letters and time and also send in a complaint to Passenger Focus.
I have been looking into the Disabled Persons Rail Card and they were exactly my thoughts, it would give me just the leverage I need on a busy train and would make my life a tad normal, plus as you say, it makes the journey slightly cheaper.

[jsmith589]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

I got a reply from the train company today offering me a National Rail Travel Voucher for £25 as an offer of good will! Not sure what I think about it, but I am sure it indicates some level of guilt! Not sure if I should pursue it further or not.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

Ask them for at least £25 in money.

[MissFM]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

How about suggesting that, in addition to the £25+ in real money, they provide you with a complimentary 3-year disabled rail card as a gesture of goodwill?

[jsmith589]

Re: Dispute with Train Company

Hi there, thanks for your posts. I have been looking in to the disabled rail card. I need to be getting at least DLA mobility on lower rate. I filled out a DLA form but it was rejected (got the letter today, along with another letter from the train company). Apparently it is not uncommon to have an initial DLA request turned down. I think it would be some time before I have the evidence I need, so I doubt they would throw in the rail card! Although it would make my journeys much better in terms of finding a seat and having the proof I deserve one more than a passenger without my condition!