September 17th 2024.
Travelers who hold Travelcards and have experienced travel issues may have a chance at receiving compensation. News has been released that a train company has reached a settlement agreement that could benefit over a million passengers. The company in question is South West Trains and their owners have agreed to a whopping £25,000,000 package. This means that up to 1.4 million passengers who have used South West Trains between 2015 and 2017 may be eligible to make a claim.
The possibility of compensation arose from a class action suit that alleged passengers with Travelcards may have been overcharged for a portion of their journey during the mentioned time frame. The good news is that even passengers who do not have proof of their travels may still be able to apply for compensation. However, it is important for them to do so before the deadline, which is in the new year. The potential number of affected passengers, 1.4 million, is significant and this is believed to be the largest compensation package given in a UK collective action case.
Justin Gutmann, the Class Representative, expressed his satisfaction with the news, saying, "After yet another summer of travel misery for UK train passengers, I'm delighted to say there is good news at last, and that money is finally going back to passengers." He urged all South West Trains passengers during the specified time period to come forward and claim the money they may be entitled to under the settlement.
So how did this all come about? It started with a claim made in the Competition Appeal Tribunal by Gutmann, a consumer champion, and Charles Lyndon, a law firm that specializes in consumer litigation. The claim stated that many passengers with Travelcards who purchased rail tickets in London were charged more than they should have for a portion of their journey. Specifically, those who travelled beyond the zones covered by their Travelcard should have only been charged from the edge of the Travelcard limit, not the station where they started their journey. This is known as a "Boundary Fare," but many passengers were not made aware of this option and ended up paying more than they should have.
It is worth noting that at the time, the South West Trains network was operated by Stagecoach South Western Trains Limited. The settlement was reached without the company admitting any liability. A spokesperson for Stagecoach stated, "We are pleased that the Competition Appeal Tribunal has now approved the collective settlement that we have agreed with the claimant, without finding or providing an admission of liability in this long-running case related to historic matters."
For those wondering if they are eligible to make a claim, the answer is yes if they held a Travelcard and travelled on South West Trains between October 1, 2015, and August 20, 2017. This applies even if they do not have evidence of their journeys. The issue at hand is the "Boundary Fare," which refers to the concept that if a passenger owns a Travelcard for Zones 1-4 but needs to travel from Waterloo to Reading, they should be able to purchase a ticket from the edge of Zone 4 to Reading since they have already paid for the portion of their journey that covers Zones 1-4 with the Travelcard.
For those who are eligible, making a claim is a simple process. They can check their eligibility on the Boundary Fares claims website and then fill out an online form or submit a claim by mail. It is free to make a claim and takes less than five minutes to complete. If there are any questions or concerns, claimants can reach out to the Class Representative via email or mail.
The deadline to make a claim is January 10, 2025, so eligible passengers should act fast to ensure they receive the compensation they may be entitled to. It is a great opportunity for those who have experienced travel issues and could potentially receive some financial relief.
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