Mary Grant has confirmed that Thameslink commuters will receive five free return tickets. FCC spokesman Gavin Beazant also said: “We will be offering passengers these tickets from mid-January. It means they can use them for a week’s free travel or to take four friends out.
It is still not clear how these free tickets will be issued, and how customers will be able to claim them. Stay tuned in to I hate thameslink for more info.
In other news, our friends over at Penalty Fare Appeal have been sent this shocking video of a FCC driver with the door to the driving cab open for the entire journey whilst also speaking to another member of staff. Not only is this extremely dangerous, especially during the recent spell of severe weather, but is against railway regulations.
The video has been submitted to FCC who are now investigating the incident.
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10 comments ↓
I’ve written to First Capital Connect this morning to complain about their effrontery in offering 5 days free travel for what has been a few months of despicable service.
I suggested on their December ‘Meet the Directors’ forum that they should be offering 50% of the ticket value for affected passengers, and have reiterated that today. I’ll be writing to Lord Adonis to help shape the review of services, and also to Anne Main, MP for St Albans.
I really encourage everyone else to get behind the I hate thamesline here, on Twitter and on Facebook and continue to make lots of noise. We’re being held ransom to an appalling service because we have no alternative and First Capital Connect know this.
I’ve had an email from Mary Grant who believes that the 5 days free travel “equates to 2.5% of the cost of an annual season ticket”
Given my ticket cost me £3640 last year I can’t see how where she’s got that figure from given that I get a crappy £7 for a full refund so that totals £70 for 5 return journeys. No wonder …the FCC performance figures look so good – seems as if they like to massage all the of the figures to make themselves look less rubbish.
PETITION
This is all pointless. Refunds are only partial and meaningless gestures to pacify the idiotic public/commuters.
THE ONLY ACTION WHICH WILL HAVE RESULTS IS A PETITION ASKING FOR DPP INTERVENTION, STARTING WITH AN ENQUIRY AND ENDING WITH REPLACEMENT OF OPERATORS.
NOTHING ELSE WILL MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
FCC ARE HARD NOSED BUSINESS MEN WITH A WELL OILED SPIN MACHINE.
THEY WILL ONLY LISTEN TO THE THREAT OF LOSS OF THEIR FRANCHISE.
5 free return tickets. What a joke. I struggle with the two free ones you get with an annual gold card season ticket. Whatever will i do with 5!!!!!!!!!!!!
I received my “free return tickets” from FCC yesterday. Just a few things wrong, really: (a) they are off peak and I travel on peak (b) they are for the route I already have a season ticket for, so why would I want them? and (c) they have to be used by 31 Jan, which, oh, is during the period of my season ticket.
But yes, apart from that they’re great!
Good luck with Lord Adonis. Acording to the DFT (his department who “manage” the FCC franchise, FCC have not breached their frnchise at all during the last 3 months of very poor, or no service at all. I am afraid there is nobody out there in official capacity who will stand up to these people.
I don’t have a season ticket as I can travel off-peak and just 4 days p/week, but I still pay a ridiculous amount of money for my return tickets to London. And there is no compensation on the horizon for me. Sadly, I need to count every penny, and I’ve worked out that it’s cheaper for me that way (around £200 p/month is I decide to go to London during the weekend from time to time).
Not only we are paying extravagant prices for a very poor service. We’re paying extravagant prices, no matter what!
What about the regular passengers who don’t have a season, normally 2 or 3 return journeys a week.
Appalling company – cough up or get out
Anyone travelling from Farringdon will have noticed that FCCs latest attempt to hide delays from customers is to install a CCTV camera right in front of the display board so you can’t read it unless you stand directly underneath it.
It’s just laughable which is better then crying which is how I feel most days when I’m late to collect my children yet again.
sooo, you put in a claim if you use the route we do -Rochester to Bedford via City Thameslink and guess what? It’s not an FCC route, the train is branded the indicator boards say it’s an FCC service etc etc but, it’s not thiers.
So my question to any QUALIFIED legals out there is, if you cannot deduce the owner/operator of a service, how can we be expected to pay for it? If they do not know who is responsible, how can we be insured? How do we know it’s safe to travel?
I have photos from the inside of the carriage showing this is an FCC service if anyone needs them to boulster thier claims.
PS they do not hold operating data which I requested for “delay replay” purposes
07.38 from Sole Street (starts Rochester) to Bedford
17.23 City Thameslink to Sole Street (starts Bedford)
18.07 City Thameslink to Sole Street (starts Bedford)
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