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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU about railcards

38 replies

WhatAboutThatThen · 17/02/2021 11:39

I'm feeling like I might have been a bit of a dick about this, wanted to gauge opinion.

I am part of a group who are eligible for a network rail discount railcard, you pay a yearly fee and get 1/3rd of your travel on all rail tickets for the year. As you can imagine the cost of the railcard is quite quickly recuperated. Someone posted on the group asking for help to start a campaign to have the cost of the railcard refunded/extension given on railcard validity, as they have not used the railcard all year due to the Pandemic.

I said I couldn't support it as

a) I've personally used my railcard at least once a month in the last year as I travel for work.
b) I don't see how Network Rail can see who has and hasn't used it, so it would have to be a blanket refund of all railcards (of which there are many for various groups as well as ours)
c) The effort that would go into the campaign seems disproportionate for what is essentially £20, especially when you consider just one trip from our Northern city to London would save you at least £30.

However I think I may have been unreasonable because for some people £20 is a lot of money, also this group is based in the North West where restrictions have pretty much been in place for all but a few weeks after the end of first lockdown, for people in the local area there has not been the same chance to travel that the rest of the country, where a fairly normal summer was had.

So please tell me YABU the campaign was a reasonable request or YANBU no it doesn't make sense to seek a refund on this.

OP posts:

TeaPiglet · 17/02/2021 11:45

YANBU they've probably saved more over time than they've lost in the last year. I wouldn't support it either, bit of a misers campaign tbh

Sparklfairy · 17/02/2021 11:47

This person is being daft. I've bought railcards in the past, and sometimes they have been worth it (regular ish trips to London etc) and sometimes I haven't used it or used it once or twice for journeys that it has only saved me about £2 on my journey

In a similar vein, I lost my passport in 2018/19 and keep meaning to get a new one. I'd put it off as need someone to countersign. Then the pandemic hit and it crossed my mind the other day that I'd have been annoyed at paying £85 for a 10 year passport but not been able to use it for 10% of that time. I wouldn't be asking for a 10% refund though

They're being daft. Lots of things we pay monthly for but haven't been able to use fully because of the pandemic.

FindingMeno · 17/02/2021 11:52

I spent £35 on a family and friends (I think) railcard and couldn't use it at all during the first lockdown. I didn't pay any extra on fares as I didn't go anywhere, so I wasn't out of pocket as such.
I think we all need to accept that it's no one's fault and it is what it is.

ToTheLetter · 17/02/2021 11:57

YANBU.

Its in the terms and conditions that railcards are non refundable. I have had multiple people have a go at me (i'm rail staff) becuase they couldn't use their railcard and want a refund. Its not down to me, or my employer, its down to the Rail Delivery Group. It didn't help that they took absolutely ages to decide what was happening with it!

Like you say op, how would we know who to refund becuase they haven't used it? We have customers who use a railcard on a daily basis becuase they are also still having to travel to work, even throughout lockdown.

Felifox · 17/02/2021 12:10

I think you have to regard this as a minor inconvenience due to the pandemic. Ironically I had travelled by car in 2019 to meet my sister at Christmas staying near my home so hadn't renewed my railcard.

Toorapid · 17/02/2021 12:10

This did fleetingly occur to me. I bought my DCs Young people's cards as stocking fillers in 2019 and they never used them. TBH I decided it was money I didn't miss, as I'd planned to spend it, but I can understand why people for whom the cost is a lot of money might feel aggrieved.

Ther have also been (short) periods when they could have used them, but chose not to.

horizondawn02 · 17/02/2021 12:12

I think it’s a bit ridiculous to expect a refund of a railcard for all of the reasons you have said really!

Cocomarine · 17/02/2021 12:15

A campaign? 🙄
Has anyone actually asked you to do anything?
I’d just ignore it.
If they asked me directly I’d say that I couldn’t personally in good conscious request a refund as I’d had more than the value - and suggest they work out who in the group hasn’t and take it forward from there.

The trains were still running, and there was still plenty of months last year when most people could use them.

LApprentiSorcier · 17/02/2021 12:15

Years since I was eligible for a student rail card (no DC so can't have the family one) but I always bought/renewed it on an occasion when it would immediately pay for itself.

I'm on the fence about this. Lockdown has disproportionately affected some areas - mine included. The rail card is non-refundable so whoever administers it is well within their rights to do nothing.

However if they could grant a goodwill extension, say 6 months, to people whose registered postcards are in areas that were locked down, it would certainly be a nice thing to do. It might encourage more rail travel once this is possible, so could be of benefit from a business perspective.

Comefromaway · 17/02/2021 12:18

I think it would be a gesture of goodwill to extend them. I bought a family and friends railcard which obviously is meant for leisure travel, not work and we havn;t been able to use it.

ATG Theatres have extended my theatre discount card

LIZS · 17/02/2021 12:22

Dc have both renewed theirs in lockdown although travelled far less than normal. A month's extension might have been nice as a gesture but it is only £3 pm.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 17/02/2021 12:24

It's a minor annoyance really. It would be impossible to work out the cost. I had renewed mine in Feb to buy a train ticket for May... The train ticket was refunded. I've had no other cause to use it.

Curiosity101 · 17/02/2021 12:38

Surely by definition, most will be better off financially than they would have been if they've not needed to use the railcard?

IE. 2019 they buy a £20 railcard, spend £1000 on trains and then save £300. Total outlay £720.

In 2020 they buy a £20 railcard, spend 0 on trains and so save 0. Total outlay £20

I get that it's annoying to waste money on something you cant use but it's not Network Rail's fault and the vast majority of those people will surely have been better off financially by not travelling. I suppose the exceptions would be anyone who was self-employed and needed to travel for work. They should be able to request a refund themselves, but I don't see why there should be a blanket refund for everyone which I'm guessing would be the aim of the 'campaign'?

Original poster

WhatAboutThatThen · 17/02/2021 13:00

@Curiosity101

Surely by definition, most will be better off financially than they would have been if they've not needed to use the railcard?

IE. 2019 they buy a £20 railcard, spend £1000 on trains and then save £300. Total outlay £720.

In 2020 they buy a £20 railcard, spend 0 on trains and so save 0. Total outlay £20

Thanks for your replies everyone.

Yes I did say something along these lines, I've personally had the railcard for decades and have saved thousands of pounds over that time. A particular trip was used as an example by the poster and its a trip I also do, the saving per trip is more than the cost of the railcard.

@Cocomarine I was asked to write to my MP, and share the post to raise awareness. The post was requesting the group in question started a campaign.

OP posts:

SqeakyHindge · 17/02/2021 13:18

I’m on the side where have moaned on social media like everyone else got the same tough luck kind of response from railcard.

Protesting and campaigning further the no.

It was more the issue buying a product/service on premises of it being available to use or not.

Start of lockdown gov covid rules meant no unnecessary traveling, services cut, tight restrictions so that product/service is no longer available.

Yes it maybe only few quid but whole reason is to encourage more to use trains at certain times at discounted rate.

As a student that railcard meant it was cheaper to travel at 11pm back home (own example).

Railcard could of done gesture of good will of extending, they wouldn’t of lost anything

SqeakyHindge · 17/02/2021 13:25

I did read small print after I moaned at Railcard and they perfectly within rights to say suck it up. It really does come down to gesture of good will and Railcard aren’t feeling that.

Original poster

WhatAboutThatThen · 17/02/2021 13:30

Maybe as a rail employer @ToTheLetter can confirm but my understanding is that while the railcard is procured from Network Rail, each rail company has their own rules and regulations on how that card can be used. So a rail company could choose for example to allow another 3 months on the printed expiry date.

I agree with the people saying an extension would be a nice gesture, and hadn't thought of the angle that it may encourage people to travel more by train after the lockdowns are lifted.

OP posts:

ChippyChickenChips · 17/02/2021 13:44

I make regular train journeys to visit relatives 200 miles away. This is obviously quite expensive so was pleased to become eligible for a senior Railcard (well, not pleased to be 60 but ykwim) in Feb last year. Paid £70 for a 3 year Railcard and of course I haven't used it once! This thread has made me feel better about it so I can finally let it go.

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 17/02/2021 13:50

YANBU. I usually buy a Network railcard that gives me 30% off and it expired in May. Guess what, I didn't renew it and I won't until I can actually travel somewhere. However, if I had renewed that would be my lookout.

MissMarpleDarling · 17/02/2021 13:51

Yanbu op.

MissMarpleDarling · 17/02/2021 13:54

I paid £25 for my son to join the Duke of Edinburgh programme and he hasn't done 1 activity. Can I get that back. I also have a blenheim palace annual membership card can I get that back too. (I don't expect to)

BettysButtons · 17/02/2021 13:58

YANBU OP.
I have a 3 year F&F railcard which I used extensively in 2019 and not at all in 2020 or so far this year.
I saved way more than the initial £70 purchase price in 2019.
1/3 off train travel for adults and 60% off for all children.

If this person was talking about a £700 season ticket I would agree that it should be at the very least partially refunded.

Pinkfreesias · 17/02/2021 14:00

Are we talking about the Disabled Person's Railcard here? It is a goid thing to have if you're disabled, to help you get out and about, rather than be confined to home or your locality. £20 is a lot to lay out when you're on benefits so I think it would have been good to offer an extension period or even a discount on renewing the card.

StrikeWhileTheCoffeeIsHot · 17/02/2021 14:08

I have a rail card and they are amazing. Over the last 4 years I've saved way over £2.000. So an outlay of £80 is more than worth it for me.

Original poster

WhatAboutThatThen · 17/02/2021 14:17

@Pinkfreesias

£20 is a lot when you are on benefits yes I agree, hence my hesitation in hindsight that I may have been unreasonable not to support the cause. This applies to all rail cards though, there will be people who are using young persons, disabled, family and friends, or senior rail cards who are on benefits and there will be people using those rail cards who are not. I don't think there is a way to means test a refund, so if a refund was given everyone would need to get it.

Disabled rail cards are not only available to people who claim DVLA or PIP, they are also available to the hearing impaired, visually impaired, and those who cannot drive due to taking certain medications or conditions such as epilepsy that result in not being able to drive.

OP posts:

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