Dissatisfied Grand Central customer (From York Press)

Dissatisfied Grand Central customer

11:34am Saturday 28th January 2012 in Letters By Reader's letter

YOU reported (The Press, January 27) that Grand Central has scored the highest marks for passenger satisfaction in the UK. I was surprised since I could hardly be more dissatisfied.

On Saturday October 1 last, I travelled on its 07.57 service from Thirsk to King’s Cross, having followed the recommended procedure of booking well in advance, on the company’s website, two first-class single tickets for both legs of the return journey.

The site indicated that a first-class single was available and accepted my money, but curiously the outward ticket came without any reservation.

When the train arrived at Thirsk, there were no first-class seats which were not already occupied or labelled as reserved from York. So I and at least half a dozen other passengers, having been sold tickets in advance, had to stand all the way to London.

Having failed to obtain any satisfactory explanation on the train or in subsequent correspondence, nor been offered acceptable compensation, I came to the conclusion after six weeks of silence that it must be Grand Central’s practice to hope complainants give up and go away.

The matter has therefore been referred to the passenger complaints department at the Office of the Rail Regulator.

Michael Blakemore, Lime Tree Avenue, Easingwold.