TfL Travelcard holders who travelled on South Western could benefit from a collective settlement

LONDON, July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Competition Appeal Tribunal (the "Tribunal") granted a Collective Proceedings Order ("CPO") on 18 January 2022, allowing Justin Gutmann (the "Class Representative") to bring collective proceedings against First MTR South Western Trains Limited and Stagecoach South Western Trains Limited (the "Proceedings"). The claim is brought by Mr Gutmann on behalf of rail passengers in relation to 'boundary fares' or 'extension tickets' ("Boundary Fares"), which are fares valid for travel to the outer boundaries of TfL's fare zones and are intended to be combined with a Travelcard valid within the relevant zone boundary.

On 10 May 2024, the Tribunal approved a settlement between the Class Representative and Stagecoach South Western Trains Limited ("SSWT") in the Proceedings (the "Collective Settlement"). The Tribunal's Collective Settlement Approval Order can be accessed at www.BoundaryFares.com.

This notice may be relevant to you if you fall within the class defined below and have not already opted-out of the Proceedings (a "Class Member"). To qualify as a Class Member, this requires that:

a) You purchased a rail fare for yourself or another person, which was not a Boundary Fare, between 1 October 2015 and 20 August 2017.

b) You (or the person for whom the fare was purchased) held a Travelcard valid for travel within one of TfL's fare zones at the time of the journey.

c) The rail fare was valid for travel in whole or in part on SSWT services, with the journey originating from a station within your Travelcard zones to a destination beyond the boundary of those zones.

d) You were resident in the United Kingdom (UK) on 19 October 2021 and 30 April 2024.

A copy of the CPO, explaining the above capitalised terms, can be accessed at www.BoundaryFares.com.

THE COLLECTIVE SETTLEMENT

SSWT has agreed to pay up to £25,000,000 (the "Settlement Sum") to Class Members. The Settlement Sum is divided into three 'Pots,' which require different `evidence; from no documentary evidence to full documentary evidence, for Class Members to make a valid claim for compensation.

Class Members who make a claim without any supporting documentary evidence may claim for up to 6 journeys, at a value of up to £5 per journey, up to a total of £30. Class Members who provide proof of purchase of a relevant Travelcard or relevant rail ticket may claim up to 20 journeys, at a value of up to £5 per journey, up to a total of £100. Class Members who support their claim with proof of purchase of both a relevant Travelcard and relevant rail ticket(s) are not limited in the number of claims they can make. The value of each claim will be determined based on the actual difference in price between the fare paid and the appropriate Boundary Fare. Class Members are advised to obtain bank or credit card statements from 1 October 2015 to 20 August 2017, which evidence these purchases, as soon as possible.

The Collective Settlement relates to SSWT only and does not settle the claim against the other Defendant, First MTR South Western Trains Limited. The Collective Settlement is entered into without any admission of liability by SSWT.

The full terms of the Collective Settlement and more details about the Proceedings can be accessed at www.BoundaryFares.com

FILE A CLAIM

If you are someone who falls within the class defined above, you can now file a claim for compensation from the Settlement Sum.

Please visit www.BoundaryFares.com for further information and a step-by-step guide to filing a claim.

OPT-OUT

If you are a member of the class defined above, were living in the UK on 30 April 2024, and do not wish to be bound by the terms of the Collective Settlement, you may opt-out by filing an opt-out form, which you can find online at www.BoundaryFares.com. The deadline to opt-out of the settlement is 10 August 2024. You do not need to provide a reason for opting out.

OPT-IN

If you are a member of the class defined above and were not living in the UK on 30 April 2024, you will not be bound by the Collective Settlement unless you opt-in by filing an opt-in form, which you can find online at www.BoundaryFares.com. The deadline to opt-in to the settlement is 10 January 2025.