FCC's contempt for customers

SIR – Yet again, First Capital Connect s contempt for their customers is laid bare. I tried to catch a train from St Albans City station into London on the afternoon of Saturday, March 20, only to be told that due to a serious operating incident all tr

SIR - Yet again, First Capital Connect's contempt for their customers is laid bare.

I tried to catch a train from St Albans City station into London on the afternoon of Saturday, March 20, only to be told that due to a "serious operating incident" all trains were stopped until further notice.

I was disappointed by this, but not too worried because I was then told that if I caught a bus to Hatfield, my train ticket would be valid on trains into London from Hatfield.

And what with there being a bus terminal right outside St Albans City station, I figured my journey wouldn't be too disrupted after all. Imagine my surprise, then, on being told when boarding the bus to Hatfield that my ticket was not valid on the bus and I would have to pay extra.

"Surely some mistake?" I thought, so I went back into the train station where I was told that no, this was no mistake: if I wanted to travel into London I'd have to pay extra because FCC do not pay for bus travel to Hatfield.

Or, to put it another way, when FCC fail to provide the service their customers have paid for, their customers pay extra for the inconvenience.

I have been patient with FCC until now - even through the months of reduced service due entirely to their own incompetence - but this is the final straw.

DR PETER MAY

St Albans