A MAN from Colwyn Bay who walked home from Rhyl in the middle of the night after the late cancellation of the last train of the evening has received an apology and a refund.
Ian Reynolds, 53, had visited a friend on the evening of March 7, and had planned to return home via the Transport for Wales (TfW)-operated 1.10am train from Rhyl back to Colwyn Bay.
When the train was cancelled, Mr Reynolds said he was left “stranded”, and with no choice but to walk home in the early hours of March 8.
He arrived home roughly four hours later, he said, at about 5.30am.
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Man made four-hour walk home from Rhyl station after last train of night cancelled
After raising the matter with TfW, Mr Reynolds yesterday (April 4) received a letter from the company apologising for the issues that the cancellation caused him.
Mr Reynolds’ £7.20 train fare is to be refunded, while he was also given TfW vouchers which will save him £25 on future journeys.
He said: “It’s all resolved now, as far as I’m concerned – as long as they don’t do it again, of course.
“I’m a lot happier about it now. I would have never gone to the paper if it hadn’t been the second or third time that it happened. It hasn’t happened again since then, thank God.
“They apologised in their letter, refunded me, and sent me vouchers as a goodwill gesture.”
Mr Reynolds said he usually visits his friend in Rhyl every Tuesday, but since having to walk home that night, he now aims to catch an earlier train back to Colwyn Bay.
He did not return to his Rhyl friend’s home on the night he his train was cancelled, he said, because he did not want to disturb or surprise him.
Just before Christmas, a similar incident occurred, but on that occasion, he managed to walk back to his friend’s house, where he slept on the floor and had to buy another train ticket the following morning.
Mr Reynolds added: “I always try and get an earlier train home now. I don’t risk the last one anymore as I don’t trust it. it’s too risky, as far as I’m concerned.
“I’ve spoken to my friend in Rhyl, as well, who said that if the trains ever get cancelled, I can go back to his home.
“I chose not to go back to him last time because my phone was dead, so I couldn’t contact him, my partner, or a taxi firm.”
Last month, Mr Reynolds told the Journal that he suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and anxiety, Asperger’s syndrome and panic attacks, and felt that this predicament exacerbated his mental health issues.
Unbeknown to him, he added, the police were looking for him after his partner had contacted them.
Passengers can contact TfW using the “help points” at stations, or by calling its 24-hour customer services number on 03333 211 202.
TfW said that, on the night in question, the Manchester to Holyhead service which Mr Reynolds was due to board at Rhyl had to be terminated at Chester, an earlier stop, at short notice.
While it was able to secure some replacement road transport so that people could continue their journeys, it did take longer than TfW would have liked due to the time of night.
A TfW spokesperson added: “The cost of his ticket has been refunded and he will be sent £25 of vouchers as compensation.
“He’ll receive these vouchers with a letter from TfW. They are printed and sent in batches so if he hasn’t already received them, he will shortly.”
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