IN June of this year I was travelling back from Lewes to Poole.

I took a taxi to Brighton and boarded a train to Poole at 11.31am. I had purchased a round trip ticket which included London from Poole railway station for £41.70 using my John Lewis credit card for the payment.

Unfortunately there was an incident on the line just before Chichester which the train stopped for. As a result, I did not arrive in Bournemouth until 5.30pm. I decided to get off the train in Bournemouth and take a taxi home.

I received vouchers from Southern for £24.90 in compensation for the delay. These can only be redeemed for cash at a Southern Railway station. I do not know where the nearest one is.

I wrote a letter of complaint to Rhiannon Roberts (contact centre manager Southern and Gatwick Express customer services). She emailed and wrote to me saying that there was nothing further for them to do.

Does it make sense to able to purchase the tickets to travel cross country but be unable to claim the cash back from the purchasing office?

SUSIE DEAN

Chaddesley Glen, Poole