MP [Sheffield South East] has
backed a call for automatic compensation for rail passengers who
experience delays and cancellations.
The campaign, which is being co-ordinated
by Which and is supported by nearly 100 MPs
across all parties, also calls for simpler and easier
compensation processes to be introduced across the rail network.
said:
“Today, it has been revealed that rail passenger time lost to
delays and cancellations last year was the worst since records
began.
Passengers, on about 80 trains a day, experienced significant
delays. Eight million passengers were held up for a minimum of 29
minutes.
But, in some ways, they were the lucky ones.
What about the passengers, whose trains were simply cancelled
– an average of 660 a day, the worst since comparable records
began - left stranded?
These passengers have failed to get to work on time or arrive
at important business meetings. They’ve missed flights and
hospital appointments and concerts.”
continued:
“For passengers on the Midland MainLine things have been
worse.
Last year’s disastrous timetable chaos left the personal and
professional lives of thousands of passengers in
tatters.
The government forced the implementation of a new timetable
which lengthened journey times on peak services between London
and Sheffield. Now we know not only was the timetable worse but
more of our now slower trains actually arrived late.”
Speaking about the call for better compensation arrangements,
said:
“After a record year for disruption, and with passenger trust
in our rail services at a new low, the case for making
compensation automatic has never been clearer.
Currently passengers claim for only a third (34%) of journeys
where money is owed for delays and cancellations, because the
claims’ process is complex.
If the rail system is to start working for passengers, urgent
action is needed to improve punctuality, reliability and
compensation when things go wrong.
The Williams Review – being undertaken for the Rail Regulator
- is a chance to overhaul the complex compensation system for
passengers – so that when things do go wrong, at least they get
the money they are owed.”
