Automatic compensation is at the core of Which?’s #TrainPain campaign. Huw Merriman MP joins us to explain why he has been backing our calls since 2017 and why the Government’s Rail Review is the perfect opportunity to deliver better compensation for rail passengers.
This is a guest post by Huw Merriman MP. All views expressed are Huw’s own and not necessarily shared by Which?.
There’s no doubt that the last twelve months have been unusually disruptive for rail passengers across the network – from the chaotic timetable changes last May to extreme weather and ongoing infrastructure work. It’s been so disruptive, in fact, that the Government launched an independent Review to identify solutions to drive improvements across the network.
Today, I hosted a drop-in event for MPs in partnership with Which? to raise awareness of the impact of rail delays and the role that compensation can play in driving improvements in the sector. MPs from different parties attended and showed their support – calling on Government and the regulator to guarantee passengers see immediate benefits from any reforms.
Stressful rail travel
As a Member of the Transport Select Committee, and a commuter myself I have experienced the impact of delays first-hand and also heard stories from my constituents highlighting how an unreliable service can impact people’s work and personal lives.
It’s no surprise that research from Which? revealed around half of commuters find travelling by rail frequently stressful – with people missing out on time with family and friends or missing work as a result of the delays.
In a market where people are often not able to vote with their feet and switch train company if they are unhappy, compensation plays a critical role. That’s why I brought my Bill to Parliament that would introduce automatic compensation for delays and cancellations back in 2017. Schemes such as Delay Repay were set up to ensure that when things do go wrong, passengers receive compensation for the disruption caused.
However, despite a number of actions taken by the regulator and train companies themselves, compensation claim rates remain low – just 34% of all passengers eligible for compensation actually claim. For delays of 15 minutes, this drops further to just 18%.
Complicated compensation
Almost two years on and not enough has been done to make compensation easier for passengers and claim rates stay languishing around the 34% mark. Today, Which? analysis found that some train companies ask for up to 24 pieces of information when passengers try to make a claim.
Unnecessary barriers like this mean that people view compensation as complicated or not worth the hassle. In too many cases, passengers aren’t even aware of their right to claim for delays or how they can file a claim.
It’s unacceptable that after struggling to complete their journey on time, people still have to fight to get the money that they are owed.
Now is the time
The case for automatic compensation has never been stronger: it’s the obvious next step for the industry, will deliver huge benefits for rail users across the network, and will ultimately incentivise train companies to deliver a better service.
Some train companies already offer automatic compensation to select passengers, proving that the technology needed to make it work already exists. But this hasn’t been consistently rolled out across the network and even with those operators that do offer it, isn’t available to all passengers.
The Williams’ Review is a huge opportunity to prove to passengers that their needs are at the centre of the railway and to deliver tangible improvements to overhaul compensation systems. The regulator and Review team must ensure it’s an opportunity that they make the most of.
This is a guest post by Huw Merriman MP. All views expressed are Huw’s own and not necessarily shared by Which?.
Which? has been calling for improvements to be made to the compensation system for rail passengers. Automatic compensation would make sure passengers get compensation they’re entitled to, and encourage the industry to improve its services.
Has trying to claim compensation for rail delays confused you, or even stopped you from claiming compensation? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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