UK: Updated licence requirements came into force on April 1 requiring train operators to provide passengers with clear information about compensation for delays. The Office of Rail & Road said the aim is to close the ‘compensation gap’ between passengers entitled to claim compensation for delays and the smaller number that actually do so.
Requirements set out in a code of practice include:
- the provision of clear and accurate information on a passenger’s right to claim compensation, provided during the booking stage, online and in stations;
- in the case of a delay, train companies must inform passengers via in-train or on-platform announcements and electronic notifications of their rights to claim;
- simplified claims processes must be in place to make it easy for passengers to submit claims;
- train companies have 20 working days to process claims. If a claim is rejected, they must give a clear justification and details about how to contest the decision;
- companies must publish data on how well they are meeting their obligations.
ORR said only 37% of passengers eligible for compensation actually made a claim in 2019-20, a figure unchanged in recent years. It blamed the low uptake on people not knowing when they were eligible, or being deterred by complex processes.
Responding to ORR’s announcement, Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said ‘these measures will help make it easier to claim. In the longer term the rail industry must go further and make the process automated for passengers with “one-click” compensation.’
