Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that consumers are informed about the rail compensation scheme.

The Department is working with the Office of Rail and Road, and with the rail industry to promote better awareness of Delay Repay and other compensation schemes.

We are mandating increased use of technology to inform passengers pro-actively that they are entitled to claim, using Apps, social media and onboard announcements. The introduction of simple and speedy ‘one-click’ automated claims systems, available via smartphones and smartcard registration, forms part of stronger obligations for future train operators under UK government-awarded franchises, ensuring that passengers are more aware than ever of their right to compensation.

Northern and TransPennine Express (TPE) are required by the Department in the terms of their franchise agreement to ‘use all reasonable endeavours to make passengers aware of their right to claim compensation’ and the Department has been clear to these TOCs that this applies to the special compensation scheme that was introduced on affected routes on Northern and TPE following the May timetabling disruption, as well as to Delay Repay compensation.