Train firms scolded for not telling passengers about delay refunds
TRAIN firms have been criticised for not telling customers how to claim refunds when their services are delayed or cancelled.
More than three-quarters of rail passengers do not know about the right to compensation after delays, a poll by the Office of Rail Regulation found.
“Britain’s rail industry needs to be more transparent and proactive in providing information,” said ORR chair Anna Walker.
The watchdog is working with train operators to introduce a code of practice by the end of the year.
Passengers are entitled to claim compensation if their train is delayed by more than 30 minutes and can get a full refund after an hour, even if they are using a season ticket.
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said the process has already become “increasingly generous and easier to apply for in recent years”.
The regulator is also reviewing how firms sell train tickets, to make sure the current ticketing system is offering a fair deal for passengers.