UK: Passengers will in future be able to claim compensation for late trains directly through the third-party retailers who sold their ticket, the Department for Transport has confirmed. This follows a campaign by independent retailers who have complained about being unable to offer the same Delay Repay services as train operators.
Under the future Great British Railways, compensation claim systems for delayed trains would be merged into ‘one easy-to-use service’, DfT announced on March 17. Passengers will be able to use this consolidated system to link their account to participating retailers, which will include third-party retailers and non-GBR operators (such as open access operators and those managed by devolved authorities) who choose to opt in to the system.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said ‘when services are delayed, passengers should be able to easily claim the compensation they’re owed. These necessary changes will ensure people can claim Delay Repay compensation more quickly.’
Jacqueline Starr, Executive Chair & CEO of the Rail Delivery Group which represents train operators, said the consolidated service ‘will make it easier for all customers to request compensation, regardless of where they bought their ticket, with a more consistent process for reviewing and processing all claims’.
‘A win for passengers’
The Independent Rail Retailers association told Rail Business UK it had consistently advocated for the change, which is ‘a positive step that will remove unnecessary barriers, improve accessibility and create a smoother experience for passengers’. IRR would ‘look forward to working with the government and industry partners to ensure the new process is implemented effectively, delivering real benefits for rail customers’.
Ben Plowden, CEO of the Campaign for Better Transport, said ‘independent retailers such as Trainline have often led the way on innovation, so successful rail reform has to be collaborative, learning the best lessons from across the industry. Enabling access to delay repay through all retailers is a good example of the sort of cross-sector collaboration which will be key to GBR’s potential success.’
Trainline CEO Jody Ford said ‘making compensation easier when you need it is a win for passengers. Wherever you buy your ticket, the focus must be on getting more people to choose rail. These future changes to Delay Repay have real potential to support that ambition and will be welcomed by millions.’
Peter Kriskinans, Managing Director of commuter ticketing and shopping platform developer Bizie, told Rail Business UK that he welcomed the change. The company has built a tool to help customers make their own Delay Repay claims, and having direct access to the system ’will make things easier’.
Virgin Trains Ticketing director Mark Plowright said ‘the UK’s rigid rail retail rules are finally being flexed to improve passenger experience. Virgin Trains Ticketing has been calling for changes to the Delay Repay process for years and 73% of the customers we surveyed in 2024 said they wanted this service to be available from independent retailers. Ensuring it’s as straightforward as possible to claim compensation, wherever you have bought your train ticket, is a great step forward. It’s also a welcome green signal from the government that it recognises the value that a competitive and innovative rail retailers market brings to railways.’
