UK: Regulator the Office of Rail & Road is consulting on revising its Accessible Travel Policy guidance so that claims for redress when booked assistance fails disabled passengers are always considered on the circumstances in each case, including the impact on the passenger, rather than based on the ticket price.
ORR said its review had been prompted by redress decisions and subsequent compensation awards made by the Court and Rail Ombudsman, and data from ORR’s passenger survey that shows that levels of redress claims are low relative to the volumes of failed assists. Concerns have been raised to ORR that some operators’ policies limit, or appear to limit, the level of financial compensation in relation to the ticket price.
ORR will make a decision on any amendments later this year.
‘Our work with industry is first and foremost to ensure they deliver assistance to passengers that need it’, said ORR’s Director of Strategy, Policy & Reform Stephanie Tobyn on May 2. ‘But when assistance isn’t delivered, it is important there is fair redress in place. We have listened to affected passengers and we believe it is right to review redress policies for failed passenger assistance. This will help ensure that train and station operators assess all passenger claims for redress on a case-by-case basis.’
