Regular train travellers to receive compensation

Transport for the North (TfN) and operator Northern have brokered a scheme to enable regular travellers to be recompensed for being inconvenienced as well as season-ticket holders.

Other news: Wigan MP: Labour should consider joint leadershipThe website will be open to accept claims from early in October and passengers will be able to submit evidence of disruption for eight weeks.

The scheme, the first of its kind in the UK, is part of the overall compensation package that was agreed earlier this year in discussions with the Department for Transport.

Rail travellers endured a nightmare few months when the network descended into meltdown around Northern’s timetable changes.

Huge numbers of routes were regularly cancelled and many trains ran up to an hour late, with the chaos for commuters sparking an enormous political backlash.

A TfN spokesperson said: “This launch of this scheme is further evidence of Transport for the North working to ensure passengers’ interests are put first.”

The eligibility scheme will be the same as that currently being used to recompense season ticket holders.

On level one routes, which saw the worst disruption before and after the May timetable alterations, season ticket holders were given a month’s compensation, while one week’s money back was offered for level two routes.

Regular passengers on level one routes will need to show they have travelled on at least 12 days in a 28-day window.

For level two routes it will be three days in a seven-day period. The eligible journeys will have to have been made on the same route.

Customers can still be recompensed if they have flexible travel patterns over a few weeks which still come to an average of three days per week. For example, a passenger could have travelled on two days one week and four the next.

TfN says it is still working on the details of a compensation scheme from TransPennine Express customers.

The compensation package opens on October 8. The season-ticket holder scheme is being extended so the windows for claiming close at the same time.

Find out more at www.northernrailway.co.uk/compensation