The government has announced changes to the Delay Repay system when Great British Railways is in charge.
The news follows a controversial decision to restrict refunds for unused tickets to no later than 23.59 on the day before travel, rather than allowing them to be returned up to 28 days later. The government said this change would reduce fraudulent claims which have been costing an estimated £40 million a year, but critics have said this will be unfair to passengers who could not travel as they intended because of a last-minute problem.
Meanwhile, claims for delays will be possible for the first time using the retailer who sold the tickets in the first place, while trials of a ‘simple verification process’ are to be introduced later this year.when passengers use Railcards to buy tickets.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: ‘Using the railway will be simpler and more reliable under Great British Railways. 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 and the industry can invest taxpayers’ money in the things that really matter for passengers; freezing fares and delivering train and station upgrades, rather than losing out to fare dodgers and fraud.’
The Rail Delivery Group’s executive chair and CEO Jacqueline Starr added: ‘It’s important that customers can claim compensation when their journey is disrupted, and Delay Repay is there to make sure customers can receive money back when delays happen. The Government’s plan to develop a consolidated Delay Repay 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.’
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