Rail timetable compensation and inquiry

04 June 2018

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced compensation for people affected by timetable disruption and an inquiry into what went wrong.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of  Transport Focus, said:

“Unprecedented delays, confusion and cancellations have made life miserable in recent weeks for some Northern, Thameslink and Great Northern passengers. The promise of special compensation above and beyond the usual is welcome. But passengers’ first priority is to get services running so that they can plan their lives with some certainty.

“An inquiry into what has happened and why is welcome – including an understanding of how, despite strong assurances, these welcome investments and potential improvements have gone so sour.

“The relative roles played by governments, Network Rail and train companies need to be analysed and understood so that timetable planning can be put back on a proper footing for the long term. This can’t be allowed to happen again at the next timetable change in December.”

Notes to editors

Transport Focus first warned about fresh timetabling problems last Autumn and recently updated that work finding more problems.

Transport Focus’s investigation into timetable changes can be found here.