Passengers kept in dark over refunds

RAIL companies were last night accused of showing ‘breathtaking disregard’ for passengers by keeping them in the dark about their rights to compensation.

Passengers are legally entitled to claim if a service is delayed or cancelled and it was the firm’s fault.

They can recoup ‘reasonable costs’ for missed flights, taxi fares, or child-minding fees. But an investigation by consumer group Which? found that 12 operators out of 26 are providing ‘incorrect or inconsistent’ advice about compensation.

Researchers found that six companies are wrongly telling passengers they have no right to make a claim for these losses. It named the ‘ worst offenders’ as Cross Country, Grand Central, Greater Anglia, Heathrow Express, ScotRail and Stansted Express. Six others were inconsistent – Arriva Wales, Chiltern, Southeastern, Thameslink/Great Northern, Virgin West Coast and West Midlands.

Only 13 were praised for giving good advice on the phone. Alex Hayman of Which? said: ‘This is the latest in a catalogue of examples of train companies treating their passengers with breathtaking disregard.’

A Rail Delivery Group spokesman said: ‘Over the last five years, compensation payments have increased by almost 500 per cent to £74million.’