... and they’re footing the bill for their own compensation

RAIL passengers are footing the bill for their own compensation in the Northern timetable debacle because the scheme is being funded largely from the public purse.

Season ticket holders are now able to claim the special compensation, to be paid out in addition to Northern’s existing Delay Repay scheme.

The package, developed with the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for the North (TfN), is being funded by Network Rail.

An off-shoot of the DfT, it is funded largely by the taxpayer with funds also provided by operators who use the network and income from property estate. When asked about why taxpayers were taking the bulk of the burden, both Network Rail and Northern Rail referred our sister paper the M.E.N to the DfT.

A DfT spokesman said: “The disruption Northern passengers have experienced is unacceptable and it is vital that services continue to improve and passengers are compensated fully.”

Asked why taxpayers are footing the majority of the bill, the DfT indicated that Network Rail were late in finalising the planned timetable changes and delivering key infrastructure upgrades.

The M.E.N. has asked the DfT what the budget is for the scheme, but this question has not been answered.

The disruption this year has been blamed on delays to the electrification of the Blackpool to Preston line which Northern say delayed driver training – and meant there weren’t enough drivers available to operate services.

This was exacerbated by the timetable change on May 20. To qualify, season ticket holders need to have used specified routes where more than five per cent of trains have been cancelled or seriously delayed. An extension to the compensation scheme for non-season ticket holders was discussed yesterday at a TfN board meeting and train operators are said to be ‘finalising a suitable claim process as quickly as possible.’

Passengers have been able to submit claims since July 12. There are two levels of compensation:

Season ticket holders who have faced significant disruption on specified routes between April 1, 2018, and June 30, 2018, can claim compensation worth a month’s travel.

Season ticket holders who have faced ‘significant disruption’ since the timetable change on May 20 can claim compensation worth a week’s worth of travel. Claimants will need to provide evidence of travel for both options.

David Brown, managing director at Northern Rail, said: “Customers have been affected by a number of issues during the past few months, most notably the knock-on effects of the delay to the electrification of the Blackpool to Preston Line, delays to the electrification of the Manchester to Preston via Bolton line and, of course, the problems on some routes following the introduction of the May timetable. This compensation scheme aims to provide some recompense for those whose journeys have been impacted.

“Whilst the interim timetable we introduced on some routes has brought much-needed stability and has delivered more certainty for our customers, we absolutely recognise the impact these issues have created, would like to apologise again, and assure all customers we are doing everything we can to improve services.”

To make a claim, passengers should go to the Northern website by Wednesday, September 19, providing proof of travel for the relevant qualifying period.