Rail Regulator Firms up Redress Rules for Assistance Failures

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has made it mandatory for all rail operators to assess redress claims from passengers whose booked assistance failed, on a case-by-case basis.

The change is detailed in an update to the regulator’s Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) Guidance.

Redress is a way that operators can seek to put things right for a passenger where they have failed to deliver booked assistance.

It is not always or necessarily a form of financial compensation. It could be an apology, a gesture of goodwill, and/or a compensatory payment.

Whatever form it may take, redress is a way in which passengers can receive assurance that failures are being acted upon, and for operators to recognise the impact of the failure on passengers.

The change follows a consultation prompted by concerns that some operators’ policies could appear to restrict compensation to the ticket price.

ORR will shortly be requesting relevant train companies make any necessary amendments to implement the case-by-case approach.

A number of wider issues were raised during the consultation, including whether there is a need for further guidance to support decision-making on redress, as well as questions around the scope of redress and the way claims are owned and managed.

ORR is committed to carrying out further work on these areas and will publish an update in spring 2026.

“The impact on passengers when an operator fails to deliver assistance can vary greatly, so it’s right that claims for redress are considered on a case-by-case basis,” said Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s director of strategy, policy and reform.

“This ensures operators properly assess each passenger’s experience and provide redress that appropriately reflects the impact of what went wrong.”

For further information visit https://www.orr.gov.uk/