Rail Travel disruption compensation – Get 1 month Free Travel

Dear All I received this note from our MP, Grant Shapps. Grant has been working to obtain compensation for those whose train journeys have been disrupted. Particularly season ticket holders.

Please see his letter below:-

 

Dear Nick,

I am writing for your help in spreading the word about compensation available to you or anyone you know who used the Govia Great Northern service following the chaotic May 2018 timetable change.

As you may have heard, I fought for so-called ‘enhanced compensation’ amounting to one month’s free travel which applies to anyone who held a season ticket during this major rail disruption. However, I didn’t think this went far enough because there are many Welwyn Hatfield residents who travel to London on a part-time basis. These commuters do not necessarily buy a season ticket because they are travelling fewer days per week. With some persistence, I eventually won this further battle, meaning that those who travelled 3 days+ per week during this period will now also be due a pro-rata month of compensation.

However, I am acutely aware that the majority of Welwyn Hatfield commuters will not be aware of their rights to claim one month’s free travel and given that the compensation is potentially worth hundreds of pounds, any assistance you can provide in spreading the word would be useful. If you or your local friends, neighbours and colleagues were travelling post-May and experienced the timetable chaos, then this is the link to follow: https://railcompensation.thameslinkrailway.com.

Season ticket holders should have been contacted by now, but if not then you can make yourself known using the above link. Eligible non-season ticket holders – i.e. those who travelled 3 days+ and can show this using credit card statements, receipts or carnet tickets will find details on the same website by 30 November 2018. However, it is unlikely that Govia Great Northern will have details to contact those in this category, which is why your help would be greatly appreciated.

Lastly, my rail priorities are now as follows:

1. Get back the post-May timetable services. I met with the Govia Chief Exec to argue the case last week.
2. Bring the Oyster card to Welwyn Hatfield. This is a funding issue and I’ve lobbied the Chancellor.
3. Convert the Moorgate line to TfL London Overground which will bring more trains and far better rail integration.

 

Thanks for your help in spreading the word about the compensation above.

 

Yours,

Grant

 

P.S. Commuters are able to claim one month’s free travel, regardless of whether they’ve already claimed through the Delay Repay scheme.

 

P.P.S. A part-time commuter might be someone who drops the kids at school before travelling into town on certain days only or perhaps works from home on some days. It would be very helpful if you could forward this email to anyone you know in this category and by all means, ask them to email me so that I can keep them updated with progress.