Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to restrict the use of bus replacement services for rail journeys only in the event of engineering works on rail lines.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The use of rail replacement buses is always regrettable when the passenger rightly expects a train to complete his or her journey. However, restricting the use of buses to planned engineering works only will deprive many people of transport when serious incidents occur, for example when the railway is closed to deal with the aftermath of an fatality or other operating incident. The Department will continue to work with the industry to limit the use of bus replacements services and therefore the impact on passengers. However, in a complex and growing network buses may offer the best solution to retain a consistent, reliable service for passengers in certain circumstances.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to encourage train operating companies to introduce automatic compensation payments on delayed services; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We already require operators for new franchises to actively promote passengers’ awareness of their rights and to make the claims process swift and simple, including through the introduction of new technology.
We are also working with existing train operating companies to ensure that passengers’ awareness of the compensation they may be entitled to is increased and to make it as easy as possible to claim.
Some train operating companies have already introduced fully automated compensation and the Department has been working with others who are planning to do so.