Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to extend the compensation package to rail season ticket holders for delays of under 30 minutes.

In October 2016, we announced an improved compensation scheme under which rail passengers, including rail season ticket holders, will be able to claim compensation if their train is delayed by 15 minutes or more. ‘Delay Repay 15’, (DR15) which provides compensation of 25% of the cost of the single ticket or 25% of the cost of the relevant portion of the return ticket for delays of between 15 and 29 minutes, has been introduced on Govia Thameslink Railway services and is being rolled out more widely across DfT-franchised Train Operating Companies, starting with South Western, West Midlands and South Eastern.

DR15 will be contracted as a requirement for new DfT franchises when contracts come up for renewal. We have also asked a number of train operating companies for proposals to implement DR15 before their contract expires; and will introduce DR15 if the proposals are affordable and represent value for money for taxpayers.