Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to work with the rail regulator to ensure that each train operating company is complying with its obligations under the Consumer Rights Act 2016.

Department for Transport officials meet with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) regularly to discuss consumer issues, including train operators’ compliance with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA). As a designated enforcer of consumer law, the ORR has the power to take action in relation to breaches of a range of consumer protection laws that apply to train operators and rail passengers, including the CRA.

It is the responsibility of train operators to ensure they are compliant with their legal obligations. The ORR has also been working with the Rail Delivery Group and individual train operators over the last year to raise their awareness of the CRA and their obligations under it.

The ORR is currently reviewing train operators’ compliance with the rules around how refunds must be paid under the CRA.