Memorandum from the Association of Train
Operating Companies (ATOC)
At the PAC hearing on the 4th June, further
information was requested by members, and the National Audit Office
has expressed this in the form of the four questions answered
below:
Question 55 (Mr Davidson)
1. An analysis of passenger compensation
by Train Operating Company
This is difficult to quantify as compensation
may take the form of a cash refund or a travel voucher and may
include good will payments not required by the train operator's
Passenger's Charter. It may also be in the form of a season ticket
discount. The data is not collected centrally, and not all TOCs
can supply the information, but our best estimate is that the
value of the cash refunds, vouchers and good will payments amount
to around £9 million a year in total. Available details by
train operator are:
Train Company
| Value of Passenger
Compensation 2007-08
|
| Arriva Trains Wales | £184,600.00
|
| c2c | £110,944.22 |
| CrossCountry | £349,300.95
|
| Note: From November 2007 only* |
|
| East Midlands Trains | £448,000.00
|
| First Capital Connect | £333,266.90
|
| Merseyrail | £3,416.67
|
| National Express East Anglia | £1,960,608.77
|
| National Express East Coast | £1,731,480.00
|
| Note: From November 2007 only* |
|
| Northern | £110,675.00
|
| Note: From May 2007 to April 2008 |
|
| South West Trains | £299,530.13
|
| Southeastern | £117,738.00
|
| First Transpennine Express | £173,360.47
|
| Virgin Trains | £1,664,571.10
|
| * Start date of new franchise
|
Question 62 (Mr Davidson)
| |
2. What percentage of passengers who are eligible for
compensation actually claim it?
This data is not collected. National Express East Anglia,
a large company which operates a "delay/repay" scheme,
estimates that 30% of passengers eligible claim compensation,
but the proportion may vary between companies depending on the
characteristics of their journeys (commuting, business, leisure,
short or long distance).
Question 65 (Mr Davidson)
3. Which Train Operating Companies hand out compensation
forms on their trains?
Four long distance operators, East Midlands Trains, National
Express East Coast, First Transpennine Express and Virgin trains
hand out compensation forms on delayed trains. Three other operators,
Cross Country, London Midland and South Eastern collect passengers'
details on heavily delayed trains so that they can contact them
subsequently. Other operators provide compensation forms on request.
Questions 80-82 Mr Davidson)
4. An analysis of the attacks by passengers on rail staff
by area
| 2007-08 |
| Area | Recorded |
| London North | 485 |
| London South | 748 |
| London Underground | 698 |
| North Eastern | 122 |
| North Western | 166 |
| Wales and Western | 249 |
| Scottish | 126 |
Force Total | 2,594
|
| Source: British Transport Police
|
| The area descriptors are those of the British Transport Police areas.
|
10 July 2008
|
|
|
