Irritating Delay Repay issue!

I made a journey July, and decided to take a long, slow multi-TOC route with several tickets in order to keep costs down. Predictably for a weekend in a heatwave, things fell apart and I had delays going out and back.

The outward Delay Repay claim with GWR went through fine.

The return journey's claim just sat there being processed for weeks. It was a hard call – Southern had delays, but made the GWR connection because it was also late. It then became later. I put the claim through GWR, partly because GWR's DR system makes it easier to enter split tickets, and partly because the GWR service was the 'long leg' with clear-cut delay. However, eventually GWR rejected the claim on the basis that it was Southern's delay.

I've had this before where GWR automatically passed the claim with the other TOC. However it seems they can't do this with Southern, so I just had an e-mail from Southern asking me to enter a fresh claim. And guess what... I can't remember all the details (no idea how late the Southern trains were) and it's now too late to check on RTT!

When multiple TOCs are involved, especially with 'compound' delays, it would be nice if they could sort it out between themselves, just like they can do the ORCATS distribution on the original purchase themselves!

I'm half-inclined to resubmit as two separate claims with the two TOCs, but that makes it fiddly because the tickets don't link at the TOC-change point and might create suspicton of a 'duplicate claim'.

So maybe I should just appeal with GWR on basis of incorrect 'other TOC' diagnosis, stating the GWR train was delayed, and if they want to pass the buck they can sort it out between themselves.

Also kicking myself because I usually take RTT screenshots when there are non-straightforward delays!

 
I have an account with RTT so I believe can look back a lot further than a free account can.

If I can help, DM me your trains & I'll look them up for you?

 
I have been waiting since mid May for Trenitalia to cough up 50 euros for a taxi fare at 1am in the morning. My return train from Syracuse was stopped by a RTI at a level crossing outside Lentini. After an hours wait we trundled back to Syracuse , waited outside for a non existent coach before being put back on the same train. Our destination was Taormina!. Anyone who knows Taormina knows the train stataion is at sea level and the town is 800ft up via hairpin bends and no pavement, a couple of miles away. The last bus had left at 0820,it was now 1245am ! I have sent the taxi receipt and ticket to Taormina and the train part has been paid. I have been sending emails in Italian to rimborsi and reclami email addresses but have heard nothing.

 

That's one heck of a nasty walk even in daylight, and even using the crumbling slightly-more direct footpath.

 
I decided to try out a month's RTT+ subscription - probably useful in months where I'm travelling a lot! There were a lot of delays on Southern but by catching earlier late-running trains I could reach the Solent area on time. So it could easily be argued the main bulk of delay was still down to GWR. But it's hard to say which delay was the 'seed' for Delay Repay purposes. Exactly the thing they shuold be working out between themselves. I think sometimes where it's uncertain the system looks at the first leg's TOC without considering the overall working.

Not sure if Delay Repay money comes entirely from the TOC that accepts the claim or comes down to the original ORCATS split.

 

It comes entirely from the taxpayer.

 

Until the rail operations are also the taxpayer's responsibility, doesn't this remove [a/the] financial incentive from the operating company to run trains on time, and to make connections? 

 

Absolutely. It's perverse. A safety net for poor performance.

Linking senior TOC pay to customer satisfaction ratings...........now there's an incentive that would have got results! 

 



How would you both like to see Delay Repay operate in the very near future when the transition to GBR is complete?

Scrap it entirely so it's in line with other forms of public transport? 
Get rid of the 15-29 minute refund band? 
Keep it largely as is, accepting the flaws because it means passengers receive compensation? 
Something else?

 

I'd like to see performance improve to a level where the need to pay it becomes much less frequent.

 
So less money paid out by the taxpayer for delays because lots more taxpayer money has been invested into reducing delays by employing more staff and upgrading worn out trains and infrastructure?

 
Roger French latest post aims at GWR and Cross Country delay repay (final two items)
https://busandtrainuser.com/2026/08/29/seen-around-47/

Cross Country
And finally for this month back to the frustrations of train companies’ unresponsiveness to Delay Repay claims and in particular the complete absence of any communication from Cross Country – a company that just seems to be going from worse to very worse at the moment.  .........continues............

And finally, GWR
Meanwhile GWR are up to their familiar unhelpful tricks again. Coming back from Bath last Saturday afternoon all trains through Chippenham were cancelled due to signalling problems .................continues............

 
ORR has just released Delay Repay report for first four 4 weekly periods this year (1 April - 22 July)

GWR 549,707 claims, second highest volume by Operator after Avanti, and up hefty 52% on same periods previous year

Cross Country 202,954 claims, up 59% on year before

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/52abf1ay/delay-compensation-claims-factsheet-2026-27-rail-periods-01-04.pdf

These increases seem huge to me, although possibly claiming is bit easier, but it clearly reflects the shoddiness of the service.

 
Fortunately DfT/GBR have plans in place to ensure that the number of claims for GWR services reduces dramatically*.

* By removing the ability to claim for 15-29 minute delays, á la Cross Country.   

 

I have to admit that change feels sensible - in that we have manoeuvred ourselves into a cancellation and compensation culture.  At the same time, this is just replacing the treatment with another one, and the best solution would be to fix the malaise in the first place - they should be able to reduce the number of claims by running most / more / a higher proportion of trains and connections on time.

 
Sorry Graham, I don't understand. It's quite annoying to be delayed for 15 mins, but it's (usually) not the end of the world, and the current 12.5% of a return feels about right. If that's removed, how does it benefit the passenger?

If you just mean it's sensible because it reduces GWR's workload, then sure. But why stop at 15-29 min delays?

Apologies if I'm missing something.

 

You're probably not missing anything. I was expressing something of a personal view of the pallava of claiming a small amount - the cost to both sides.  I am not a fan of "compensation society" where we're looking at small sums where we really want to have the service we have bought, and not some sort of alternative to make up.  When it get to / above a certain level, then , yes.   I guess I am so used to over 100 minutes between trains that 30 minutes feels like nothing.

 
Ah ok - thanks for explaining.

About the "compensation society" - I see what you mean; it's not like I need the £1.25 they refund me for a 15 minute delay in my commute. But on the other hand, I work hard and I'm a tight northener - I don't like throwing money away. If I've paid for a service which isn't delivered then I feel a bit cheated, and the nominal compensation goes a long way in preventing that. And I think that's a benefit to GWR - people might be annoyed at being delayed, but they'd be even more annoyed if they didn't feel they had any comeback. That £1.25 is more than just money.

I fully agree that it would be much better to have a reliable, punctual service. But I don't see how taking away the existing compensation system helps that; in fact, doesn't it mean GWR feel less obliged to provide such a service? "Oh, we're only going to be 20 mins late, it won't cost us anything; no need to rush"