The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has introduced a significant update to its Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) Guidance, requiring all UK rail operators to assess redress claims individually when booked assistance for passengers fails.
This move marks a shift towards a more passenger-centric approach, ensuring that operators take full account of the impact such failures have on individuals. Redress, as defined by ORR, is not limited to financial compensation—it may include apologies, gestures of goodwill, or compensatory payments. The emphasis is on recognising the disruption caused and responding appropriately.
“Redress is a way that operators can seek to put things right for a passenger where they have failed to deliver booked assistance,” the guidance explains.
“It is not always or necessarily a form of financial compensation. It could be an apology, a gesture of goodwill, and/or a compensatory payment.”
The regulator’s decision follows a consultation that highlighted concerns over restrictive compensation policies—some of which appeared to limit redress to the ticket price alone. ORR is now instructing relevant train companies to revise their policies to reflect the new case-by-case approach.
Beyond the immediate changes, the consultation surfaced broader questions around how redress decisions are made, the scope of redress policies, and how claims are managed. ORR has committed to further work in these areas, with an update expected in spring 2026.
Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform, emphasised the importance of tailoring redress to individual circumstances:
“The impact on passengers when an operator fails to deliver assistance can vary greatly, so it’s right that claims for redress are considered on a case-by-case basis. This ensures operators properly assess each passenger’s experience and provide redress that appropriately reflects the impact of what went wrong.”
For rail industry professionals, this update signals a renewed focus on accountability and responsiveness in accessibility services. Operators are encouraged to review their internal processes and ensure staff are equipped to handle redress claims with empathy and diligence.
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