Rail customers in Mid-Wales can now claim compensation for delays of just 15 minutes, rail bosses say.
The new scheme introduced by Transport For Wales means that from today, customers will be compensated if they reach their final destination 15 minutes later than expected, regardless of the reason.
They say customers are now able to claim 25% of the cost of the single fare or 25% of the cost of the relevant leg of a return ticket for delays of between 15 and 29 minutes under the firm's 'Delay Repay' scheme.
Head of Customer Experience for Transport for Wales, Barry Lloyd, described the change as "a huge benefit" for customers.
He said: "We're committed to delivering a punctual service that our customers can be proud of.
"A 15 minute delay is a big deal to our customers so this will be a huge benefit to them and shows our recognition of that. We've already moved to the Delay Repay system which makes claiming easier for customers and extending that to 15 minutes puts customers rightly at the forefront of our thinking.
"By offering customers compensation for delays of 15 minutes, we are setting ourselves a challenging goal in terms of our performance as we aim to be the best train operator in Britain."
James Price, chief executive of Transport for Wales added: "The introduction of this compensation scheme further highlights how we are putting the customer first in our plans to transform transport in Wales. We want to deliver a world class train service that works for the passenger and this is just one step we are taking to help ensure this.
"We are really pleased to be delivering one of the key commitments as set out in our announcements at the launch of our 15 year programme to create a transport network that people can be proud of.”
The company says claims will now start to be processed within 48 hours of receipt, and a system providing online access to customers’ individual claim history will allow customers to track the progress of their dispute.
Customers can claim by completing one of our claim forms or online https://tfwrail.wales/delay-repay-compensation
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here