FOLLOWING unprecedented strike action in December by members of the RMT trade union – which represents rail, maritime and transport workers – East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds has welcomed action to compensate South Western Railway passengers.

The government has worked with the rail firm to secure compensation arrangements that will see the cost of up to five days of rail travel paid to season ticket holders and daily ticket holders who were worst affected during the strike.

Mr Hinds said: “The impact of the strike action on rail users was appalling, both here in East Hampshire and elsewhere, with thousands of people unable to use the network without experiencing severe delays or cancellations.

“The effect this has had on people’s lives and livelihoods is completely unacceptable and I once again call for both sides to settle the issue around the negotiating table without inflicting any further hardship on the customers they serve.”

The compensation scheme will run in two phases, with South Western Railway first contacting season ticket holders directly to arrange compensation.

Then those passengers for whom South Western Railway does not hold any personal details – including weekly season ticket holders – need to make an application for their compensation.

This compensation will be above the standard Delay Repay scheme which entitles holders of any ticket type – including passengers who travel less frequently – to claim compensation for delays of 15 minutes or more, whatever the cause of the delay.

Mr Hinds is an officer of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the South Western Railway, which met at Westminster to discuss specific issues of performance, franchising and strikes with South Western Railway managing director Mark Hopwood and directors of Network Rail.

The group’s aims are to continue to press for further action by rail operators to provide the service it believes passengers deserve, and to ensure the government fulfils its commitment to introduce legislation to protect passengers from “unreasonable” strike action in the future.

South Western Railway will notify passengers when each phase of the compensation scheme opens.

Further information on the process can be obtained by visiting the website www.southwesternrailway.com/december-2019-strike-compensation