The UK government is extending rail cancellation rules allowing passengers to switch to another operator’s services without paying for a new ticket.
The change means that passengers affected by a cancellation can use another operator’s trains to continue their journey for free and without the need to download a new ticket — as long as the service departs within two hours before or after the original cancelled train.
The policy is already in place for train operators which have been renationalised by the UK government. From 20 September, it will be extended to CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, Avanti West Coast and Chiltern Railways.
Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “This is a simple, common-sense change that puts passengers first. No one should be left stranded because of a fragmented railway when their journey is disrupted.
“From this weekend, if your train is cancelled, you can get on another operator’s service and carry on your journey without paying again.”
Cross-operator ticket acceptance already applies to operators including c2c, LNER, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express and West Midlands Railway.
The Department for Transport added that East Midlands Railway will join the scheme “at a later date”.
The change comes as the government continues its work to create state-owned Great British Railways, which will run the UK’s train network following the completion of the phased renationalisation process.