The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has launched a consultation on a new framework designed to help train operators determine appropriate redress when pre-booked passenger assistance is not delivered as promised.
The move comes as demand for assisted travel continues to reach record levels, with new ORR statistics showing requests for pre-booked passenger assistance are now at their highest since records began in 2012.
Passenger assistance enables disabled passengers and others requiring additional support to travel safely and independently. However, when booked assistance fails, passengers can face missed journeys, significant disruption and considerable distress.
The proposed framework has been developed in collaboration with passenger groups, train operators and wider industry representatives. It aims to provide greater consistency when operators assess redress on a case-by-case basis.
Rather than prescribing fixed compensation levels, the framework outlines a range of factors operators should consider, including the nature and seriousness of the failure, the impact on the passenger’s journey, any personal or emotional consequences, and whether the incident forms part of a recurring pattern of poor service.
Redress could include financial compensation, reimbursement of additional costs incurred by passengers or other non-financial remedies where appropriate.
The consultation builds on regulatory changes introduced by ORR in October 2025, which made it mandatory for all rail operators to assess claims individually whenever pre-booked assistance has not been provided as agreed.
Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform, said: “The impact on passengers when booked assistance fails can be significant and can vary greatly depending on the circumstances, and that is why we have already made it mandatory for operators to assess redress claims case by case.
“This proposed framework helping them to do that is the next step. We want to hear from passengers, representative groups, operators and other stakeholders on whether the framework captures the right considerations and how it can best support improved outcomes.”
The consultation is now open and will run until 5pm on Friday 11 September 2026. Following the consultation, ORR will publish a summary of responses before finalising the framework.
