Much of the country's rail network has been ground to a halt today by industrial action. The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport workers (RMT) is holding three days of strikes across this week, bringing a severely reduced service across the country.
The RMT is in dispute with Network Rail and 13 of the country's 15 rail operators. The union is asking for a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies and a seven per cent pay increase, with inflation at between 7.8 per cent and 11.1 per cent, depending on which measure you use.
The train companies, on the other hand, are offering a two per cent pay rise, with a further one percentage point pay increase contingent on job cuts. The government has condemned the strike.
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With only around one in five services running across the affected days, what are passengers' rights if they are affected? Let's take a look.
Can I get a refund if my train is cancelled?
Yes. National Rail says it "will do all we can to honour passengers’ tickets", but disruption should be expected. It says if your train is cancelled you have three options:
Refunds: If your service has been cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, you will be entitled to a change or refund from the original retailer of your ticket*.
Changing travel plans: If you have a ticket for travel on 21, 23 or 25 June you can use this ticket either on the day before the date on the ticket or through and including the Monday and Tuesday of the following week (excluding Season Tickets). Note if your ticket is for a journey that includes crossing London it will not be valid on London Underground services on an alternative date. Please contact the original retailer of your ticket for more information.
Changing train company or route: To help minimise any disruption, you may be able to use your ticket on another train company or an alternative route. Please contact the train company you are due to travel with for more information
Where your service is cancelled - as opposed to just disrupted or delayed - "cross-industry ticket acceptance and temporary removal of certain ticket restrictions may be made available.
"If you purchased an Advance, Off-Peak or Anytime ticket and choose not to travel because your service has been cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, you will be entitled to a refund or change from the original retailer of your ticket."
How about season tickets?
National Rail says: "If you have a Season Ticket that is monthly or longer and you choose not travel on 21, 23, and/or 25 June you can claim 100% compensation for these days through Delay Repay.
"If you are affected by cancellation or disruption to your journey, you may be entitled to compensation if the delay to your journey meets the Delay Repay threshold for the train company you are travelling with."
