Train passengers to get refunds on tickets as rail operations taken over by Government
TRAIN operations are being taken over by the Government to avoid firms collapsing due to coronavirus - and passengers can get ticket refunds.
It comes as the Government and train operators last week agreed to cut services as passenger numbers fall.
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Franchise rail operators are being offered the chance to transfer all revenue and cost risk to the Government, and be paid a small management fee to run services.
This will make sure that trains necessary for key workers and essential travel continue to operate, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.
Anyone holding an Advance ticket will be able to get a refund free of charge, while administrative fees have been waived for season ticket refunds.
To claim a refund, you should contact your rail operator.
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The emergency measures will be in place for an initial period of six months, and the DfT said they will "minimise disruption to the rail sector".
Allowing operators to enter insolvency would cause "significantly more disruption to passengers and higher costs to the taxpayer", the department added.
The announcement comes as passenger numbers have fallen by up to 70 per cent, while ticket sales are down by two-thirds.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "We are taking this action to protect the key workers who depend on our railways to carry on their vital roles, the hardworking commuters who have radically altered their lives to combat the spread of coronavirus, and the frontline rail staff who are keeping the country moving.
"People deserve certainty that the services they need will run or that their job is not at risk in these unprecedented times.
"We are also helping passengers get refunds on advance tickets to ensure no-one is unfairly out of pocket for doing the right thing.
"These offers will give operators the confidence and certainty so they can play their part in the national interest."
The department said fees paid to rail firms by the Government are intended to incentivise them to meet performance targets, and the maximum fee attainable will be "far less than recent profits earned by train operators".
Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said: "The industry strongly welcomes the Department for Transport's offer of temporary support.
"While we need to finalise the details, this will ensure that train companies can focus all their efforts on delivering a vital service at a time of national need."
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