CONSUMER groups have urged all rail operators to follow Virgin Trains’ example by offering to compensate passengers in cash rather than travel vouchers when trains are delayed.

The policy will apply on the West Coast Main Line through Cumbria and on Virgin’s new East Coast franchise.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Passengers will be pleased to see Virgin Trains offering cash compensation as the first option.

“This is a positive step forward and we want to see more operators follow suit.”

He added that many people fail to claim the compensation they are entitled to.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of consumer group Which?, said that passengers were “rightly frustrated by the significant barriers” to obtaining compensation.

He added: “It is good to see Virgin Trains setting the pace by offering cash as the default option for compensation.

“We would urge all train operating companies to act quickly to implement this and further changes, to improve the process for their customers.”

The announcement is the latest attempt by Virgin Trains to improve its response to disrupted journeys.

In October, the franchise launched a system whereby West Coast passengers who buy Advance tickets through its website receive payments automatically, direct to their credit or debit card, if they are entitled to compensation.

Graham Leech, group commercial director at Virgin Trains, said: “We’re committed to making claiming compensation simpler and clearer for customers.

“We never want passengers to suffer delays or disruption but when things do go wrong we want to put it right.”

New arrangements came into effect last July allowing rail passengers to receive compensation in cash, rather than vouchers. But different train companies apply different criteria as to when they will pay out.

These are the conditions applying to rail companies in Cumbria.

FIRST TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS – Single tickets: Full refund for delays of more than 30 minutes as a voucher. Returns: As above, applied pro rata, and a full refund of the return fare if one leg is delayed by an hour or more.

NORTHERN RAIL – Single tickets: Voucher refund of half the fare for delays of an hour or more. Returns: As above applied pro rata.

SCOTRAIL – Single tickets: Voucher refund of half the fare for delays of more than 30 minutes, full refund if it’s more than an hour. Returns: As above, applied pro rata, and a full refund of the return fare if one leg is delayed by two hours or more.

VIRGIN TRAINS – Single tickets: Refund of half the fare in cash for delays of more than 30 minutes, full refund if it’s more than an hour. Returns: As above applied pro-rata, and a full refund of the return fare if one leg is delayed by two hours or more.