Rail Delivery Group

New retail Code of Practice to help boost passengers’ confidence choosing, buying and using rail tickets
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2015-02-16 2013-14 Rail Industry Financials (ORR, 2015)

date 25 March 2015
source Rail Delivery Group
type Press release

A new code of practice designed to improve standards for providing passengers with information when they choose, buy and use rail tickets has been unveiled today by the rail industry.

Development of the new code has been led by the rail regulator which has worked closely with train companies, licenced rail retailers, the independent passenger watchdog Passenger Focus and the Department for Transport.

The new industry code, which reflects current legislation and complements existing industry obligations to retail fairly and impartially, provides train companies and licenced rail retailers with best practice guidance to help ensure passengers are able to make informed decisions when buying rail tickets.

Built around four key principles, the new code is designed to ensure that the information provided by train companies and licenced rail retailers gives passengers greater confidence when choosing the best value ticket for their journey. It is aimed primarily at train companies and licenced rail retailers, and has been published by the industry on both the National Rail Enquiries and Rail Delivery Group websites.

While the market for rail travel has grown rapidly, with passenger journeys having doubled since the 1990s and expected to double again over the next 30, the industry recognises that it needs to work even harder to provide growing numbers of rail passengers with better information to improve their confidence when choosing their ticket.

The new code, to be rolled out from today, forms part of a wider and ongoing programme by the rail industry to make it easier for passengers to buy and use the best value ticket for their journey. It follows the announcement in January that train companies have redesigned the familiar orange rail ticket to provide better and clearer information.

Later this month, train companies will begin labelling self-service ticket machines to provide better information for passengers on the range of tickets that each machine sells.

Michael Roberts, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group representing Network Rail and train companies, said: “While the number of people using the railway continues to rise, the industry recognises that it can do more to improve the information it gives to passengers about buying and using their ticket.

“The new Code of Practice for retailers shows how the industry is working more closely together to give people greater confidence that they are getting the right ticket for their journey.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

The new ‘Code of Practice on retail information for rail tickets and services’ is available to download from from the Rail Delivery Group website. It is also published on the National Rail Enquiries website.

The code has been designed around four key principles:

o Principle one – retailers should provide passengers with the information they need to make informed decisions;
o Principle two – retailers should provide the information that passengers need in a way that is clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely;
o Principle three – the information retailers provide should be accurate, truthful and should not be provided in such a way as it might deceive, even if factually correct; and
o Principle four – retailers should make it clear what tickets are/are not available at each sales channel and the basis on which they identify and recommend tickets to passengers.

Where appropriate, the code reflects existing consumer law such as the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) and industry standards such as the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.

Railhub Archive ::: 2015-03-25 RDG-002