Rail users on the Wales and Borders network can now claim for delays of just 15 minutes.

Wales and Borders rail network operator Transport for Wales’ new Delay Repay compensation scheme will now kick in if rail users suffer delays of just 15 minutes.

The move follows the ‘successful’ introduction of the Delay Repay system late last year, it was launched with the promise that passengers suffering delays of 30 minutes or more can claim compensation quickly.

Rail users will now be compensated if they reach their final destination 15 minutes later than expected, regardless of the reason.

TfW say customers are now able to claim 25% of the cost of the single fare or 25% of the cost of the relevant leg of a return ticket for delays of between 15 and 29 minutes.

Delay Repay offers a wider choice of repayment options, including bank transfer, Paypal and charity donation to the Railway Children, a charity fighting for street children.

Head of Customer Experience for Transport for Wales, Barry Lloyd, described the change as “a huge benefit” for customers.

He said: “We’re committed to delivering a punctual service that our customers can be proud of.

“A 15 minute delay is a big deal to our customers so this will be a huge benefit to them and shows our recognition of that. We’ve already moved to the Delay Repay system which makes claiming easier for customers and extending that to 15 minutes puts customers rightly at the forefront of our thinking.

“By offering customers compensation for delays of 15 minutes, we are setting ourselves a challenging goal in terms of our performance as we aim to be the best train operator in Britain.”

TfW say Delay Repay gives customers a quicker response to their claim, as claims will now start to be processed within 48 hours of receipt. A system providing online access to customers’ individual claim history will allow customers to know exactly what’s happening with their claim and when it is complete.

Importantly, customers must retain their tickets in order to claim.

James Price, CEO of Transport for Wales added; “The introduction of this compensation scheme further highlights how we are putting the customer first in our plans to transform transport in Wales. We want to deliver a world-class train service that works for the passenger and this is just one step we are taking to help ensure this.

“We are really pleased to be delivering one of the key commitments as set out in our announcements at the launch of our 15 year programme to create a transport network that people can be proud of.”

Customers can claim by completing one of the claim forms or online via https://tfwrail.wales/delay-repay-compensation