Rail firms to get £50m compensation for Easter engineering works — but axe payouts to suffering passengers

TRAIN companies will get £50million compensation for Easter engineering works — but have axed payouts to passengers.

Network Rail will cover firms’ reduced ticket income as fewer people travelled due to 493 weekend projects.

But customers hit by the Easter chaos cannot apply for the usual “delay repay” refunds made for unplanned incidents, such as emergency engineering.

Rail bosses say the delays were planned, so they are not entitled to them.

Services hit included those running to or from London ­Euston.

Some services took three times longer than usual, with buses replacing trains.

Bruce Williamson, of passenger campaign group ­Railfuture, said: “The way money moves around the rail industry will be a mystery to most ­passengers.

“Easter works are essential, but it’s understandable passengers would want compensation.”

Former Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “Passengers are paying the same to travel on a replacement bus as on a train. If you get put on a bus due to engineering works, you should pay less. There should be a third of the fare taken off.”

Rail firm Avanti West Coast said: “Delay Repay is calculated against the planned timetable, which is published in advance.”

Network Rail said: “When we block tracks for engineering work, we compensate operators.”