RAIL passengers will get more cash back if their trains are delayed and double their money if they are ever sold the wrong ticket under new promises from National Express train operator c2c.

To mark this week’s start of the new 15-year c2c franchise, over 10,000 copies of c2c’s new Passenger Charter were handed out to passengers during rush hour this morning.

The new charter contains improved promises to c2c passengers, including:

• The right ticket at the right price: Customers will receive twice the difference in cost if it fails to sell them the best ticket for their needs

• Refunds: Increased compensation for season ticket holders, who will now get a refund each time their train is delayed, rather than based on the average punctuality of their service.

• More information: More detailed journey information and personalised punctuality reports for customers through the new c2c Live app

• Greater passenger openness: c2c will now publish customer reports with details of how well c2c are performing, from its punctuality and passenger satisfaction scores to its environmental and safety record

• A more accessible railway: While its staff will always help any mobility-impaired passengers onto the next available train, it now requires only four hours’ notice to provide guaranteed pre-booked personal assistance. If ever the guaranteed assistance isn’t provided, those passengers will now get a full ticket refund.

c2c’s new Passenger Charter also promises to deliver improved punctuality targets, an increased security presence, and extended opening hours for c2c’s Customer Relations team.

c2c’s new Delay Repay refund scheme gives all passengers, including season ticket holders, a 50 per cent refund of a single ticket if delayed for 30+ mins, and a 100 per cent refund if delayed for 60+ mins. From 2016, c2c will introduce automatic refunds for registered passengers if they’re delayed for as little as 2+ mins.

c2c Managing Director Julian Drury said: “We aim to make travelling with c2c even easier for passengers than it is today, and that’s why we’ve introduced these new customer promises. Some of our new pledges have never been seen before on the UK rail network, such as automatic refunds for delays of just a few minutes.

“We’re also proud that our price guarantee goes one better than top retailers like John Lewis: if we don’t sell you a ticket at the best price then we won’t just refund the difference, we’ll give you double the money. We want to ensure our customers trust us to sell them the right ticket, so this way we’re guaranteeing they definitely won’t lose out.”

c2c’s full Passenger Charter is available at: http://www.c2c-online.co.uk/media/65219/c2cs-passenger-charter-9-nov-2014-8-nov-2015.pdf