Improved reliability and compensation are fundamental if FCC are to rebuild commuters trust
24th March 2010
Anne Main, MP for St Albans, has today welcomed an improved compensation and reliability from First Capital Connect, following the disruption which occurred in the winter.
The discount compensation scheme will be enhanced so that ticket holders will now be entitled to a 7% discount (increased from 5%) or 15 tickets increased from 10. Monthly ticket holders will be entitled to a further two free tickets (in addition to the 10 offered previously). This discount scheme is in addition to the standard delay-repay compensation scheme. The company also announced a £3m modification and renewal package to resolve reliability issues on the older 319 units.
Anne said:
“This new and improved deal is a recognition of the utter frustration passengers have experienced with First Capital Connect. It has taken a while to get to this point, but I am pleased that First Capital Connect has further improved their compensation deal, as I have been pushing this for months.
Whilst the normal timetable has been resumed and services have improved there have still been days when reliability has fallen below what we expect, so the £3m reliability package is also welcome. I was the first MP to bring this to the House of Commons and I am pleased that so many other MPs of all parties have joined me in pressing these issues.
I do not believe that removing the franchise at this point would be a positive step, and I have said on numerous occasions that First Capital Connect needs to re-establish the trust of commuters. Improving reliability and better compensating their passengers for the disruption are fundamental steps towards an improved relationship with their customers.”