Pat Glass MP, Labour’s Shadow Rail Minister, responding to the announcement that some Southern Rail customers are to be compensated the equivalent of a month’s travel due to the extraordinary disruption, said:

“Today’s announcement is welcome but doesn’t go nearly far enough in addressing the fiasco on Southern Rail.

“Southern is responsible for 620,000 passenger journeys per day, but only 84,000 passengers will be compensated under the announced measures, meaning that most people who endure Southern’s miserable services will not be affected.

“Even those who can claim one month’s worth of compensation will suffer on average a 1.8 percent fare increase from 2 January. It’s a case of giving with one hand and taking with the other.

“What passengers need more than anything is a reliable, affordable, safe service they can rely on, something neither Southern nor the Tory Government are able to deliver.”