A TRAIN operator has said it will not consider a proposal for on-the-spot compensation if rail journeys are delayed.

The Witham and Braintree Rail Users’ Association came up with the idea after disruption on Monday, November 8, which made many commuters late for work.

The association believes commuters whose journeys are disrupted should receive vouchers of up to £5 to spend on future rail travel.

It is planning to put its proposal to National Express East Anglia.

Chairman David Bigg said: “If you’re travelling on a day of disruption and have to use a bus, depending on your length of journey, they should issue vouchers.

“It would be a way of saying we’re really sorry for the disruption.”

However, a spokesman for the train operator said: “To ensure compliance with standard audit and accounting procedures, train operators would not be able to issue compensation to customers on the day.

“We operate a rigorous scheme whereby customers can apply for compensation for delays incurred under the terms of our Passengers’ Charter, which has been agreed with the Department for Transport.

“To apply for the Delay Repay compensation, customers should contact our customer relations department to make a claim.”

Passengers would also like Network Rail to only carry out engineering on Sundays, according to Mr Bigg.

He added: “A lot of people travel on Saturday and disruption is massive, but on Sunday fewer people travel.”

In the run-up to Christmas, work on the main line will be taking place every weekend on both Saturday and Sunday.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Wherever possible, we restrict our working to Sundays.

“On the rare occasions a full weekend is required, it is because that is the least disruptive way of completing the work.”