ORR becomes sponsor of Rail Ombudsman

[YorkRailFan]

Rail regulator assumes sponsorship of the Rail Ombudsman​

26 November 2023
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has this weekend begun its sponsorship of the Rail Ombudsman. This fulfils the Plan for Rail commitment for ORR to take on this role and will allow it to hold the provider to account for the independent and impartial delivery of the service.
The Rail Ombudsman plays an important role in ensuring rail passengers have access to free alternative dispute resolution when things go wrong.
The rail regulator has updated aspects of how the Rail Ombudsman operates to improve the passenger experience, including new arrangements to enhance the accessibility of the service.
The accessibility enhancements include:

• Appointment of a board member with lived experience of disability to the Rail Ombudsman’s new independent board
• Ombudsman staff being trained in disability and vulnerability awareness by experts with lived experience of disability
• Introduction of new passenger contact channels and a programme of upgrades to processes and systems to provide for a more accessible service
• Commissioning testing of the accessibility of the service to identify any barriers to access and opportunities for improvement.

Since the service was introduced in 2018, the Rail Ombudsman has dealt with more than 15,000 customer cases.
Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s director of strategy, policy and reform said:
The Rail Ombudsman provides confidence to passengers that there is an independent body to turn to where they are unable to resolve a complaint with their train or station operator. In ORR’s new oversight role we’ve improved the model for how the Ombudsman service operates to better serve the needs of passengers.
Kevin Grix, CEO and chief ombudsman of the Rail Ombudsman, said:
We welcome ORR’s plans to improve passenger experience in rail and reaffirm our commitment to championing accessibility requirements in our pursuit of an inclusive experience for all passengers.
We have been proud to serve as the Rail Ombudsman over the last five years and now look forward to continuing our work holding train operators to account and helping to raise standards. We will work collaboratively with ORR and will continue to provide a single front door for passenger complaints so that we can assist the industry in fostering a positive travel environment for all.

Rail regulator assumes sponsorship of the Rail Ombudsman | Office of Rail and Road

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has this weekend begun its sponsorship of the Rail Ombudsman. This fulfils the Plan for Rail commitment for ORR to take on this role and will allow it to hold the provider to account for the independent and impartial delivery of the service.

www.orr.gov.uk

ORR sponsors the Rail Ombudsman, which is a free, impartial and independent service that passengers can use to escalate unresolved complaints about train and station operators.
The Rail Ombudsman is an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service for the rail sector. Its decisions are binding on rail service providers but not on passengers.
Our role as sponsor is to hold the Rail Ombudsman to account for the independent and impartial delivery of the service.
Our role involves:

• ensuring that the Rail Ombudsman is meeting its responsibilities and obligations
• ensuring that the service remains accessible to all users
• monitoring and assuring the performance and quality of the service

Our role does not involve:

• getting involved in individual complaints or disputes which are case managed by the Rail Ombudsman
• being part of the governance structure, or the day to day running of the service
• getting involved in complaints about the service provided by the Rail Ombudsman

The Rail Ombudsman | Office of Rail and Road

ORR sponsors the Rail Ombudsman, which is a free, impartial and independent service that passengers can use to escalate unresolved complaints about train and station operators.

www.orr.gov.uk

I personally prefer for the Rail Ombudsman to remain as an independent entity with no sort of sponsor, but from what the ORR is saying, it looks like the ORR won't get involve in complaints and what not.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The phrase "marking one's own homework" comes to mind here...

 

[DarloRich]

Rail regulator assumes sponsorship of the Rail Ombudsman | Office of Rail and Road

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has this weekend begun its sponsorship of the Rail Ombudsman. This fulfils the Plan for Rail commitment for ORR to take on this role and will allow it to hold the provider to account for the independent and impartial delivery of the service.

www.orr.gov.uk

The Rail Ombudsman | Office of Rail and Road

ORR sponsors the Rail Ombudsman, which is a free, impartial and independent service that passengers can use to escalate unresolved complaints about train and station operators.

www.orr.gov.uk

I personally prefer for the Rail Ombudsman to remain as an independent entity with no sort of sponsor, but from what the ORR is saying, it looks like the ORR won't get involve in complaints and what not.

could you provide a bit more information to support your view? It seems to me that having the rail regulator involved in this process makes sense as it is in the field of regulation. Providing further comfort, your quoted information expressly says that that ORR wont be:

• getting involved in individual complaints or disputes which are case managed by the Rail Ombudsman
• being part of the governance structure, or the day to day running of the service
• getting involved in complaints about the service provided by the Rail Ombudsman

ORR also appear to be making positive changes to how the Rail Ombudsman works to provide more support to aggrieved or inconvenienced passengers.

PS what do you think a sponsor does? I wonder if there is a lack of understanding around this word here.

The phrase "marking one's own homework" comes to mind here...

how so? there does appear to be any aspect of "ownership"

 

[YorkRailFan]

could you provide a bit more information to support your view? It seems to me that having the rail regulator involved in this process makes sense as it is in the field of regulation. Providing further comfort, your quoted information expressly says that that ORR wont be:

• getting involved in individual complaints or disputes which are case managed by the Rail Ombudsman
• being part of the governance structure, or the day to day running of the service
• getting involved in complaints about the service provided by the Rail Ombudsman

ORR also appear to be making positive changes to how the Rail Ombudsman works to provide more support to aggrieved or inconvenienced passengers.

PS what do you think a sponsor does? I wonder if there is a lack of understanding around this word here.

I personally prefer for the Rail Ombudsman to be a fully independent organization with no endorsement or sponsors from other organizations as to provide a fully unbiased response to passengers.

PS Yes, I do know what a sponsor is.

 

[DarloRich]

I personally prefer for the Rail Ombudsman to be a fully independent organization with no endorsement or sponsors from other organizations as to provide a fully unbiased response to passengers.

OK - you have said that twice without explaining why . How does the ORR becoming a sponsor of the organisation, whilst giving independence guarantees, impact that?

 

[YorkRailFan]

OK - you have said that twice without explaining why . How does the ORR becoming a sponsor of the organisation, whilst giving independence guarantees, impact that?

Money from the ORR.

 

[Adam Williams]

Previously it was appointed by RDG. It was not "independent" in the funding sense, though it was considered to be operating at arms-length I'm sure.

I would rather the ORR did this than the RDG.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Previously it was appointed by RDG. It was not "independent" in the funding sense, though it was considered to be operating at arms-length I'm sure.

I would rather the ORR did this than the RDG.

True, that's a good point, I too prefer the ORR to RDG.

 

[Llanigraham]

Money from the ORR.

Which still doesn't explain your answer!
How about giving a full explanation of why you think it wrong?

 

[YorkRailFan]

Which still doesn't explain your answer!
How about giving a full explanation of why you think it wrong?

Money from the ORR *Could* (and I say *could*) influence the Rail Ombudsman's decision on a case, but I do think that the ORR is a better sponsor than RDG. Note that I'm just speculating.

 

[Sleepy]

Isn't the general opinion on this forum the ombudsman is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard ? Has anyone found them useful in disputes with a TOC ?

 

[YorkRailFan]

Isn't the general opinion on this forum the ombudsmen is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard ? Has anyone found them useful in disputes with a TOC ?

Never used them.

 

[Master29]

Isn't the general opinion on this forum the ombudsman is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard ? Has anyone found them useful in disputes with a TOC ?

Haven't used the Rail Ombudsmen but from the couple I have used chocolate fireguard is apposite. This however might be an unfair comparison.

 

[yorkie]

Isn't the general opinion on this forum the ombudsman is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard ?

Yes.

Has anyone found them useful in disputes with a TOC ?

They sometimes rule in favour of the customer, but I am aware of numerous instances where their answer is wrong.

They refused to engage with us, so we gave up. I then saw just how bad they are. They are not interested in getting correct/acceptable outcomes for passengers.

They are indeed useless as far as I'm concerned.

Hopefully the ORR can hold them to account, but I have absolutely no expectations of anything changing.

 

[Amos]

Isn't the general opinion on this forum the ombudsman is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard ? Has anyone found them useful in disputes with a TOC ?

I have involved the ombudsman in a case where I have been trying to claim refund on an overpayment of £8.30 from a TOC since early April.Contacted them(ombudsman) on April 28th,yet to receive payment.Personally not sure what purpose they serve.

 

[thedbdiboy]

I personally prefer for the Rail Ombudsman to be a fully independent organization with no endorsement or sponsors from other organizations as to provide a fully unbiased response to passengers.

PS Yes, I do know what a sponsor is.

Previously it was appointed by RDG. It was not "independent" in the funding sense, though it was considered to be operating at arms-length I'm sure.

I would rather the ORR did this than the RDG.

The Rail Ombudsman was an initiative of Paul Maynard when he was Rail Minister. All the time it exists it needs to be funded. The original conduit for the funding was RDG; this has now been changed to the ORR which makes more sense from a consumer regulation viewpoint. It's got to be funded from somewhere all the time it exists so I'm not sure how it would work as a fully independent organisation unless everyone involved in it worked for free or customers were charged a case fee.

 

[185]

I personally prefer for the Rail Ombudsman to be a fully independent organization

Well, since inception, its been the Rail & Soft Furnishings Ombudsman. Does this now mean if my Argos 3-seater Chesterfield runs late the government can sanction the operator?

On a serious note, I do welcome the ORR taking control of the useless RO, it's high time someone who understands trains (and not Ikea) runs it, and this move was mooted some years ago... glad to see it happen.

I hear the ORR already had to step in on a number of instances where the RO didn't resolve the problem properly.

 

[Hadders]

The Rail Ombudsman was an initiative of Paul Maynard when he was Rail Minister. All the time it exists it needs to be funded. The original conduit for the funding was RDG; this has now been changed to the ORR which makes more sense from a consumer regulation viewpoint. It's got to be funded from somewhere all the time it exists so I'm not sure how it would work as a fully independent organisation unless everyone involved in it worked for free or customers were charged a case fee.

It would be better if the TOCs were charged a fee for every case that was referred to the Ombudsman. This could be increased if the Ombudsman ruled in favour of the passenger. Might focus some minds in TOCs to get things right first time so cases didn't end up being referred.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Well, since inception, its been the Rail & Soft Furnishings Ombudsman. Does this now mean if my Argos 3-seater Chesterfield runs late the government can sanction the operator?

On a serious note, I do welcome the ORR taking control of the useless RO, it's high time someone who understands trains (and not Ikea) runs it, and this move was mooted some years ago... glad to see it happen.

I hear the ORR already had to step in on a number of instances where the RO didn't resolve the problem properly.

I do agree that the ORR is a far better sponsor than RDG.

 

[Adam Williams]

The Rail Ombudsman was an initiative of Paul Maynard when he was Rail Minister. All the time it exists it needs to be funded. The original conduit for the funding was RDG; this has now been changed to the ORR which makes more sense from a consumer regulation viewpoint. It's got to be funded from somewhere all the time it exists so I'm not sure how it would work as a fully independent organisation unless everyone involved in it worked for free or customers were charged a case fee.

It would be better if the TOCs were charged a fee for every case that was referred to the Ombudsman. This could be increased if the Ombudsman ruled in favour of the passenger. Might focus some minds in TOCs to get things right first time so cases didn't end up being referred.

Indeed. Isn't this exactly how the Financial Ombudsman works? If it's a claim that's not non-sensical and the ombudsman spends any time investigating it, the service provider pays a case fee. They get a number of "free" complaints every year, but there's a strong incentive to provide good customer service in the first place to avoid customers feeling the need to make a complaint.

 

[Yew]

It would be better if the TOCs were charged a fee for every case that was referred to the Ombudsman. This could be increased if the Ombudsman ruled in favour of the passenger. Might focus some minds in TOCs to get things right first time so cases didn't end up being referred.

I worry that then you might get lots of "goodwill gestures", in order to prevent a useful precedent being set.

 

[Hadders]

I worry that then you might get lots of "goodwill gestures", in order to prevent a useful precedent being set.

Has the current set up resulted in any precedents being set?

 

[Adam Williams]

Has the current set up resulted in any precedents being set?

Exactly my first thought!