A SCHEME to compensate rail passengers for disruption following the May timetable change in northern England has been extended to include regular travellers who did not hold season tickets.

The initiative enables passengers who travelled with train operator Northern this summer to claim for additional payouts beyond the regular Delay Repay scheme for individual journeys.

Blackburn commuters suffered severe delays earlier this year.

The amount of money which can be claimed varies depending on how much the route travelled was affected.

Passengers must have evidence of travelling on at least 12 days in a 28-day window for the most disrupted routes, and three days in a seven-day window for the second tier of routes.

The scheme was previously limited to season ticket holders. It has been brokered with Transport for the North and covers disruption before and after timetables were changed on May 20.

Industrial action and staff shortages only served to make matters worse this summer.

nyone who believes they may be eligible for compensation should visit Northern's website for more information.

Claims can be submitted from October 9 for eight weeks.

Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: "We have long made the case that regular passengers - such as part-time workers - affected by timetable disruption deserve compensation.

"Widening compensation to non-season ticket holders who travel regularly is a welcome step in rebuilding passengers' trust.

"It's now important that train companies actively encourage passengers to claim and make it both quick and easy to do so."

Northern cancelled up to 310 trains each day after new timetables were launched.

An interim report by the rail regulator published last week warned of a "lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities".