Liberal Democrats demand compensation for rail passengers forced to use replacement bus services

Rail passengers forced onto replacement buses should have a part-refund of their fare, according to Liberal Democrat MP, Norman Baker, who called for the customers who are affected to be compensated with a third of their money back.

He argued that Network Rail had failed to keep its promise to reduce the use of replacement buses and needed a financial penalty to push them into progress.

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat spokesman for transport, said rail replacement buses in the Sussex area have been operating on 23 weekends so far in 2009. The Lewes MP told the Commons: "When are we going to get the seven-day railway that Network Rail promised us?

"Is it not time that, instead of thousands of people being shoved on to bus replacement services, we had guaranteed rail services on Sunday?

"To give Network Rail an incentive and passengers a chance, should not Network Rail give a third off the ticket price to those who are forced on to buses?"