The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) today gave details of its new Rail Ombudsman scheme, including naming the organisation that will provide the service.

Following a competitive tendering process, ORR has chosen independent, not-for-profit organisation Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO).

This is in effect a re-appointment, as DRO has been running the service since it began in 2018.

ORR is taking over sponsorship of the scheme from the Rail Delivery Group (RDG).

Since this change was announced in 2021’s Plan for Rail, ORR has been designing the scheme, including running a tender process to appoint the provider.

It has worked with stakeholders in government, industry, transport user groups and the Alternative Dispute Resolution sector to achieve this. During the transition, public access to the Rail Ombudsman scheme will continue as normal.

The organisation currently runs the Rail Ombudsman scheme under a Rail Delivery Group contract, and will now operate the new scheme under a five-year contract, which ORR has the option to extend.

The role of an ombudsman is to investigate and attempt to resolve complaints. The Rail Ombudsman also supports the rail industry in raising standards and improving services.

ORR promises that the Rail Ombudsman scheme that it now sponsors will introduce improvements, including:

• strengthening accessibility requirements, including by improving representation of disabled passenger interests into the scheme’s governance
• requiring testing of the access and usability of the scheme for disabled passengers, as well as testing general passenger awareness of the service
• strengthening relationships with transport user groups.

ORR will also to review options for reducing current case-handling response times down from the current standard of forty working days, so that cases are dealt with more quickly.

Stephanie Tobyn, Director for Strategy, Policy and Reform at the ORR said: “ORR is delighted to be delivering on the Plan for Rail commitment to take on sponsorship of the Rail Ombudsman. An Ombudsman is vitally important in providing resolution where passenger complaints cannot be settled directly with the train company.
“ORR sponsorship provides ongoing stability to the Rail Ombudsman scheme, assures its independence, and supports its continued evolution in driving continuous improvement across industry.”

Kevin Grix, CEO and chief ombudsman of the Rail Ombudsman, said: “We are proud that our work to raise standards and resolve disputes over the last five years, as the serving Rail Ombudsman, has been recognised as the best solution by the ORR for the future. This recognition enables us to take forward our work delivering for passengers and the rail industry. We welcome the ORR’s plans to improve the passenger experience and look forward to playing a central role in helping them.”