CONFIRMATION from the Prime Minister that he is “looking closely” at The Argus’ calls for a reformed rail compensation system is encouraging.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, asked David Cameron whether he supported this newspaper’s compensation campaign during Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.

The PM responded with: “She [Caroline Lucas] is right to raise the case of rail compensation and we are looking closely at The Argus campaign to see what can be done to make it simpler and easier to deliver for people."

Southern Rail declined to comment on the Commons discussion, but with the country’s leader admitting rail passenger compensation is an issue to be reviewed, we hope this is a step closer to reform.

After all, 1,700 Brighton to London Victoria trains were late in January this year but disrupted customers could only apply for compensation for just 59 of the journeys. Something is drastically wrong.

For too long commuters and rail users have been expected to absorb increasing rail fares while at the same time enduring falling rates of customer service and punctuality. Enough is enough.