Sussex Rail users will get more compensation for the disruption to services caused by bad weather and speed restrictions.

Travellers who use Connex services to the coast and who hold a monthly or longer period season ticket will automatically receive a seven per cent discount when they renew it.

The compensation package is to make up for delays and disruption from November 12 to December 9 and is part of a nationwide £20 million compensation package announced today.

Many of the delays were caused by speed restrictions imposed on hundreds of miles of railway lines following the Hatfield rail crash in October.

Four people died in the accident, including Sussex man Steve Arthur, when a train was derailed by faulty tracks.

The new refund comes on top of a nationwide £50 million compensation package already in operation to compensate travellers for problems between October 23 and November 10.

A Connex spokesman said: "People will get this latest compensation automatically when they go to renew their monthly or longer period season tickets. They don't have to make a claim."

The compensation money comes from a fund held by the Strategic Rail Authority.

Passengers with weekly or daily tickets who have experienced significant delays are entitled to refunds for disrupted journeys under each train company's Passenger's Charter. They should collect a form from manned railway stations.

The compensation scheme for Connex users for the period between October 23 and November 10 is still in operation.

Holders of monthly or longer period season tickets can claim up to £100 compensation.

The closing date for the receipt of these claims is January 31. Forms can be collected from manned stations or www.connex.co.uk