Signal of intent

PERHAPS train firms like Northern Rail will think again about supplying erroneous information to information screens, such as late or cancelled trains being shown to be running “on time”, after a consumer watchdog lambasted such inaccuracies.

By The Newsroom

Published 24th Sep 2011, 01:00 BST

The critique by Passenger Focus says it all – rail travellers want “more honesty and fewer excuses” and appear to trust radio and TV sources more than the “real time” information posted on industry websites, or at stations.

Given that passengers are paying more for a lesser service, particularly on overcrowded rush-hour services, they have a right to be kept informed of hold-ups – and the causes.

And, while the train operators made sympathetic noises yesterday, it remains to be seen whether they are genuinely committed to putting passengers first or whether their bad habits will resume in the near future.

Either way, the Government needs to set challenging targets on this issue in every future franchise agreement. It should not come to this – keeping customers on-side is very basic business – but, sadly, this is the way of Britain’s railways in 2011.

Government Britain