Three out of four passengers unhappy with Northern Rail

A national survey of 30,000 passengers found that satisfaction with how train operators handled delays fell from 44% to 40% in the past year, although levels were as low as 23% for Northern Rail.

Passenger Focus said satisfaction with how train operators handled delays varied too widely across the country, with fewer than one in four (23%) happy with Northern Rail’s South and East Yorkshire route, but a score of 69% for East Coast’s route from London to Scotland.

Total satisfaction with rail services fell from 85% to 83%, said Passenger Focus, adding that the lowest score was just 28% for the Stansted Express route.

Satisfaction rates for punctuality was 79%, down from 83% a year ago, with the figure barely changing in the last five years.

Citizens Advice said in a separate report that the number of people seeking advice about trains had leapt from 14,138 in 2012 to 43,282 last year, with most inquiries about getting compensation or making a complaint.

Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy said: “Recent hikes in travel costs infuriate commuters as people feel they are paying more for a service that is not entirely up to scratch. Delays, cramped trains and cancellations are adding extra pressure to people’s working day but people are paying more for the displeasure.

“Three times as many people sought online advice about train travel from Citizens Advice in 2013, compared to 2012.

“Passengers can send a strong message to rail firms that they are not happy with the service by complaining. At a minimum rail companies need to provide compensation if the train company was responsible for a delay of more than an hour or cancellation.”

East Coast’s overall satisfaction rating was 91%. Managing Director Karen Boswell said: “We’re very proud and pleased to have achieved a 91% overall satisfaction rating for our services. We want to say thank you to our customers for their positive and encouraging responses to the improvements we’ve already made.

“The punctuality and reliability of our services remains a high priority, and we’re working closely with infrastructure owner Network Rail to encourage continued investment in track, signals and overhead power lines.”

David Sidebottom, acting chief executive of Passenger Focus said: “There are gaps of around 20% between the best and worst-performing services, and satisfaction with value for money varied from 28% to 82%.

“Although generally satisfaction has remained fairly high over the last five years, we want to see a more consistently high level of service for passengers, wherever they may be travelling to and from.”

Satisfaction with value for money scored 45%, down from 47% in autumn 2012. The survey was carried out between September and November 2013, before announcements on rail fare increases were made.

Michael Roberts, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group, which speaks on behalf of railway companies, said: “Even though overall passenger satisfaction remains at a near record high, these latest results are a sober reminder that the industry can never be complacent on the issues that matter to passengers.

“All parts of the rail industry are stepping up efforts to reduce delays and improve how we communicate with passengers, particularly during disruption. We will continue to listen to and act on what passengers tell us is important.”

The group added that according to latest figures from the Office of Rail Regulation, the level of passenger complaints has fallen by three quarters over the last decade, from 128 complaints per 100,000 journeys in 2002/03, to 34 in 2012/13.