Train passengers are '˜least satisfied' new survey reveals

Train passengers in Hastings and Rother are among the least satisfied in the country, according to a new survey.
Southeastern train SUS-150720-174803001Southeastern train SUS-150720-174803001
Southeastern train SUS-150720-174803001

Research by Which? found Southeastern to be the joint worst performing rail service, alongside Thameslink and Great Northern, with a satisfaction rating of 46 per cent. Southern achieved a score of 48 per cent in the poll of 6,986 passengers.

The survey sought passenger views on a number of different aspects of their journey, including the availability of seating, cleanliness of toilets, reliability, punctuality and value for money.

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A spokesperson for Southeastern said: “While the Which? report questioned fewer passengers than the recent National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) - which shows our overall customer satisfaction rate at 75 per cent - both clearly indicate we have much more to do.

“We’re part way through a £70 million investment programme, refurbishing our trains and stations, providing more front line employees for passengers, improving customer service training and providing more real time information during journeys.

“The NRPS survey showed passengers have noticed, as satisfaction in these areas has risen, but punctuality is the key driver of satisfaction for most. Along with Network Rail who look after railway infrastructure such as track and signalling, we’re working hard to improve punctuality and minimise delays.”

A Southern spokesperson said: “The Which? Survey of fewer than 1,200 passenger journeys has to be seen in the context of the 1.1 million passenger journeys made on GTR every weekday. The recent NRPS showed a much higher satisfaction rate.

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However, what both surveys show is there is still much to do to meet our passengers’ expectations.

“We know passenger satisfaction is strongly linked to punctuality and together with our partners Network Rail, we are working hard to improve performance by reducing the delays within our control. There is no quick fix for the constraints the rebuilding of London Bridge has put on our busy network, which means any incident quickly results in a domino effect on other services. We will continue to do everything within our power to provide passengers with a better service, including providing better information during disruption and continuing with the country’s biggest ever driver recruitment and training programme.”

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