Filthy and overcrowded, the verdict on our trains

Last updated at 00:01 29 January 2007


Dismay at the state of the railways is revealed today in a comprehensive survey of passengers.

They express their annoyance at dirty, overcrowded trains with dismal toilet facilities and too little space for luggage.

Tatty, poorly-staffed stations with a lack of information also come out top among the gripes of the 25,000 people questioned.

The survey, by consumer pressure group Passenger Focus, comes amid inflation-busting rises in

ticket prices, with First Great Western customers last week staging a fares strike in protest at the poor service and overcrowding.

Researchers found that, nationally, just 43 per cent of passengers feel the service they receive offers value for money.

Only six out of ten are satisfied with the amount of space they have in which to sit or stand.

Fewer than four out of ten are happy with how train companies cope with delays and 41 per cent

are dissatisfied with toilet facilities.

There is also a wide variation in standards of service between the private train operators.

Dissatisfaction with rail fares and overcrowding is worst in London and the South-East, where more than a quarter of passengers complain of cramped conditions and four out of ten are unimpressed with high ticket prices.

Just over half of long-distance travellers believe the trains are value for money and 18 per cent are dissatisfied with overcrowding.

Three-quarters of Merseyrail passengers are unhappy with the state of train toilets. The lowest rating for "overall satisfaction" is

given to One, which operates between London Liverpool Street and eastern England.

Some 75 per cent of One customers said they were satisfied with the service overall, compared

with 96 per cent for Heathrow Express – the best performer.

Fewer than a third of One passengers believe they get value for money and nearly a third are

unhappy with overcrowding.

On First Great Western, subject of last week’s fares strike, more than a third of passengers feel there is insufficient room to sit or

stand. Fewer than half – 46 per cent – believe that tickets are value for money.

The worst offender for overcrowding is Southeastern, where only 51 per cent of passengers are satisfied with the space on trains.

Passengers on One’s services feel they are getting the worst deal on fares, with fewer than a third saying they are satisfied.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, said: "There are still big areas for improvement, not least value for money and

crowding. The disparity between train companies is significant: passengers have a right to expect a good level of service across the

board."

Tory transport spokesman Chris Grayling said: "The reality is that overcrowding is already endemic on many parts of the rail network.

"The problem is that passenger numbers are set to grow sharply over the next few years and the

railways are heading for an overcrowding crisis.

"Ministers are failing to take a lead in tackling the challenge head on – at the moment there seems to be little understanding that there is even a problem."

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