Satisfaction with Britain's railways has fallen as passengers 'buffeted by a perfect storm of extreme weather and timetable chaos'

  • A consumer group surveyed 25,000 passengers between January and March
  • Overall, 81 per cent of passengers – 4 in 5 – were satisfied with their journey
  • Rail operators with the biggest declines in ratings included TFL Rail in London 
  • Other operators that saw ratings dips included Southeastern and Virgin Trains

By TRANSPORT EDITOR

Published: | Updated:

Satisfaction with Britain's railways has fallen amid poor punctuality, a lack of seats and shabby stations.

Consumer group Transport Focus said passengers were also 'buffeted by a perfect storm of extreme weather and timetable chaos'. 

However, frustrations were rising even before the timetable chaos that hit the UK last month, its latest report shows.

The group surveyed 25,000 passengers between January and March. 

Satisfaction with Britain's railways has fallen amid poor punctuality, a lack of seats, shabby stations and timetable chaos

Satisfaction with Britain's railways has fallen amid poor punctuality, a lack of seats, shabby stations and timetable chaos

Overall, 81 per cent of passengers – 4 in 5 – were satisfied with their journey, down three percentage points in a year. Services were described as 'poor' by 8 per cent. 

Rail operators with the biggest declines in ratings included TFL Rail in London, where just 69 per cent were satisfied with their journey – an 18 percentage point fall in a year.

Other operators that suffered big ratings dips included Hull Trains, Heathrow Connect, Southeastern and Virgin Trains. 

Greater Anglia was accused of over-reacting after cancelling more than 1,000 services because of snow caused by the so-called Beast from the East in February.

Rail operators that suffered big ratings dips included Hull Trains, Heathrow Connect, Southeastern and Virgin Trains (pictured, file photo)

Rail operators that suffered big ratings dips included Hull Trains, Heathrow Connect, Southeastern and Virgin Trains (pictured, file photo)

Outside London the lowest ratings were awarded to Southern (69 per cent) and Southeastern (75 per cent).

Scores also fell for punctuality (72 per cent), seating availability (51 per cent), station upkeep (72 per cent) and how staff dealt with questions (85 per cent). 

Jac Starr, of the Rail Delivery Group – which represents the industry – said: 'These results show how important it is to deliver on our long-term plan to run more trains, more reliably.'

 

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