Less than half of rail passengers nationwide believe they are getting value for money, according to the independent transport user watchdog.
Overall, passenger satisfaction with rail services in Great Britain has risen slightly but remains ‘patchy’.
Transport Focus' National Rail Passenger Survey for Autumn 2015 polled more than 28,000 people and found only 48% of passengers across the country feel they are getting value for money, while overall satisfaction levels were at 83%, a rise of 2% on the previous autumn.
Are the fares fair? 52% say no
The watchdog says that problems faced by some rail commuters are holding back a bigger recovery in passenger satisfaction. The overall score for commuter satisfaction was 76%, significantly higher than the scores for business and leisure travellers.
Following disruption for commuters in the South East, including the rebuilding of London Bridge station, the watchdog has called for the Government, Network Rail and train companies to start to restore trust ‘with credible promises, backed by the delivery of sustained, improved performance’.
Chief executive Anthony Smith said: ‘Punctuality and crowding drive passenger views of the railway. Passengers rightly expect the train companies and Network Rail to keep to their basic promises with most trains on time, the right length and with few cancellations.’
He added: ‘Passengers must be involved much more closely in the planning of future big investment programmes, such as at Waterloo and Euston. In addition, these schemes should have realistic expectations about performance and price freezes built in from the start. The deserved credit for the investment will be much harder to claim otherwise.’
Overall satisfaction with specific train companies ranged from 73% for Thameslink to 97% for First Hull Trains. The companies with the worst ratings have all been affected by disruption at London Bridge.
Rail minister Claire Perry said: ‘I have been absolutely clear that I want passengers across London and the South East to get the best possible service every time they travel. Today’s figures show that overall satisfaction in this area is improving, and this is testament to the record investment and the hard work of rail staff who made it happen.’
She added: ‘But I know that passengers on this part of the network haven’t always received the service they deserve and clearly there is much more to be done. That is why I continue to meet regularly with the industry to ensure performance here improves, while our investment in schemes such as the Thameslink programme and Crossrail will transform travel across the capital in just a few years’ time.’
