Bad day for Southern Rail as campaigners respond to passenger satisfaction survey

30 June 2016

Lianna Etkind, Public Transport Campaigner, Campaign for Better Transport said:

“It’s no surprise to see that less than half of passengers feel that their tickets represent value for money. Many people quite rightly ask why they are paying thousands of pounds a year to use trains which cannot be relied upon to get them to work on time, or back home in time to see their families.

“The picture is particularly bad in London and the South East of England where less than a quarter of passengers feeling like their rail fares are a fair deal. The recent fiasco on Southern Railway illustrates starkly why passengers feel so angry at having to fork out for trains which are consistently late or cancelled, without even being able to rely on getting a seat.

“In contrast, London Overground and MerseyRail have seen passenger satisfaction rise in response to increasing local accountability. These statistics are a wake-up call for other rail lines to follow suit. We need the Government to take stronger action in driving a simpler, fairer fares system and making sure that rail companies are accountable to those they serve”.

For further information please contact:

Richard Watkins, Press Officer, at Campaign for Better Transport on 020 7566 6494 / 07984 773468 or richard.watkins@bettertransport.org.uk

Notes to editors

• The National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) is undertaken by Transport Focus and was published on 30 June 2016.
• Some key findings of the Spring 2016 survey show:
  • 80 per cent of overall passengers said they were satisfied overall with their journey – down 3 per cent compared to Autumn 2015
  • 45 per cent satisfied with value for money – no real difference from Spring 2015
  • 73 per cent of passengers said they were satisfied with punctuality/reliability – down from 75 per cent in Spring 2015
• The highest ratings for overall satisfaction were achieved by Grand Central (96 per cent), First Hull Trains (94 per cent), Virgin Trains (92 per cent), Chiltern Railways (91 per cent) and Heathrow Express (91 per cent).
• The lowest ratings for overall satisfaction were given to Southern (69 per cent), Southeastern (69 per cent), Great Northern (74 per cent), Thameslink (74 per cent), and Abellio Greater Anglia (77 per cent). 
• Campaign for Better Transport is the UK’s leading authority on sustainable transport. We champion transport solutions that improve people’s lives and reduce environmental damage. Our campaigns push innovative, practical policies at local and national levels. Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust is a registered charity (1101929)