Rail passengers still unhappy with service (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)

Rail passengers still unhappy with service

8:00am Tuesday 9th February 2010

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National Express East Anglia train passengers are among the least satisfied in the country, a survey has suggested.

Official watchdog Passenger Focus’s latest survey shows the company has improved its customer satisfaction rating on the previous year, but remains well below the national average.

National Express is due to lose it East Anglia rail franchise, including services through north Essex, in March 2011.

In the survey, just 79 per cent of travellers rated rail services as good, or satisfactory – the national average is 83 per cent, with some companies achieving a satisfaction rates well in excess of 90 per cent.

Just 34 per cent of East Anglian passengers questioned last autumn felt the company offered good value for money, with 33 per cent agreeing delays were handled well.

Availability of staff on trains and the standard of train toilets were also both bones of contention. Just 22 per cent were happy with the number of staff and and 20 per cent, with the toilets.

National Express East Anglia’s 79 per cent satisfaction rating was three per cent better than the previous year’s and its best-ever result.

Andrew Chivers, managing director of National Express East Anglia, said he was encouraged by the results.

He said: “We recognise there is still much more work to do in meeting our customers’ expectations and we are pressing ahead with our service improvement plan, which is already bringing benefits to thousands of customers.”

Essex’s other train operator c2c, which runs trains between London Fenchurch Street and Southend – also owned by National Express — enjoyed a 90 per cent overall customer satisfaction rating.

The Department of Transport ruled in November that National Express should lose both the East Anglia and c2c franchises after defaulting on its East Coast Main Line franchise.

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