CrossCountry Ranks Lowest in UK Rail Satisfaction Survey
Fewer than half of UK rail commuters believe their train fare offers value for money, according to a shocking new survey. The CrossCountry long-distance service emerged as the least satisfying operator overall.
Only 49% of commuters were satisfied with the fare they paid, compared to 67% of leisure travellers who considered it good value. Of over 100,000 passengers surveyed immediately after their journey, 87% were satisfied with their overall experience. However, this figure dropped to 79% for CrossCountry customers.
CrossCountry acknowledged the results were “disappointing” but stated: “We know we must do more to deliver the service our customers rightly deserve.”
Alex Robertson, chief executive of Transport Focus, commented: “These results show that it’s possible for the railway to get it right, but that this isn’t happening consistently enough. The gap between the worst and best performing operators is striking, and it also shows that disabled passengers are experiencing a worse service than everyone else.”
He added: “More than nine in 10 people will report a positive experience if a delay is handled well – a remarkably high figure given their train is late – but this falls to one in four when it isn’t. Fixing this is well within the railway’s control and should be a priority.”
In contrast, Hull Trains passengers were the most satisfied, with 94% rating their journey positively. Its chief executive, Graham Sutherland, said: “We’ve clearly demonstrated on the east coast mainline that having effective competition there has driven more volumes and more sustainable transport, and brought real value to customers.”
CrossCountry is expected to be brought into public ownership next year. The survey, the UK’s largest rail satisfaction poll, questioned more than 100,000 passengers in the six months to the end of March.
