25.02.11
Improving Welsh stations for passengers
Unhappy Welsh rail passengers’ main concerns are with unstaffed stations with no information, safety and accessibility.
Trains watchdog Passenger Focus worked with the Wales Transport Research Centre to try to find why satisfaction scores with stations in Wales are consistently lower than the British average.
Ashwin Kumar, Passenger Focus rail director, said: “Passengers tell us repeatedly that when disruption occurs, they need accurate and timely information. However, there are still too many instances where passengers are left standing on isolated stations, waiting for a delayed train with no idea when or if their train will show up.”
Owen Clark, research fellow at the Wales Transport Research Centre at the University of Glamorgan added: “Unstaffed stations are a vital gateway to the rail network. All stations should be accessible, provide a secure environment and have modern enclosed shelters, and allow passengers to access real-time information.”
Stella Mair-Thomas, Passenger Focus board member in Wales, agrees: “Passenger satisfaction with stations in Wales has traditionally lagged behind the rest of Britain. Although this gap has started to close in recent years with greater investment, innovative solutions to give passengers better information would be a welcome step forward.”
The report said: “Areas of dissatisfaction include station facilities and services, availability of staff, the upkeep and repair of the station and the overall station environment. Analysis of National Passenger Survey data, as well as other studies, has demonstrated that there is a relationship between the size of the station and the level of passenger satisfaction. A National Audit Office study, for example, showed that the 95 largest rail stations enjoyed the highest levels of passenger satisfaction. The evidence suggests that passengers are consistently less satisfied with medium- to small-sized stations, which are often unstaffed or only staffed for part of the day, and have few station facilities.”
The watchdog wants real-time information at every unstaffed station as a minimum, along with waiting area improvements and more community-station partnerships.
It has shared the research findings with the Welsh Assembly Government and welcomed recent promises to address information and accessibility issues, particularly as part of future franchise considerations.
As part of the research, one passenger commented: “Real-time information would be good. I was once stuck for 30 minutes at the station, there had been an accident affecting the line, but I had no way of getting any information.”
Another said: “If there was an automated machine at the station that would be useful. I think everyone would agree, in the mornings it’s just impossible, unless the guard is at the door where you get on, you can’t get a ticket, and the queue at Cardiff can take at least 15 minutes.”
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