15.12.16
Passenger complaints skyrocket by 13% in Q2 figures
Complaints by rail passengers were 13% higher in the second quarter of 2016-17 than at the same point in 2015-16, new figures from the ORR have revealed.
The regulator’s latest figures show that there were 29.6 complaints per 100,000 journeys in Q2. The ORR said it is too early in the year to tell whether the increase is linked to data quality issues and changes in methodology, or if it reflects a genuine increase in complaints.
However, it suggested the change could be due to problems with rail performance, which is at the lowest level for a decade.
Punctuality and reliability was the biggest cause for concern, leading to over a quarter of complaints, whilst complaints about ticket buying facilities had the biggest growth, by 5.7%.
The DfT, in partnership with the Rail Delivery Group, announced yesterday that TOCs will be required to use language passengers can understand on ticket vending machines from May next year as part of a process to make the system simpler.
The report also showed that the company with the highest rate of complaints was Grand Central, with over 324 complaints per 100,000 journeys. This represented a 96.3% rise, driven by an increase in problems with on-board facilities, which made up nearly half of all complaints.
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) had an even higher increase, with complaints up by almost 300% from last year – approximately a third of these were about punctuality. GTR operates Southern, which has suffered from severe disruption this year, partly due to industrial disputes. The company had to cancel all services yesterday during an Aslef drivers’ strike, which it is now in talks to try to resolve.
GTR also had more complaints closed by London TravelWatch and Transport Focus than any other operator, with 208 complaints closed during this period. It was followed by South West Trains, with 105. Overall, appeals to London TravelWatch increased by 72.4%, although appeals to Transport Focus decreased by 14.9%.
Punctuality and reliability was the biggest cause of complaints for all companies, apart from Grand Central, Virgin East Coast and Virgin West Coast (on-board facilities); c2c (smartcards); TransPennine Express (sitting and standing room); and Great Western Railway (company policy).
The ORR added that the actual rate of complaints could be higher, because it excluded complaints made via social media and because Great Western, TransPennine Express and Virgin East Coast admitted that their data could be under-reported.
All companies met the goal of answering 95% of complaints within 20 working days, apart from Merseyrail, Virgin East Coast, Virgin West Coast, Great Western, Northern and TransPennine.
The report also showed that the companies most likely to receive praise from passengers were long-distance operators: Hull Trains (42.8 praise comments per 100,000 journeys); Virgin West Coast (12.1) and Virgin East Coast (10.4).
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