Rail passenger satisfaction rises again

Passenger Focus has published the results of the National Passenger Survey for Autumn 2009, which reveals that overall customer satisfaction has increased again to eighty-three per cent (a rise of two percentage points since Spring 2009). The overall customer satisfaction rating for First Great Western (FGW) increased to eighty-two per cent (a rise of one percentage point since Spring 2009) – this increase was mainly attributable to a five per cent improvement in customer satisfaction with the company’s ‘value for money for the price of a ticket (a rise of five percentage points to fifty per cent). The satisfaction of FGW customers with the company’s punctuality and reliability remain unchanged at eighty per cent. FGW customers continue to be critical of the company’s handling of delays (just forty-one per cent of customers were satisfied) and with on-board toilet facilities (only forty-five per cent of customers were satisfied). The overall customer satisfaction rating for South West Trains (SWT) rose to eighty-six per cent (a rise of one percentage point since Spring 2009) – customer satisfaction with SWT punctuality and reliability was eighty-nine per cent. SWT customers continue to be critical of the cost of rail fares (only thirty-nine per cent of customers considered that SWT fares represented ‘value for money’) and the company’s handling of delays (just forty-one per cent of customers were satisfied). The overall customer satisfaction rating for CrossCountry remained at eighty-five per cent. The overall customer satisfaction rating for Arriva Trains Wales declined to eighty-six per cent (a fall of one percentage point since Spring 2009).

Threat to discounted bus travel for employees

Many schemes that provide discounted bus travel to thousands of employees in South West England are under threat following new advice issued by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) – at present many staff in the South West of England purchase bus passes from their gross pay, thereby reducing their income tax and national insurance payments. HMRC has now issued new guidance stating that these schemes are only permissible where the employer provides direct support for the specified bus service(s) and where the bus pass can only be used for travel on the supported bus service. Many schemes in South West England provide the employee with an area-wide or network bus pass – HMRC states that it will permit such schemes to continue until the agreed expiry date, but will not sanction any new schemes in the region unless they meet the revised eligibility criteria.

Transdev Yellow Buses Smartcard

New smartcards designed to make bus travel easier and quicker have gone into use on the entire Transdev Yellow Buses (TYB) network in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, following a successful pilot on the company’s service 3 (Bournemouth Square – Royal Bournemouth Hospital). The new ‘Glo’ card replaces the former ‘Yellow Card’ and is similar in system design to the Transport for London ‘Oyster’ facility – the company has installed new ticket machines on one hundred and ten buses to support the introduction of the new smartcard. The introduction of the new card is expected to deliver faster boarding and shorter journey times.

New rail franchises to deliver station travel plans

Prospective train operators will, in future, have to include proposals for a specified number of station travel plans in their bid documents for new rail franchises – the Department for Transport (DfT) expects that future franchise bids will include a proposal for the completion of a station travel plan whenever, for example, it is envisaged that additional car or cycle parking will be provided.

Track access review launched

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has commenced a review into its own track access policies, as it attempts to balance competing demands from freight companies and from passenger train operators, both franchised and ‘open access’ – the ORR is increasingly faced with proposals for a number of alternative train services competing for limited capacity on certain congested parts of the network. It is expected that the review will be completed within two years.

Competition Commission calls for evidence

The Competition Commission has given any interested party until Thursday 4 March to comment on a number of specific issues relating to the current inquiry into the supply of local bus services in Great Britain (excepting Greater London) – the Commission has also stated that it expects to complete the inquiry by June 2011, six months earlier than the two-year statutory limit.

First Change Tickets

The bus operators, First Bristol and First Somerset and Avon, have agreed that from Sunday 7 February ‘change’ tickets, issued when the driver is unable to give the correct change to the passenger, can be used towards the on-board payment of a fare, in addition to the existing facility of an exchange for cash at one of the company’s five travel shops (Bath, Bristol, Taunton, Wells and Weston-super-Mare).

Council support for rail infrastructure upgrade

Purbeck District Council has agreed to contribute one hundred thousand pounds towards the Worget junction signalling and track upgrade scheme, been undertaken by Network Rail – the scheme has a budget of three million pounds. The contribution from the local authority has been made to ensure that the completed scheme will retain the ability for through trains to operate between Swanage and Wareham.

More time for DsSTS studies

The Department for Transport (DfT0 has agreed that stage one of the six regional ‘Delivering a Sustainable Transport Strategy’ (DaSTS) studies for South West of England should now be completed by the end of June, rather than the previously agreed date of 30 April 2010.

And finally,

Stuart Morrissey, a motorcycle enthusiast, who has raised over thirty thousand pounds for charity during the last seven years, has demanded that his photograph be removed immediately from one of the buses operated by First Devon and Cornwall, following a dispute with the company!