The Sleeper's Blog

03.06.16

Treating each rail passenger as a service partner

The head of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as well as representatives from different passenger groups, will give evidence about improving passenger experience to the Commons Transport Select Committee on Monday afternoon.

The list of witnesses consists of:

  • Neil Middleton, chair, Association of Public Transport Users
  • Stephen Joseph OBE, executive director, Campaign for Better Transport
  • Chris Fribbins, head of passenger group, Railfuture
  • Tim Bellenger, director of policy and investigation, London TravelWatch
  • Joanna Whittington, chief executive, Office of Rail and Road
  • Anthony Smith, chief executive, Transport Focus
  • Alex Neill, director of policy, campaigns and communications, Which?

The hearing, part of a series of Transport Committee inquiries into the future of rail, shows the increasing importance being attached to passenger experience as a measure of rail performance.

Yesterday, the ORR published its first annual report into how TOCs are meeting passengers’ needs, and Which? has made a super-complaint to the regulator on passenger compensation for delays.

The increased focus in passenger experience is a welcome move in the right direction, but it remains to be seen if it will lead to firm improvements.

With passenger numbers at a record high, it is vital that the rail industry changes its approach and treats passengers not as an inconvenience, but as a partner.

RTM will provide full coverage of the hearing on Monday.

 (Image c. AdamKR)

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