21.03.18
Tram passengers demand better value for money from services
Satisfaction with value for money for tram passengers has dropped slightly, the latest Tram Passenger Survey has revealed.
Fare-paying passengers’ satisfaction with the value for money of tram journeys was 69% in 2016, down to 68% in 2017.
However, the overall passenger satisfaction was 91% across the five networks looked at in the survey: Manchester, Blackpool, Nottingham, Birmingham and Sheffield.
According to Transport Focus, the key factor making tram journeys “great” is the onboard environment and comfort, and satisfaction with this has remained relatively constant.
But satisfaction with the availability of seating or space to stand decreased significantly from 78% in 2016 to 75%, with the amount of personal space receiving the lowest rating of all onboard aspects, with just 72% of passengers satisfied.
Satisfaction with the punctuality of the service and the length of time waiting for the train have remained unchanged since 2016, with 88% of passengers satisfied in both of these areas.
The satisfaction with the range of payment options has increased significantly since 2016, from 78% to 82%.
Transport Focus director, David Sidebottom, said: “Overall we know tram passengers are pretty content.
“We know that what matters to them is the space, comfort and overall environment of the tram.
“Since the survey started in 2013, tram has become more popular and therefore more crowded, especially in the busy peak travel periods.
“We challenge the industry to act on this insight and maintain its high passenger satisfaction ratings into the years to come.”
Have you got a story to tell? Would you like to become an RTM columnist? If so, click here.