18.12.17
Timely information essential if passengers are to tolerate disruptions
Passengers are understanding about disruptions caused by railway maintenance so long as they are given the right help and information, a report has said today.
Transport Focus’s report, ‘Routine railway maintenance: passenger perspectives and priorities’, published last week, looks at passengers’ views on disruption.
It reveals that passengers understand the need to keep the railway in good condition when it is explained to them, but are frustrated by poor communication of alternatives if the service is altered.
Transport Focus is now calling on the industry to tell passengers why the work is happening, give them accurate and timely information at least 12 weeks in advance so that they can plan their journeys with confidence, and help passengers with alternative options, which should be communicated clearly.
Network Rail, Southeastern and Govia Thameslink Railway have signed up to a working group chaired by Transport Focus, to tackle the issues highlighted in the research in an attempt to improve passenger experience during disruption caused by routine maintenance.
Chief executive of Transport Focus, Anthony Smith, said that passengers will tolerate a certain level of disruption if it will help with the long term running of the railway, but that “they expect to be kept well informed and helped to make alternative plans where needed.”
John Halsall, Network Rail’s route managing director for the south east, added: “The railway in the south east is the most intensively used part of our national network and requires regular maintenance to keep trains running safely and reliably.
“Understanding what passengers want means we can put their needs at the heart of how we manage the railway, which is why this research is so valuable to us as we develop our plans for the next few years.”
Top image: Alastair Grant - PA images
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