18.02.13
Which? survey votes FCC worst operator
First Capital Connect has been voted the worst train operating company by its passengers, a new survey conducted by Which? shows.
The survey of 7,500 rail commuters found that FCC scored just 40% satisfaction, alongside other operators such as Greater Anglia with 41%, Southeastern with 43% and First Great Western, also at 43%.
The best performing franchises were Virgin Rail at 67%, London Overground at 65%, c2c at 64%, and Merseyrail at 64%.
The scores are based on passengers’ overall satisfaction with a company and whether they would be likely to recommend it. Overall, only 22% of passengers felt their service was improving, despite large fare increases.
The executive director of Which?, Richard Lloyd, said: “Passengers tell us they are fed up with trains that are delayed, overcrowded and dirty. This is especially disappointing as many commuters can't shop around or change the company they travel with. Train companies need to play fair with their customers, especially when they are being asked to pay more for their journeys.”
But the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) issued a statement saying: “The independent watchdog Passenger Focus surveys up to eight times as many people a year and last month reported 85% of passengers are satisfied with their service – a record high.”
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