Passenger complaints fall - but remain at high levels

The number of passenger complaints per 100,000 journeys in the second quarter of 2017-18 (Q2, 2017-18) was down 2.2% compared with the corresponding period in 2016-17.

However, according to Office of Rail and Road (ORR) statistics, it remains the second highest figure for the period since 2013-14.

Punctuality and reliability is the major reason for complaints, accounting for 23% of all complaints, although this was a fall of four percentage points (pp) compared with a year ago.

Next comes ticket buying facilities (8% and up 1pp), followed by online ticket sales (7% and down 3pp), insufficient room to sit or stand (6% and up 1pp), and on-board facilities (5% and up 2pp).

The ORR says the decline in complaints about train service performance could be due to better train punctuality, or to newer complaints categories which could mean that fewer complaints are classified as relating to punctuality.

Grand Central was the most complained-about company, with 158 per 100,000 passenger journeys, although this does represent a 51% fall compared with the figure for Q2 2016-17. Next came Caledonian Sleeper and Virgin West Coast (both 154 per 100,000 journeys), Hull Trains (152) and Virgin Trains East Coast (142).

At the other end of the table, London Overground recorded just one complaint per 100,000 passenger journeys. The next four least-complained about companies were TfL Rail (2), Merseyrail (8), Northern (18) and Govia Thameslink Railway (19).

Nine train operators answered all complaints within 20 working days, with another 11 above the 90% threshold. Only South Western Railway, Heathrow Express and Virgin West Coast failed to reach that mark.

Email or web forms are now the most common methods for passengers to complain about their train company, accounting for 68% of all complaints. Telephone calls made up 21% of the total, and letters 10%.

On the downside, 61% of passengers say they are dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint, and 52% with the way in which their complaint was handled. The number of appeals about complaints rose by 73% year on year to a record 1,422.

The National Rail Enquiries telephone service recorded its first increase in the number of calls in the second quarter of the year since 2002-03, with 880,556 calls made during the period (a rise of 7%).