On track or off the rails?

Rail commuters have given mixed reviews of services from Milton Keynes, in the latest National Rail Passenger Survey.
Photo courtesy of London Midland © 2008. ENGPNL00120130908162152Photo courtesy of London Midland © 2008. ENGPNL00120130908162152
Photo courtesy of London Midland © 2008. ENGPNL00120130908162152

Train-users from across the UK took part in the poll, which covered 26 operating companies.

Virgin Trains had the second-highest overall satisfaction rate, with 92 per cent rating the service as Satisfied Or Good.

Virgin also had the fourth-best rating for value for money of tickets, and were ranked joint fifth for both punctuality and for trains having sufficient room.

A Virgin TrainA Virgin Train
A Virgin Train

And the firm was rated third for how well they dealt with delays.

While Virgin provides intercity services the ‘stopper’ route which serves Milton Keynes, Bletchley and Wolverton is provided by London Midland Trains. It also run the Marston Vale Line village between Bletchley and Bedford.

London Midland’s overall satisfaction at 86 per cent - the ninth-best among the 26 companies.

Over the last six months the company’s sharpest improvement in customer satisfaction was for its toilet facilities - although still only 49 per cent of passengers rated them as Satisfactory or Good.

A Virgin TrainA Virgin Train
A Virgin Train

Rail-users were most likely to be unhappy about car parking facilities. Almost one third - 32 per cent - gave a rating of Dissatisfied or Poor.

Numbers:

92%

Virgin Trains had the second-best rating for overall satisfaction in the UK. Only First Hull Trains were ranked more highly by passengers.

42%

Less than half of London Midland passengers were happy with how the company dealt with delays.

31

London Midland improved in 31 out of 36 categories measured by Transport Focus

Breakout quote:

Richard Brooks, commercial director at London Midland said: “We would like to thank our passengers for telling us that they are continuing to see an improving service from London Midland. This is our fourth year-on-year improvement in customer satisfaction.

“We are not complacent however and we are committed to making further improvements. Over the next 12 months we will be investing a further £15million on the things that really matter to our passengers. This includes improved cleanliness and making it easier and simpler to get information, buy tickets and travel with London Midland.”

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