OVERALL satisfaction with ScotRail services remains unchanged since Abellio took over the franchise, though an increasing number of passengers have complained about a lack of seating or standing capacity on trains.
The latest nationwide survey of customer satisfaction by independent watchdog, Transport Focus, among train users found that nine in 10 ScotRail passengers thought the service was either good or satisfactory, equalling the previous record for ScotRail customer satisfaction.
On most markers, satisfaction levels were unchanged between Spring 2015, when the previous First Group franchise term ended, and Autumn 2015, six months after Dutch operator Abellio took over the running of the service.
However, there were significant improvements in the number of customers pleased with the connections between ScotRail services and other public transport, the helpfulness and attitude of train staff, and the cleanliness of the train exterior.
Only one area experienced a significant decline in passenger satisfaction, with a seven per cent decline in the number of passengers who felt there was enough room to sit or stand on ScotRail trains.
The survey coincided with a period when ScotRail came under fire over a shortage of space on the new Borders Railway, which was launched initially with only two carriages on the Edinburgh-Tweedbank route.
Overall, 72 per cent of ScotRail customers were satisfied with train capacity, putting the rail service roughly halfway between the best-rated operation - the Heathrow Express, with 90 per cent customer satisfaction - and the lowest, Transport for London, with 46 per cent customer satisfaction.
Around one in six ScotRail customers believed their ticket was value for money, and half were satisfied with how well ScotRail handle delays.
Chief executive of Transport Focus, Anthony Smith, said: “Passengers are in broad agreement that ScotRail is doing a good job, but there is still room for improvement. Less than two thirds of passengers think they’re getting value for money and only around half think that their train company deals well with delays.
“ScotRail and Network Rail should listen to customer views, both positive and negative, and strive for even better results.”
Phil Verster, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance said: “When people think about the railway, it’s often about the trains and the track. As important as these are, the reality is that the railway is only as good as the people who make it work. These figures show that we are incredibly fortunate here in Scotland to have thousands of people who work on our trains, in our stations and in our depots who are so obviously dedicated to delivering a good service for our customers.
“We are absolutely determined to give the people of Scotland a railway that they can be proud of. To do this, we cannot sit back and relax for a moment. So, while this rise in customer satisfaction is great news it only drives us to work even harder.
“Over the next couple of years we are delivering ScotRail’s biggest ever train improvement programme and new faster, longer, greener trains will be introduced in 2017. We will be refurbishing huge swathes of our current fleet and introducing great benefits like enhanced wifi and at-seat power sockets. This means more seats, shorter journey times and a better experience for our customers.”
Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK, added: “The entire team in ScotRail should be very proud of this achievement, especially in the first year of the franchise. It’s never easy to get these kind of results at the best of times, but to get them in the transition year when the franchise hands over to the new operator is an excellent performance."
Meanwhile, there was a mixed picture for cross-Border services.
Ten areas of Virgin Trains East Coast have experienced a significant decline in passenger satisfaction between Spring 2015, when the franchise left public ownership, to Autumn 2015
The biggest declines in customer satisfaction related to the on-board toilet facilities, the availability of staff at stations and on trains, the comfort of the seating areas on trains, luggage space, and cleanliness.
In contrast, Virgin Trains's West Coast service experienced a significant improvement in customer satisfaction on three markers compared to Spring 2015 - shelter facilities at stations, punctuality and reliability of services, and the length of time a journey was expected to take.
First TransPennine Express mostly stayed the same, but there were notable declines in customer satisfaction in relation to how well the train company dealt with delays, punctuality and reliability, and sufficient room for passengers to sit or stand.
CrossCountry was unchanged, except on ratings for personal at stations, which was down four per cent in six months.
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