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Research and Reports

A database of documents and reports released by industry bodies. You can download the document by clicking on its title, and can filter reports by author or subject. If you have a report you would like to submit to the Rail Hub, please email [email protected].

 

  • National Rail Strikes June 2022: The Passenger Experience

    20/06/2022
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Three key recommendations to ease the pain for passengers from rail strikes have been made by Transport Focus. The passenger watchdog calls on the rail industry to consider how to compensate season ticket holders who do not travel on non-strike days due to a late start to the service, or who travel on a strike day (or the day following) but arrive significantly later than normal. It also urges operators to clarify the National Rail Conditions of Travel, whereby if a passenger is entitled to a refund for their unused outward ticket, they can also have their money back on the ticket for their return leg (or vice versa). Lastly, efforts must be increased to help passengers understand when the service will start later, or finish earlier - including on the day after strike action.

  • National Rail Passenger Survey: Spring 2017 Main Report

    01/08/2017
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Overall satisfaction with the train operating companies measured in the Spring 2017 wave of the National Rail Passenger Survey varied between 72% (Southern) and 97% (Hull Trains). Nationally, the figure stood at 83% (up from 80% in Spring 2016 and 81% that autumn). However, the proportion of passengers satisfied with value for money for the price of their ticket remained under half - 47% (compared to 46% in Spring 2016). TF conducts its survey across the franchised railway - and in the Spring 2017 wave on four non-franchised operators as well.

  • Passenger perceptions of personal security on the railways

    01/05/2016
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    The latest version of a paper that first appeared in 2009 reports that people feel more secure on the railway than they have done in the past. The autumn 2015 National Rail Passenger Survey showed that satisfaction with personal security on the train was running at 79% (up from 75% in Spring 2010), while the equivalent measure while using stations was 73% (up from 65%). Satisfaction with the availability of staff on stations is also up; only the measure for the availability of staff on the train is down - from 46% to 44%. Key findings of the report include that time-limited alcohol bans can be effective and that monitored CCTV and help points should be fitted on stations without staff.

  • Smarter Travel: New types of tickets with smart ticketing: what do passengers think about carnets?

    01/01/2016
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    “When designed well, smart ticketing schemes can help to deliver more convenient and cost-effective product options. Passengers tell us that being able to access better value, more personalised tickets is a key benefit of smart ticketing,” says Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith in his foreword to this, one of a trio of ticketing reports released by TF in January. The purpose of the report was to look at both new (in particular carnet) and existing ticket products for frequent travellers who do not fit the traditional ‘five-day-a-week’ commuting category. According to the TF analysis, some 83% of people indicated they would buy at least one of the following carnet products: 20 tickets/15% discount/12-month expiry (47%); ten tickets/10% discount/three-month expiry (24%); five tickets/5%/one-month expiry (12%).

  • Smartcards on c2c: what do passengers think?

    01/01/2016
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Train operator c2c introduced smart ticketing in 2014. This research is effectively a case study that is seen as of potential use to others, as and when smartcards are rolled out more widely. The report found that the new approach was popular with season ticket holders, smart cards being seen as more durable than paper tickets, as well as easy and convenient. However it also found that travellers wanting daily tickets could be frustrated by the fact that tickets could not at first be bought online (a situation that has now changed). More than half of those using smart ticketing asked for some kind of assistance, and while of those buying annual tickets 58% found the process easy against only 18% who found it difficult, those figures changed to 57% and 39% for those purchasing weekly tickets.

  • Using smartcards on rail in the south east of England: what do passengers want?

    01/01/2016
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    “Transport Focus wants to see technology on public transport that is designed with the passenger in mind. It needs to be simple, convenient and cost effective to use. “Smartcards are a good example of how technology can help to make public transport easier to use,” writes chief executive Anthony Smith in this report. TF’s research found passengers keen to access the benefits such ticketing can bring - expecting smartcards to be simple and convenient, as well as offering value for money. Key disadvantages would therefore be any additional cost or complexity being introduced as part of any new scheme, or the need for extra time. TF argues that “many of the challenges are around communication and support” with the industry needing to “explain how smartcards will make things better for passengers”. Staff support, it says, “is essential to any new programme.”

  • Train Punctuality: the passenger perspective

    05/11/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Transport Focus argues that a punctual railway should be a key focus for Control Period 6, which starts in 2019. That is a core conclusion from a report that demonstrates a big gap between what the industry considers ‘on time’ and passengers’ perceptions - and that satisfaction with the service depends partly on that. Transport Focus and the Office of Rail and Road found that for every minute a train arrives after its scheduled time, overall passenger satisfaction drops by 1.5%. That is despite the fact that a train is not officially ‘late’ until the delay reaches five minutes, or ten minutes for long-distance services. It means that for a train that arrives 4min 59sec after it is scheduled to - and is therefore officially ‘on time’ - satisfaction will have fallen by more than 6%. For commuters, the drop is double, at 3% per minute. The report says that 82% of passengers are satisfied with punctuality if a train arrives early or within 59 seconds of its booked time. The ORR already uses right time punctuality data, which was introduced as a performance indicator in April 2014.

  • Customer Complaint Handling Procedure April 2015

    01/04/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Latest version of Transport Focus’ customer complaints procedure.

  • What passengers want from customer reports

    26/03/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Transport Focus’ report on different franchises – their plans for the railway and commitments to passengers.

  • Proposals for the East Midlands Trains Direct Award

    23/03/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Train operator companies nominated for EMT Direct Award.

  • Buying Advance tickets on the day of travel: what do passengers think?

    06/03/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Report on trial on CrossCountry trains where passengers could buy advance tickets on the day of travel.

  • ATW disruption update – January 2015

    03/03/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Update on Arriva Trains Wales disruption

  • The passenger impact of engineering overruns at London King’s Cross and London Paddington on 27 December 2014

    12/02/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Passenger Focus recommends that a decision to start/terminate long-distance trains at an alternative location, whether planned in advance, as a result of a formal contingency timetable or through control decisions on the day, should be accompanied by a plan to provide the level of staff and other resources necessary to meet passengers’ reasonable needs.

  • Rail passengers and apps – what’s next

    05/02/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    For commuters, use of rail app functions was mostly limited to checking departure times and information about disruption. As such, the speed of apps was critical. Business and leisure travellers used a different but still limited number of functions.

  • Ticket to Ride – an update

    03/02/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Passenger Focus has always taken the view that everyone should buy a ticket when travelling on the railways. Passengers who avoid paying their fare are, in effect, being subsidised by the vast majority.

  • National Rail Passenger Survey Autumn 2014

    30/01/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Open access operators Grand Central and Heathrow Express scored the highest satisfaction ratings in Passenger Focus’ latest National Rail Passenger Survey. Both recorded an overall satisfaction rating of 94% in the autumn 2014 survey. The highest-placed franchised operator was Chiltern Railways in third (91%). At the other end of the scale, lowest-ranked Southeastern suffered an 11% drop in overall satisfaction (to 74%). The overall satisfaction figure of 81% is a fall from autumn 2013’s 83%, while the percentage of passengers content with punctuality and reliability also fell (79% to 77%).

  • National Rail Passenger Survey Autumn 2014

    27/01/2015
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Results of the Autumn 2014 survey providing a network-wide picture of passenger satisfaction. Overall satisfaction is down by 2% on the Autumn 2013 survey.

  • Initial observations: railway engineering overruns Christmas 2014

    30/12/2014
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    How the incidents were managed. Report not designed to pre-empt the full review, but to ensure key questions from a passenger perspective are addressed.

  • Smarter travel, using contactless payment

    15/12/2014
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Research to understand passenger views of smart ticketing. Respondents were split - some appreciated ease of use, while others were concerned about security.

  • Passenger information screens at railway stations

    05/11/2014
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Research into understanding passengers’ experiences of current systems and their aspirations for the future.

  • Rail passengers’ priorities for improvements

    08/10/2014
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    For the first time free Wi-Fi appeared in the top ten passenger priorities. Details on journey purposes for passengers on page 9 is interesting.

  • Govia Thameslink Railway customer report

    26/08/2014
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Summary of company and how customers can give feedback.

  • Rail Passenger Trust Survey

    07/08/2014
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    PF aims to establish a benchmark to help understand the public’s trust/confidence in the railways, to complement existing customer satisfaction research.

  • Abellio Greater Anglia annual report to customers 2013-14

    30/06/2014
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Performance figures for Abellio Greater Anglia during 2013-14.

  • National Rail Passenger Survey

    19/06/2014
    Transport Focus SearchResearchItems

    Research shows how today’s passenger operators performed, what passengers like and where TOCs must improve. Satisfaction was broadly similar to Spring 2013.