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A passenger perspective on the Northern franchisefranchise
Sharon HedgesMay 2014
Passenger FocusPassenger Focus• Independent watchdog for Britain’s rail
*passengers*• Extensive research to inform evidence-
based campaigning• Aim to influence decisions on behalf of
passengers• Work with DfT and industry to encourageWork with DfT and industry to encourage
passenger interests to be placed at heart of franchise specification and bid proposalsfranchise specification and bid proposals
* Also bus, coach and tram passenger representation in England outside of London New role proposed for roadEngland outside of London. New role proposed for road users.
Topics:Topics:
• National Rail Passenger Survey results• Passenger priorities for improvementg p p• Qualitative research conducted with
Northern and TPE passengersNorthern and TPE passengers• Transparency and passenger engagement
High level recommendations for franchise• High level recommendations for franchise
TREND IN OVERALL SATISFACTIONTREND IN OVERALL SATISFACTION
100
86 87 8886 86 87 86 86
84 8482 82 82 83 83
90
8082 82 82
80 80
7678
70
80
SA
TIS
FIED
60
% S
50
40Spring 09 Autumn
09Spring 10 Autumn
10Spring 11 Autumn
11Spring 12 Autumn
12Spring 13 Autumn
13
Regional Northern
Trend in overall satisfaction
Regional Northern
TREND IN OVERALL SATISFACTION:TREND IN OVERALL SATISFACTION:NORTHERN BY ROUTE
100
8688
8687 8785
90
93
8785 86 8686
90
83
86
83
86
79
76
84
79 7876
84
78
83
78
75
78
85
82
7977
80
85 8684
86
80
75
8386
8280
ATI
SFI
ED
74 73 72
757475
70% S
A
Short commute average: 83%Manchester and Liverpool, Tyne Tees and Wear
60Interurban average: 87%South and East YorkshireRural average 83%Lancashire and Cumbria, West and North Yorkshire
50Spring 10 Autumn 10 Spring 11 Autumn 11 Spring 12 Autumn 12 Spring 13 Autumn 13
Lancashire and Cumbria Manchester and Liverpool South and East Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
Trend in overall satisfaction
Tyne Tees and Wear West and North Yorkshire
Northern: overall satisfaction by route and journey type (autumn 2013)
8288
82
91 9090
100
77
66
7571
7582
75 75
63
72
82
50
60
70
80
sfie
d
44
20
30
40
50
% s
atis
0
10
Lancashire and Cumbria
Manchester and Liverpool
South and East Yorkshire
Tyne Tees and Wear
West and North Yorkshire
Commute Business Leisure
Drivers of customer satisfaction Spring 2013/ Autumn 2013Drivers of customer satisfaction – Spring 2013/ Autumn 2013(bar size shows share of overall satisfaction due to factor)
Northern Rail
RegionalRegional
Punctuality/reliabilityCleanliness inside trainThe ease of being able to get on/off the trainComfort of the seating areaProvision of information about train times/platformsValue for money Overall station environmentOthers
Key drivers analysis
Drivers of customer dissatisfaction Autumn 2012/ Spring 2013Drivers of customer dissatisfaction – Autumn 2012/ Spring 2013(bar size shows share of overall satisfaction due to factor)
Northern Rail
RegionalRegional
H t i d lt ith d lHow train company dealt with delaysPunctuality/reliabilityLength of time journey was scheduled to takeCleanliness inside trainHow request to station staff was handled Comfort of the seating area Ease of being able to get on and off the trainOthers
Key drivers analysis
Northern: satisfaction by route(autumn 2013)
51 57 63 60 56
58 58 65 70 73 65sa
tisfie
d
26 33 23 53 46 35
51 57 42 63 60 56%
76 76 75 78 80 77
Lancashire Manchester South and Tyne Tees West and Overalland Cumbria and Liverpool East
Yorkshireand Wear North
Yorkshire
Punctuality How well dealt with delays
Value for money Cleanliness inside train
50%
Drivers of customer satisfaction – change over last two years
35%37% 38%
40%40%
D
31%
22%23% 23%20%
30%
% S
ATI
SFI
ED
15% 16%14% 13%
10%
5%7% 8% 8%5% 4%
7%9%
5% 4%
14%
4%
10%12%
5% 6%4%
18% 17% 17%
7%
10%
20%%
2%5%3%
5% 4%5% 4%2%
4%5% 4%
0%Autumn 11 Spring 12 Autumn 12 Spring 13 Autumn 13
P li / li bili Cl li i id iPunctuality/reliability Cleanliness inside train
Comfort of seating area Overall station environment
Length of time journey was scheduled to take Ease of being able to get on and off train
Info provision on train times/platforms Others
LENGTH OF DELAY – NORTHERN BUILDING BLOCKS(Mean length in minutes)
55
44
39
46
31
10 10 10 11
15
10
Tyne Tees & Wear Manchester & Liverpool
Lancashire & Cumbria
West & North Yorkshire
South & East Yorkshire
Delay =23% extra for journey
Delay =32% extra
Delay =18% extra
Delay =28% extra
Delay =33% extra
for journey for journey18% extra for journey for journey for journey
TREND IN HANDLING OF DELAYS
6770
Northern by route
T T &
53 5350
60Tyne Tees & Wear: NA
44
34 34 33
4144 45 45
34
4440
47
40
46
40
ATI
SFI
ED
2825 26 2627
34 34
25
33
23
34
20
30% S
Short commute average: 37%Manchester and Liverpool Tyne Tees and Wear
10
Manchester and Liverpool, Tyne Tees and WearInterurban average: 47%South and East YorkshireRural average 46%Lancashire and Cumbria, West and North Yorkshire
0Autumn 09 / Spring
10Autumn 10 / Spring
11Autumn 11 / Spring
12Autumn 12 / Spring
13Autumn 13
Lancashire and Cumbria Manchester and Liverpool South and East Yorkshire
Tyne Tees and Wear West and North Yorkshire
% SAYING NORTHERN DID WELL ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF DELAYS VERSUS% SAYING NORTHERN DID WELL ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF DELAYS – VERSUS OTHER REGIONAL TOCS
19
Best TOC Regional Northern
69
43
41
28
31
19
THE TIME TAKEN TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM
THE AVAILABILITY OF ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT IF THE TRAINSERVICE COULD NOT CONTINUE
(Arriva Trains Wales)
(Arriva Trains Wales)
54
69
45
44
45THE SPEED WITH WHICH INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED (Arriva Trains Wales)
( )
55
55
46
48
42
44
THE ACCURACY OF INFORMATION GIVEN ABOUT THE DELAY
THE USEFULNESS OF THE INFORMATION
(Arriva Trains Wales)
(Arriva Trains Wales)
5443
38THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOUT THE DELAY
(Arriva Trains Wales)
Building block/route data for Northern
TOC TOCIndexSectorStation attributes South &
East Yorkshire
Lancashire & Cumbria
Manchester & Liverpool
Tyne Tees & Wear
West & North
Yorkshire
Overall satisfaction with the station 74 72 80 86 79
Ticket buying facilities 81 65 88 86 80
Provision of information about train times/platforms 76 75 88 84 89
The upkeep/repair of the station buildings/platforms 68 72 80 78 76The upkeep/repair of the station buildings/platforms 68 72 80 78 76
Cleanliness 63 72 84 84 81
The facilities and services 53 44 71 71 54
The attitudes and helpfulness of the staff 70 73 78 77 77
Connections with other forms of public transport 62 68 80 72 62
Facilities for car parking 56 52 62 56 50
Overall environment 66 69 83 73 72
Your personal security whilst using the station 64 66 76 68 67
The availability of staff 63 58 63 66 59
The provision of shelter facilities 76 67 78 77 73
A il bilit f ti 62 51 64 70 57Availability of seating 62 51 64 70 57
How request to station staff was handled 95 87 89 92 77
The choice of shops/eating/drinking facilities available 38 42 56 45 47
Blue font: aspects of journey which are particularly important to passengers
Passenger priorities for improvementPassenger priorities for improvement
• Update of previous national and regional k t b bli h d h tlwork to be published shortly
• Typically, top factors feature:– Value for money– Punctuality and reliability– Sufficient train services (frequency)– Getting a seatg– Information if there is delay
2012 findings – Opportunities for improvement g pp pon Northern I want the company to do more than just
provide a service that works, but aspire to provide a great service
(Sheffield – Commuter )
• Aspects of service which are passenger priorities for improvement
They have a mentality of thinking that if
– Rolling stock– Overcrowding
They have a mentality of thinking that if it runs, it’s OK – rather than thinking
how could we run this better?(Sheffield – Leisure)
– Functionality of stations– Fare evasion (= higher fares for honest users and
worse service)All generating a feeling of poor value for money
• Other views explored included staffing and timetables
Northern Rail rolling stock seen as not acceptablep
This does matter to passengers and adversely affects their journey
i
The rolling stock is dated and not well-maintained
Like an old steam A bit di tt ll ld experience:
o Uncomfortableo Sometimes considered dangerouso Indicates lack of pride professionalism and
train(Sheffield - Leisure)
A bit dingy, pretty well worn, an old feel to it – maybe that’s their
intention, maybe it adds to the atmosphere…but I doubt it…I’m not
convinced myself… How about some new trains mate?!
We only get London’s rejects o Indicates lack of pride, professionalism and
credibility as a businesso And lack of respect for passengers
If you’re travelling for an hour and a half on the trainSome of the rolling
some new trains mate?!(Scotland - Leeds - Business)
They’re like the coaches you had when you went to the
swimming baths at school, the
London s rejects(Leeds - Leisure)
If you re travelling for an hour and a half on the train, you want to be comfortable. You wouldn’t travel for
an hour and a half on a Northern train…not by choice anyway
(Manchester - Leisure)
gstock is almost
decrepit…its 1950s-1960s rolling stock
(Manchester -Commuter)
g ,coaches in the sixties
(Middlesbrough - Commuter)
They are like nodding donkeys
The seats are a bit shabby…the one I was on the other week was
quite loose and I almost slipped off it
It’s higher than a bus far, but its just like a bus, a bus
During the summer months it’s like a sauna – it’s a good weight loss
programme!
donkeys(Sheffield – Commuter )
54%Satisfaction with ‘upkeep and slipped off it
(Manchester - Leisure)
The specification of the carriage is much
on rails(Leeds – Leisure)
One of the seats was a health and safety problem, you couldn’t
p g(Leeds - Commuter)54%upkeep and
repair of the train is lowest of all 19 franchised TOCsthe carriage is much
worse [than FTPE](Manchester - Commuter)
y p ysit on it, it was skew-wiff
(Leeds - Leisure)
TOCs(NPS Spring 2012)
Overcrowding - a problem across the network
People start arguing andDon’t wait for
Safety is compromised
Objection in principle to standing
You shouldn't have passengers standing on
t i h h ld
The other galling thing is that it’s more expensive to travel People start arguing…and
people faint…its just too hot…you can always tell
who’s pregnant when they drop
(Manchester - Commuter)
Don’t wait for something to happen, God forbid, like a fire
on the train and people can’t get off
(Manchester - Leisure)
a train…why should you pay the same amount to
stand(Manchester Airport - Leisure)
at busy times, when they are ram jam full
(Manchester Airport - Leisure)
( )(Manchester Leisure)
Lack of comfort Inability to work
It’s horrible. There’s not enough
It’s ‘down-time’, you can’t get your laptop out if you haven’t got a lap(Manchester/Leeds-Glasgow – Business)
space, especially when people are trying to push to get out the doors
(Manchester Airport – Leisure) NPS information confirmed the issue
Satisfaction with room to sit/stand, NPS Spring 2012Overcrowding seems illogical to passengers
I just don’t get it. The same train has been overcrowded for so long and yet the train companies do nothing about it. Its not suddenly going to stop being packed so why don’t they
, p g
63%66%
do something?(Sheffield - Commuter)
They just don't seem to grasp that a lot of commuters use their trains. They always seem surprised that its
The solution for most passengers would be more carriages (rather than increased frequency)
They actually added an extra carriage onto the 08:27 fromuse their trains. They always seem surprised that its busy but its been like that forever
(Lancaster - Commuter, FTPE)
They actually added an extra carriage onto the 08:27 from Wombwell due to over-crowding and it’s made a difference.
Its good when you feel they have listened ..(Sheffield - Commuter, Northern)
Fare evasion perceived as a big problemThis mainly arose as an issue related to Northern (but does also affect FTPE passengers)
o ‘Honest’ passengers feel a sense of injustice, and that it may be increasing their fares
It infuriates me…a lot of people, you know they haven't paid…and they don’t intend to pay…they’re just getting a free journey
o Fare evasion means there is less investment for newer trains
They should damn well check tickets get people to pay and invest this back into the trains
pay…they re just getting a free journey(Manchester –Business)
They should damn well check tickets, get people to pay and invest this back into the trains because they really need it
(Lancaster – Commuter)
o At stations: Unstaffed stations and lack of gates make fare evasion easy…. or normal…. or the only option!
I i h th ld k th i i d b t h th ll d t b ti k t th t i
Fare evasion isn’t necessarily deliberate:
Ticket gates would also provide a clear barrier to avoid ambiguity for all
I wish they would make up their minds about whether you are allowed to buy a ticket on the train or not so you don’t get the rude lecture
(Lancaster – Commuter)
Ticket gates would also provide a clear barrier to avoid ambiguity for all
Why are they so lazy about collecting fares from people?
(Lancaster – Leisure)
They don’t bother checking tickets most of the time so there is no incentive to buy one. Everyone knows it.
(Lancaster – Leisure, Northern)
o On trains: Inconsistency and not enough staff to enforce regular ticket checks
Some specific problems evident at smaller stationsAccess
o High steps between platforms and trains and lots of steps –problematic for disabled, elderly, and parents with young children
Lack of staff atThey’re not disabled friendly
(M h t L i )
SecurityLack of staff at many smaller stations can
exacerbate these I get to Thornaby station and it’s a bit…desolate….you do feel a bit
vulnerable, especially if you’re on your own. Somebody was attacked
(Manchester – Leisure)
o Poor upkeep of some stations also compounds security concerns
issues – having just one member of staff
could make a difference
there.(Middlesbrough – Commuter)
concerns
Information o Wayfinding is an issue – especially where platform is changed
difference
o Wayfinding is an issue especially where platform is changed at short notice, as reported several times
There’s no staff is there? If there’s a problem – there’s
It could say for example, platform 6, but it doesn’t make it clear which end of platform 6,so there could be a 6a, and I’ve tried numerous times to get on a train to Lincoln [by mistake]…it would be good if there were more staff around to say p
nobody.(Manchester – Leisure)
to Lincoln [by mistake]…it would be good if there were more staff around to say actually I am on the right platform, because it does get quite confusing
(Leeds – Business)
If they tell you ASAP you can do something about it. You have
o In relation to disruption...
gmore options and you feel more in
control(Sheffield – Commuter)
Staff generally seen positively, but visibility and ticketing rules are bugbears
Passengers have three key reasons for staff presenceo Information – on trains and at stations,
especially but not exclusively during disruption)p y y g p )o Securityo Enforcement of rail ‘rules’ – keeping feet off
seats, respecting ‘quiet coach’, preventing fare
Acknowledgement that staff authority is not always respected, but a visible staff member felt to act as a deterrent to majority of anti-social
evasion behaviour
Both qualitative and quantitative evidence suggests that:
o Visibility of staff is poor, on trains but especially at stationsAttit d f t ff i ll bl
o Visibility of staff is usually reasonableo Attitude of staff is generally good
St ff bilit /k l d t h l ft l kio Attitude of staff is generally reasonable, with some poor exceptions
o Staff ability/knowledge to help often lacking
o Staff ability/knowledge to help often lacking
Particular issue with staff attitude when there is (frequent) confusion over:lacking (frequent) confusion over:
o whether tickets must be purchased at stations or on trains
o which tickets are valid for which journeysStaff must be more sensitive and rules must be clearer
Passenger perception that there is a need for better training, and better communication between and within TOCs
Staff must be more sensitive, and rules must be clearer
In summary: in 2012, on the whole, there was perceived value for money in rail provision
• Generally passengers were not preoccupied with fares for these• Generally, passengers were not preoccupied with fares for these services – indicating that this is not an immediate bugbear for all
• Some have positive opinion of value for money, especially in the context of other modes, and rail journeys to London/South
Price-wise they’re not overly expensive… it’s not
prohibitively expensive(Manchester Airport – Business)
, j yI don’t mind. I get a weekly ticket
which is £21. People who drive would put more than £20 of petrol in if they
were doing that journey. For my b i t i t N tl i I
Satisfaction with value for money NPS, Spring 2012
National average
Northern FTPE
42% 50% 56% business trips to Newcastle, again, I found this value for money.(Middlesbrough – Business/Commuter)
Pay increases can be made more acceptable by being able to
There are ways to improve and affirm value for money:
g
acceptable by being able to physically see the evidence of the
increase either at the stations or on the trains. Even if they had a
‘progress poster’ telling people what they had changed/invested in
• Certainly don’t raise fares to pay for improvements• Invest in the things that matter so this is visible to passengers• Avoid waste and make the system fair for all (i.e. tackle fare evasion)
The train prices will go up again in January, above the rate of inflation, but you never see a difference in service and
lit l l I thi k th h ld b h ld
y g(Sheffield – Commuter)
y ( )• A more transparent and less complex pricing structure
I never get why it can cost £8 to go 20 minutes and then 20 minutes in
I’m always quite perplexed by the
structure of pricing quality levels. I think they should be held more accountable to this
(Sheffield – Commuter)
another direction could cost you £2(Lancaster – Commuter)
structure of pricing(Lancaster –
Business)
Transparency and engagementTransparency and engagement• Many passengers feel they have little awareness of the
franchise process and operator promisesfranchise process and operator promises• BUT they do want to influence what is being purchased on
their behalf AND to hold the operator to accounttheir behalf AND to hold the operator to account• Need improved mechanisms and a fresh commitment to
seeking views, providing information and reporting onseeking views, providing information and reporting on delivery
• Greater openness and disaggregation will make p gg ginformation relevant to passenger experience and build trust
• Explore scope for dialogue and partnership working with LAs, LEPs, RUGs and wider community. Where does rail fit within the wider picture?fit within the wider picture?
High level recommendations for the franchise• Unstinting focus on delivery of all elements of the ‘core
offer’C it d lit d diti f t iCapacity – and quality and condition of trainsValue for money – service elements as well as priceP li d li biliPunctuality and reliability Information – especially during delays and disruption
• Facilitate ticket purchase and address fare evasion• Mechanisms to address passenger concerns at stations• Embed a genuinely customer-focused culture at all levels
of the organisation – the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’P id di t d d t t i f ti• Provide disaggregated and transparent information
• Maintain two-way communication with passengers• Use our resources in developing your plans!
For further information:
www.passengerfocus.org.ukwww.passengerfocus.org.uk
sharon hedges@passengerfocus org [email protected]
07918 626126
