Written evidence submitted by Sarah Clifford (RPE0053)

I have been travelling by train to London for the last 10 years. I have mainly travelled in from Hassocks but also Haywards Heath and Hove.

I am fair person and I don’t buy into publicly abusing a company, however I feel I am not being treated fairly at all by a company who constantly under delivers and over charges so I would like our government to step in and demand improvements.

-Information provided to passengers before, during and after rail journeys, including information provided at stations, in trains and via National Rail Enquiries, operators' websites and online apps (excluding in relation to the process for claiming compensation for a delay/cancellation)

• I find the app more useful than station staff, station systems and train conductors. Many times I have found out that my train isn’t now stopping at my station (to make up lost time) or a train is cancelled via the app before it’s advertised on the station / platforms. The app is great but still doesn’t work out the smartest route – ie, it will often tell me I need to wait 45 mins for a train, but actually if I get an earlier one, and change along the way, I can pick up another train and get home a lot quicker.

The app NEEDS to have the simple information on there that sadly isn’t available – platform information. If I have 4 minutes to change trains at a very busy station, I need to know what platform I need to be in – not get off at East Croydon station with 100 other people and trying to ask staff / ask anyone. It’s understandable that a platform isn’t always known until very close to the trains arrival but I have missed trains before that have been at the platform but as the info isn’t placed on the app, there was no way I could have made it.

• On the train, it’s very hit and miss.  Sometimes you get a lovely polite driver or conductor advising what’s happening, what the delay is, info for tourists etc – and others we are left completely not knowing why we are stopped in the middle of nowhere for 15 minutes. We need accountability when things aren’t running to schedule – a conductor or driver just ignoring the fact that we’ve had horrible journeys or been on their trains for hours is what makes everyone frustrated and starts the social media abuse – an apology, a reason why and a walk through the train would not go unnoticed.
• There are not enough platform signs at certain stations – East Croydon specifically. You cannot clearly see which platform you are on when leaving trains. Arriving at the platforms is fine, but using East Croydon to change trains is a nightmare as you have short windows to run across the station and you need to know clearly when you get off the train, what platform you are on.
• London Bridge is very useful with screens with every single station on it listed A-Z and the next train and platform next to each one, so you can very quickly find where you are going to – rather than have to read every board to see which train is stopping where etc.
• There are lovely long platforms at most stations but there are not speakers or screens to support this, we are told to spread out and use all available doors – but last minute changes and platform alterations etc leave many people missing trains / not getting the right info as there is not adequate facilities up and down the platforms.
• It is not acceptable to decide not to call at a station on the journey to make up for lost time. We board trains in good faith. If in exceptional circumstances this does need to happen – there needs to be support for those who have to get off and find a new train. Four times I have been kicked off as the train isn’t stopping at my station and I had to wait for over 30 minutes for another train to come along, another time I had to get a taxi as that was the last train calling at my station.
• I should be offered the option of a taxi voucher if my train is cancelled or delayed after 10pm. As a woman travelling alone, it is not acceptable when trains are cancelled and no support offered so I am waiting alone at dark stations.

-Ticketing, including overcoming obstacles to the more widespread delivery of "smart-ticketing" and part-time season tickets
 

• It’s not always possible to get a well-paid job in your chosen field in the towns, villages that you live in, so naturally people look to bigger cities to work in and not everyone works 5 days a week, so why are they charged 5 days’ worth of travel – it simply is not fair, and does not help the cause at all when putting up prices year after year. This system puts many part time workers, mothers, fathers etc not able to get a job in London due to the train fare being so expensive. I was very interested to hear about a pilot into the part time season tickets but have not heard any update or information – despite lots of press that it would be introduced at the end of 2014. In no other mode of transport do you ever have to pay for travel that you cannot ever use and it’s such a disappointment for those who can’t afford to pay for 5 days of travel when they only work and are only paid for 2-3 days.
• I recently switched to the smart ticket and find it a lot easier than the old paper ticket. It reduces time at the barriers, reduces the damage / wear and tear that happens to the paper ticket and I like the fact you can add other tickets to it when you are taking ad hoc journeys on other routes.

-In-train facilities, including on-journey Wi-Fi and power

• I pay £4k a year to travel by train, and I expect decent facilities for that – the WiFi doesn’t even need to be ‘complimentary’ as we all pay enough money for this to be included in our fees – given the widely available profits made by the train company coupled with rising fees each year – it should be a given. Most planes, hospitals, shops, pubs, restaurants and buses offer free Wifi so it’s a very poor decision not to offer this on trains. It should be a data capture service so the train companies can see who is using the network / how often they use etc and can use this data for future improvements
• Adequate supplies on board for when trains are stopped mid station – I have been stuck on a train for 2 hours before on a hot day, all our water ran out and we were not offered any water. There needs to be adequate stock for the conductor to offer out – even mini bottles are better than nothing
• Power sockets would be great and something that is such a benefit on flights now – I appreciate this isn’t always logistically possible but table seats should be fitted with them, I travel 3 hours a day by train when all is running fine, and when we have problems, we need to contact home so having the tools to support our devices would be much appreciated.
• We used to have a catering trolley through the train – not sure why that disappeared but it was a good service and there is SO much opportunity to partner with brands / get sponsorship for this or even create a café area like Virgin trains have.
• Better training for conductors – I was sitting opposite a man that got taken ill mid flight. I dealt with the passenger by getting him on the floor, and asked down the carriage

-Performance measures in relation to passenger experience, including passenger survey methodologies

• It has become a really disappointing situation with the way that the Southern Rail twitter feed is managed. No company should ever have to discuss business sensitive information and go through petty arguments via twitter but unfortunately there are customer service executives running the account – and there needs to be a social media expert in charge to stop this – you have people almost proud to have been blocked by Southern and hourly abuse of the staff. (one angry communter sent a survey out on who is the thickest member of staff working the twitter feed – actual bullying!)

The account needs to be for train time information and any further business information required, there needs to be a proper process in place. Sadly Southern have brought this on themselves by over charging and under delivering time and time again but in order to improve relationships and start building a better reputation – Southerns social strategy needs strong work.

• At the moment, it is honestly pretty pointless sending out surveys as the results would just be horrendous, but I do agree with regular feedback opportunities – perhaps when improvements finally come in, monthly or bi monthly surveys are offered.
  
  May 2016