SCOTRAIL has ranked bottom for user satisfaction amongst train companies operating in Scotland, according to a consumer watchdog's annual rail survey.
It was awarded an overall customer happiness score of 51 per cent in the Which? study. Last year it received a score of 50 per cent.
It ranks Scotrail below other train companies that operate in Scotland as well as other parts of the UK, such as TransPennine Express (52 per cent), Cross Country (56 per cent) Virgin Trains East Coast (60 per cent) and Virgin Trains West Coast (61 per cent).
It finished in the bottom half of a table studying UK rail company performance in Which?’s latest survey of commuter passengers. The consumer group highlighted the fact Scotrail "ranked below other train companies that rank in Scotland" saying it was awarded three stars out of five in seven of their eight commuter satisfaction categories.
They included punctuality, value for money, availability of seats, frequency of trains, condition of carriages, toilet facilities and availability of standing space. It got one four star mark for reliability.
Alex Hayman, Which? public markets managing director said: “Scotrail fares are going up but their passengers have rated them in the bottom half of our survey. With a customer score of just 51 per cent, commuters clearly feel that the service provided by the company leaves a lot to be desired."
Analysis: It is not who runs the trains that is the problem but who fixes the track
Southern finished with the lowest UK customer score, achieving a rating of just 28 per cent, 11 percentage points lower than any other train company in the UK. It scored just one star out of five for value for money, reliability and punctuality.
Grand Central topped the table, receiving a customer score of 64 per cent, scoring four stars across the board for its service, achieving the rating for the availability of seats, frequency of trains and condition of the carriages.
Which? said: “Despite private investment in rail being at its highest in a decade at £925 million, and Scotrail fares rising by an average 3.2% at the start of this month, Which?’s latest annual rail survey, now in its sixth year, shows many train companies across the UK are still failing to properly address basic aspects of service for customers, with long suffering Southern rail commuters in particular making their dissatisfaction clear.
The research also revealed the difficulties that passengers’ face when things go wrong.
Some one in four commuters who claimed compensation said the process of claiming from train companies was difficult.
Analysis: It is not who runs the trains that is the problem but who fixes the track
According to the survey, just 37 per cent of all train passengers who are eligible to compensation actually claim it. One in five passengers who complained to about their rail service also found the process challenging.
Mr Hayman added: “People across the UK are also finding it difficult to claim compensation when things go wrong. Automatic compensation must be introduced across the industry so that people can get the money they are owed.”
Scotrail responded by pointing out that it performed the best out of the five large operators in the UK, which also included Northern Rail, Southeastern, South Western Railway and Govia Thameslink Railway.
It said it operated over 90 percent of all passenger train services in Scotland and felt it was "misleading" to claim that they were rock bottom amongst operators within Scotland.
It also pointed out that the most recent National Rail Passenger Survey carried out by the independent Transport Focus found that nine out of ten customers - from a sample of over 1,200 - said they were satisfied with ScotRail.
A ScotRail Alliance spokesman said: “We always listen to feedback from our customers and do what we can to improve the service we offer.
“The most recent figures show that nine out of ten of our trains met their target time over the past year, which is why ScotRail is the best performing large operator in the UK. We have also recently delivered longer trains and more seats on our busiest route. But we aren’t complacent, and will continue to push ourselves to deliver the high standards our customers expect.
Analysis: It is not who runs the trains that is the problem but who fixes the track
“The investment we are making in new and better trains will deliver more seats, faster journeys and better services for our customers. It’s all part of our plan to build the best railway Scotland has ever had.”
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