Virgin just the ticket but ScotRail lagging behind, say travellers

VIRGIN Trains is Britain’s best-loved rail operator, according to a passenger survey by a consumer watchdog.

Nearly two-thirds of those questioned by Which? magazine were satisfied with the firm, which includes Glasgow to London and Edinburgh/Glasgow to Birmingham services.

East Coast was placed fourth in the first such poll, but ScotRail – which runs most of Scotland’s trains – came tenth of 18 operators, with just 54 per cent of its passengers happy.

Which? said Virgin’s 64 per cent score was because customers thought its fares were value for money and they liked its tilting Pendolino trains.

The operator scored four out of five stars for everything, apart from room for passengers and luggage.

East Coast, which scored 57 per cent satisfaction, was also praised for value for money, along with more frequent trains introduced last year.

Which? said ScotRail won praise for new trains and extended services, but was criticised for fare increases and reduced reliability.

The watchdog’s executive director Richard Lloyd said: “We don’t have a choice of train company for most services, so it is infuriating when they let us down. With many of the rail contracts coming up for renewal over the coming year, the government and train companies must commit to improving passenger services across the board.”

Virgin’s current franchise ends in December, a new East Coast franchise is due to start next year and ScotRail’s finishes in 2014.

ScotRail said the latest official National Passenger Survey had given it a far higher rating. That poll, conducted by Passenger Focus, questioned 1,400 ScotRail passengers, compared with 302 by Which?

A ScotRail spokesman said: “The Passenger Focus survey, published in January, found overall customer satisfaction with ScotRail was 89 per cent – some five percentage points higher than the UK average for train operators.”

Virgin also scored 89 per cent in that survey, with East Coast on 87 per cent.

Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: “Which? questioned less than a tenth of the number of people surveyed by Passenger Focus, whose results show that more than five out of six passengers are satisfied with their service.”

However, Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “Time and time again, value for money and punctuality also loom large, with commuters being the most dissatisfied.”

Far more passengers continue to complain more about train punctuality than ticket prices, according to the latest Office of Rail Regulation figures.

In the last three months of 2011, 38 per cent of complaints were about performance, compared with 15 per cent about fares.

Overall complaint rates have fallen by two-thirds since 2002.