Passenger Focus has responded to the Government’s policy on high speed rail:
Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said: “Passengers will welcome this bold plan. In the long term more and more people are going to want to use the railway. So, a step change in the ability of the network to handle more trains, longer [...]

Passenger Focus is calling for the rail industry to tell passengers how many of its trains are actually arriving at the station on time. Currently, the industry measures trains as being punctual if they arrive at the final station within five or 10 minutes (depending on journey length).

The National Passenger Survey Autumn 2009 results show [...]

The report outlines what worries and irritates rail passengers when it comes to anti-social behaviour at the station and on the train. The most annoying aspects of anti-social behaviour are passengers who play loud music, put their feet on the seats, don’t pay for their train ticket or vandalise the railway. The things that make [...]

Passengers worried about their safety want abusive and rowdy passengers stopped from catching the train and more visible police and staff readily available for help.
The majority of passengers are generally satisfied with their personal security at the station (64%) and on the train (73%), but of those passengers not satisfied, the anti-social behaviour of others [...]

Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus Chief Executive, said: “This report confirms just how badly passengers were let down by Eurostar. Physical discomfort, emergency evacuations and, above all, poor, if any, information – not the way any passenger should be treated. Staff seemed to be left in the dark along with passengers.

The lack of contingency plans both [...]

Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said: “We are currently talking to passengers on National Express East Anglia routes to determine their priorities for improvement and identify gaps in services.
The results from the National Passenger Survey show that despite recent punctuality improvements there needs to be significant investment made in this part of the railway [...]

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Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said: “Longer franchises may well offer benefits to passengers assuming adequate incentives to boost passenger satisfaction and consumer protection are built in. Key to passengers will be punctual and reliable services, value for money fares and more trains. Government must make certain that rail contracts are agreed [...]

Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, welcomed today’s news of investment to improve rail services to Oxford and the West Midlands.
He said: “This is good news for passengers who use Chiltern services and the railway generally as it will give passengers more choice.
“Passengers consistently tell us that they are happy with most aspects of Chiltern’s [...]

Statement from Passenger Focus, the independent passenger watchdog, on the severe weather:
Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said: “We’re disappointed to hear reports that National Rail Enquiries is crashing. With severe weather already hitting parts of Great Britain and more expected this is an important tool for passengers to find out information about their journey [...]

Passengers want to see more station toilets, waiting rooms and better information on train arrival-times prioritised in works to improve small and medium-sized stations.
The national passenger watchdog has asked passengers their views on what improvements should be made to small to medium-sized stations as part of planning for the five year National Stations Improvement Programme [...]