Northern Rail fails stress test for fed-up commuters

Around half of commuters (48%) in Which?'s annual rail survey say they find travelling by rail frequently stressful, with some people even reporting that they have had to move house to escape a nightmare train journey.

The consumer champion spoke to commuters about the impact delays had on their lives. Issues included missing out on time with family and friends (17%), being disciplined at work (9%) and additional childcare costs (6%).

Four per cent of respondents, equating to more than 100 commuters, said they even had to move house as a result of the disruption.

The findings illustrate many passengers' dissatisfaction with the rail industry and reinforce why their views must be front and centre of the Government's rail review, in a sector where punctuality has fallen to its lowest level for 13 years.

Northern and Thameslink, whose passengers suffered as a result of the disastrous timetable changes last year, were both ranked in the bottom three for customer satisfaction, alongside Southern Rail.

Northern received the lowest customer score, achieving just 32 per cent. It scored just one star out of five in eight out of the nine survey categories, which included punctuality, reliability, customer service and value for money.

One ex-Northern passenger, Jonathan Lee-Smith, got so fed up with the operator that he decided to move 300 miles from Blackpool to Devon to avoid his commute from hell.

He said:

Northern also received the lowest score from leisure passengers.

Distrust of the rail industry continues to climb among passengers, according to the latest figures from Which?'s Consumer Insight Tracker. It now stands at 32 per cent, five percentage points higher than a year ago. Only second hand car dealers are more distrusted by consumers.

Which? believes the Government rail review is a prime opportunity to ensure that passengers' voices are at the heart of new reforms and that the rail regulator has a clearer duty to stand up for passengers.

Alex Hayman, Which? Managing Director of Public Markets, said:

On Tuesday, passenger watchdog Transport Focus will publish the results of its latest rail passenger satisfaction survey of more than 25,000 travellers, including a ranking of train operators.