Campaigns for greater adoption of open access across the UK rail network were given a boost yesterday, when consumer group Which? published its list of top performing train companies.
According to the study of almost 7,000 rail passengers, Open Access operators Grand Central and Hull Trains achieved the highest satisfaction rating among commuters.
Grand Central, which operates on the East Coast Main Line, achieved five stars for availability of seating, punctuality, cleanliness of trains, reliability and value for money. Hull Trains was second with a customer score of 73 per cent.
An open access operator is a train company not subject to franchising, instead purchasing individual slots on the mainline from a railway infrastructure company.
The GTMC, which has campaigned for the Office of Rail Regulation to recognise the benefits delivered by open access operators, welcomed the study.
“We feel it is no coincidence that the top performing rail operators, Grand Central and Hull Trains, are both ‘Open Access’ operators while those at the bottom of the table with the least satisfied customers are not,” said GTMC CEO Paul Wait. “Open Access on the railways drives commercial competition which, in turn, drives improvements across the service in order to attract and retain customers.”
The GTMC also called on the government to use this research as proof that Open Access works and should be adopted throughout the UK.
“Well connected rail travel can drive economic growth as much as any decision on airport capacity. It’s time to put passengers back at the centre of this process and let the market drive what are long overdue improvements,” said Wait.
The worst performing rail operator was Southeastern, Thameslink and Great Northern, with an overall satisfaction score of 46 per cent.
Faring just better than the worst performers was Abellio Greater Anglia, with a 47 per cent score, followed by Southern (48 per cent) and Arriva Trains Wales (49 per cent).