Summary

  • Two South East rail firms are ranked worst for customer satisfaction

  • Southeastern and Thameslink had overall scores of 46%

  • Operators say satisfaction is higher and they are making improvements

  • London Bridge building work has caused disruption

  • The consumer group Which? polled almost 7,000 travellers

  • Updates on Thursday 18 February 2016

Live Reporting

Hamish Reid and Clark Ainsworth

  1. That's it for now but you can continue the debate via #SERail

    Hamish Reid
    BBC News Online, South East

    Thank you for all your comments and contributions to our discussion on the state of the railways in the South East. 

    A Which? survey published this morning showed rail passengers in south east England are the least satisfied in the UK, with only 46% or Southeastern and Thameslink customers happy with their service. 

    The train companies say other surveys show higher satisfaction among passengers, but they were committed to improving services in the South East. 

    The debate continues on social media using the hashtag #SERail and on the BBC South East Today Facebook page, or you can comment on the story on the BBC News website.  

  2. 'Never a day without a train delay'

    We've had lots of emails and tweets from people telling us about their experiences of train services in the South East.

    I commute regularly using Southeastern to Cannon Street and there is never a day in the week when there isn’t a delay, faulty train or cancellation. 

    The trains are completely packed too. It needs to be far easier to claim compensation quickly and without fuss.

    Chris Jakes

  3. Southern 'are failing passengers' MP says

  4. 'Same trains, different uniforms'

  5. Gravesend commuter: 'Complete lack of information'

    I'm lucky to not have to commute by train every day now, but still do so infrequently from Gravesend to London.  

    The cost is extortionate, constant delays with the "weather" (too cold/too hot/too sunny), congestion, or drivers not turning up for work.

    Also a lack of carriages on most services, especially in the afternoon/early evening, plus a complete lack of announcements/information.

    Daniel Sutherland

  6. Rail service complaints 'fall on deaf ears'

    You've been busy commenting on our Facebook page about rail services in the South East. 

    Here's one post:

    Seems to me that it doesn't matter how much "we" commuters complain nothing gets done about it. It all seems to go on deaf ears with the operators. You can email them to complain and you get a text book response "sorry but it is what it is" response, you ring to complain and they are clueless. It's all over the media how bad they are but still nothing gets done about it.

    Darren Vye

  7. London Bridge delays 'causing disruption'

    Govia Thameslink said work at London Bridge was impacting its services. 

    "There is no quick fix for the constraints that the rebuilding of London Bridge has put on our busy network, which means any incident quickly results in a domino effect on other services," a spokesman said. 

    Artist impression of the refurbished London Bridge stationNetwork Rail

    He said a rise in the number of claims for compensation showed more people were becoming aware of the Delay Repay scheme.   

  8. Southeastern's '£70m investment'

    Responding to the survey findings, Southeastern says it's part-way through a £70m investment programme to refurbish trains and stations, improve customer service and provide more real-time information during journeys. 

    "Along with Network Rail who look after railway infrastructure such as track and signalling, we’re working hard to improve punctuality and minimise delays," a spokesman said. 

    He also said the operator "actively promotes" the Delay Repay scheme online and at stations. 

  9. Rail survey satisfaction comments

    Hamish Reid
    BBC News Online, South East

    You've been commenting on the BBC News story about the Which? rail satisfaction survey on the. Here is a selection:  

    BBC News rail survey

    I changed my job so I wouldn't have to use the train because of all the negative reasons being cited here. And what would happen if everyone drove to work? Much of the country is near gridlock already. Not to mention pollution, use of non-renewable fossil fuels, etc. Nonense to suggest more should drive to work. It would be hell.

    Dave Harris

    I think all over the country the service received does not match the cost charged. Generally service is ok but if you are a daily commuter then the service can and generally is dire. It costs a lot to stand for your journey.

    Redorblue

    Rail journeys have doubled since 1997, and we've built no more track or associated infrastructure. So it's crammed, expensive and chaotic. Same whether (re)nationalised (shudder) or "private".

    ClaudeBalls

  10. Trains quieter at half term

  11. 'More passengers happy' - Southeastern

    Southeastern says a Transport Focus survey of more than 50,000 passengers showed more than eight out of 10 customers were happy with their train services. 

    "We have more work to do and are investing millions of pounds over the next two years years to provide more seats, improved journeys and information, and better value travel," a spokesman said. 

  12. South East commuters 'getting raw deal'

    Hamish Reid
    BBC News Online, South East

    Four BBC reporters have been putting the region's trains to the test on the day a Which? survey found passengers in the South East are the least satisfied in the UK.

    Jack Fiehn, Chrissie Riedy, Ben Weisz and Peter Whittlesea

    Southeastern and Thameslink, together with Great Northern, were bottom of the table, with an overall satisfaction score of 46%. Southern fared a bit better, with a score of 48%. 

    Which? also found almost a third of passengers had suffered a delay on their most recent journey. 

    Richard Lloyd from Which? said: "Commuters are getting a raw deal from their train operator... it is clear operators need to up their game."

  13. 'Auto refund' for rail delays

  14. 'Awful Southeastern service'

  15. View from outside South East

    Hamish Reid
    BBC News Online, South East

    We've had a couple of emails from rail passengers from outside the South East, giving a varying picture of rail services across England. 

    Very proud of the recognition of our service from Eaglescliffe and Grand Central. Clean trains, friendly staff, realistic prices.

    #lifeisbetterinthenorth

    Andrew Wilson

    I'm outside of the South-East, but I get the train each morning, at 7:17 from Solihull to Birmingham. It's lovely – plenty of seats with only a handful standing by the time we reach Birmingham. And it's normally on time.

    If, however, I miss it and get any of the next 5 trains into Birmingham, it’ll be squashed in like sardines all the way. The later (i.e. closer to 9am arrival) I go the more crowded it gets.

    Steve Pearce

  16. Rail refunds information

  17. Tweet 'annoyed me'

    Jack Fiehn's tweet from an almost empty train as it left Woking this morning annoyed Samuel Low who commutes from Stoneleigh to London Waterloo. 

    Train at Woking station

    He has described it as though it is all really a lie that us commuters have overcrowded trains. I'd like to know where he took that picture, probably as soon as he got on the train in Woking, get anywhere near the London zones and it won't look anything like that. 

    Samuel Low

    Jack tweeted later as the train got busier: "Train to Waterloo much busier but told not as bad as normal. A commuter says they look forward to half term."

    On arrival at Waterloo he also posted: "On time and not too crowded (although accept this might not be usual)."

  18. Brighton 'commuters not happy'

    BBC South East's Chrissie Reidy arrived about 18 minutes late into London Victoria from Brighton this morning. 

    She says there were a few commuters who were not happy.

    BBC South East reporter Chrissie Reidy on her journey from Brighton to London.

  19. Rail delay compensation 'promoted'

    Southeastern says it "actively promotes" its rail delay refund scheme online and at its stations. 

    Rail passengers on platformPA

    A spokesman says: "This pays compensation to anyone whose journey was delayed by 30 minutes or more.

    "This is set as part of our franchise agreement with the Department for Transport."

  20. 'Best rail service today in three years'