FirstGroup : Hull Trains leads the UK rail industry for service and satisfaction for the fourth consecutive year

24 Jan 2017

Hull Trains has another record customer satisfaction score - 12% higher than the average of all long-distance operators

Official results published today confirm that Hull Trains continues to exceed customer satisfaction levels with the long-distance rail industry. The independent National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) shows that Hull Trains has the highest ever satisfaction score recorded for any operator in the UK this decade.

The overall customer satisfaction score for Hull Trains was 97%. Other notable scores include 98% for satisfaction with the train (versus average industry score of 86%) and the attitude and helpfulness of staff at 97% versus just 81% industry average.

Provision of information during the journey scored 93% versus an average of just 79%. Last year Hull Trains was the first rail operator to install Passenger Information Screens on board their trains to give customers up-to-the-minute information during their journey on any delays, connecting stations and other relevant journey information.

Personal security on board also scored highly at 95%, versus just 85% with other operators. Hull Trains' zero tolerance campaign and policy for managing disruptive or aggressive behaviour on board recently won an industry award and their high-tech CCTV system has reduced incidents as well as helping various customers reunite with their belongings.

Will Dunnett, Managing Director at Hull Trains says: 'We're delighted to be first once again for overall customer satisfaction; but what we're particularly proud of is the level of consistency that we've demonstrated over the past four years.

'This is what matters to customers. Not one off results or occasional good service, but strong, consistent and exceptional service every single time over the long-term.

'The level of constancy we've shown is unprecedented in the long-distance rail industry and I'm very proud to see that our scores have moved forward in every metric ahead of the long distance sector.'

The results for Hull Trains come at a time when consumer champion Which? launches a campaign against 'unacceptable services' and for the rail industry to 'finally deliver for customers'.

Will Dunnett says: 'As an open-access operator, our customers are at the heart of every single service we run. Indeed we are often paving the way for other operators as we run trials of new initiatives that will continue to improve the overall customer experience.'