Wales and Borders rail service: consultation response May 2017 1 Contents 1. Transport Focus ..................................................................................................... 5 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 5 2.1 Wales and Borders rail service consultation response ..................................... 6 3. Wales and Borders rail service – passenger research and implications for the future .......................................................................................................................... 8 3.1 The Transport Focus evidence base ................................................................ 8 3.2 Rail passengers’ priorities for improvement 2014 ............................................. 8 3.3 NRPS and drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction ...................................... 13 3.3.1 Drivers of satisfaction ............................................................................... 13 3.3.2 Drivers of dissatisfaction .......................................................................... 15 3.3.3 Satisfaction with value for money and the overall journey ........................ 16 3.4 Qualitative research into passengers’ experiences and aspirations for the future .................................................................................................................... 18 3.5 Recommendations - top level priorities for the Wales and Borders rail service .............................................................................................................................. 18 4. Response to consultation questions ..................................................................... 20 4.1 Train facilities and layout ................................................................................ 20 4.2 On-board staff ................................................................................................. 23 4.3 Station facilities ............................................................................................... 24 4.3.1 Current satisfaction with stations .............................................................. 26 4.3.2 Station investment .................................................................................... 27 4.3.3 Passenger information requirements at stations ...................................... 28 4.3.4 Staffing at stations .................................................................................... 30 4.4 Station management ....................................................................................... 31 4.5 Community involvement in stations ................................................................ 31 4.6 Getting to the station ....................................................................................... 34 4.6.1 Onward connections ................................................................................ 38 4.6.2 Supporting priorities for improving bus services ....................................... 39 4.7 Train services ................................................................................................. 40 4.7.1 Train service specification ........................................................................ 42 4.8 Service development ...................................................................................... 43 4.8.1 Connecting services ................................................................................. 44 4.8.2 Cross-border journeys .............................................................................. 45 4.8.3 Freight trains ............................................................................................ 46 2 4.9 Promoting train usage ..................................................................................... 47 4.10 Ticketing ....................................................................................................... 48 4.10.1 Value for money for passengers ............................................................ 48 4.10.2 Making buying a ticket easier ................................................................. 48 4.10.3 Smart ticketing ....................................................................................... 50 4.10.4 Ticketless travel ..................................................................................... 52 4.10.5 Fares regulation ..................................................................................... 53 4.11 Information for passengers ........................................................................... 54 4.11.1 Managing service disruption ................................................................... 55 4.11.2 Unplanned service disruption ................................................................. 56 4.11.3 Resilience ............................................................................................... 56 4.11.4 Engineering works .................................................................................. 57 5. Further information ............................................................................................... 59 6. Appendices .......................................................................................................... 60 Appendix 1. NRPS building block definitions ........................................................ 60 A1.1 Arriva Trains Wales NRPS building blocks ............................................... 60 A1.2 NRPS typology groups and comparator services ..................................... 60 Appendix 2 NRPS satisfaction scores .................................................................. 62 A2.1 NRPS Autumn 2016: percentage satisfied, Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) compared to Regional sector ............................................................................ 62 A2.2 NRPS Autumn 2016: percentage satisfied, Cardiff and Valleys route, compared to Short Commute typology average and best in class .................... 63 A2.3 NRPS Autumn 2016: percentage satisfied, ATW Inter Urban, compared to Interurban typology average and best in class .................................................. 64 A2.3 NRPS Autumn 2016: percentage satisfied, Mid Wales and Borders building block, compared to Rural typology average and best in class .......................... 65 A2.3 NRPS Autumn 2016: percentage satisfied, North Wales and Borders, compared to Rural typology average and best in class ..................................... 66 A2.3 NRPS Autumn 2016: percentage satisfied, South Wales & Borders/West Wales building block, compared to Short commute typology average and best in class .................................................................................................................. 67 Appendix 3. Passenger priorities for station requirements and improvements ..... 68 A3.1 Facilities need providing, according to station footfall, GB stations .......... 68 A3.2 Facilities need improving, according to station footfall, GB stations ......... 68 Appendix 4. Wales Passenger priorities for improvement by journey purpose/length/age ............................................................................................... 69 A4.1 Priorities by journey length........................................................................ 69 3 A4.2 Priorities by journey purpose .................................................................... 70 Appendix 5. Arriva Trains Wales research – performance/priority matrices ......... 72 5.1 Pre-Journey priorities – Arriva Trains Wales passengers overall ................ 72 5.2 Pre-boarding priorities among Leisure and business Arriva Trains Wales passengers ....................................................................................................... 73 5.3 Pre-boarding priorities among Arriva Trains Wales commuters .................. 74 5.4 On-board experience priorities for Arriva Trains Wales passengers overall 75 5.5 On-board experience priorities for Arriva Trains Wales business/leisure passengers ....................................................................................................... 76 5.6 On-board experience priorities for Arriva Trains Wales commuters ............ 77 4 1. Transport Focus Transport Focus is the independent transport user watchdog. Our mission is to get the best deal for passengers and road users. With a strong emphasis on evidence- based campaigning and research, we ensure that we know what is happening on the ground. We use our knowledge to influence decisions on behalf of passengers and road users, to secure improvements and make a difference. Transport Focus appreciates the open consultation on the future of the Wales and Borders rail service, particularly the efforts to engage directly with individual passengers as well as wider stakeholders. 2. Introduction Transport Focus welcomes the opportunity to provide a rail passengers’ perspective as the specification for the new Wales and Borders rail service is developed. When the requirements are established, it is vital that the needs of passengers using and paying for rail services are placed squarely at the heart of the contract. Passengers’ top priorities for the rail service are: capacity and frequency – increasing the overall number of carriages and optimising the availability of these appropriate to demand, considering service frequencies and train layouts, as well as how fares incentives might make a contribution