Train operator slaughtered by customers

Railway Station at night. Photo: Pixabay.com

The train operator Go-Ahead is slaughtered by UK customers

The British company that takes over the southern rail from NSB is slaughtered by the passengers in the UK. This is reported by E24.

 

British Go-Ahead, who takes over the operation of the southwestern railroad (Sørlandsbanen and Jærbanen), scores last in a passenger survey, according to the independent consumer organisation «Which?».

The survey, which includes 14,000 passengers, shows that Go-Ahead is the dunce of all the companies involved in the survey on several rail lines.

There are factors such as punctuality, reliability, available seats and standing room, as well as the standard of the restrooms which constitute the overall assessment.

Startling

On the weakest rail line for Go-Ahead the company gets a score of 28 per cent while the winner achieves 64 per cent.

Go-Ahead also gets only one star of five possible for «value for money» on the Southeastern railway line.

– It’s sensational if the Norwegian Government is considering Go-Ahead as one of the best-suited companies when British rail passengers consider them to be by far the worst, says Ida S. Wangberg in the think-tank Manifesto to Dagsavisen after the publication of the survey.

Go-Ahead takes over operations from NSB on December 15th, 2019 and the agreement lasts until December 2027, with the option of renewal for two years.

The company will receive NOK 1.5 billion in subsidies from the Norwegian state over ten years. The total value of the contract throughout the contract period is around NOK 5.8 billion.

Rejects the criticism

Communications Manager in Go-Ahead Nordic, Ulrika Mebius, is well acquainted with the «Which?» survey.

– This is one of several consumer surveys. In «National Rail Passenger Survey» Where 50,000 passengers are asked about customer satisfaction based on 30 criteria twice a year, our company scores far better. The Gatwick Express achieved 87 per cent overall customer satisfaction this spring, and Southeastern achieved overall customer satisfaction of 75 per cent, says Mebius to NTB.

The surveys are not directly comparable, but that aside, Mebius has no explanation for the big differences in how passengers perceive the various Go-Ahead companies.

She rejects criticism from Manifesto investigator Wangberg.

– We have a long-term strategy to grow throughout the Nordic region. It’s wrong to say that we’re in this in order to make short-term profits, she says.

 

© E24 / #Norway Today