Track South West
Customer Report Issue 3
February 2017
2 Track South West
Hello and welcome to the third
edition of Track South West.
This is our customer report, which we publish every six months and
is designed to keep you up to date with everything happening on
one of Europe’s busiest railways. Included are the latest news and
developments on the network as well as the latest statistics on our
performance, including the punctuality of our services and the latest
results of our independently compiled customer surveys.
Improving customer experience
2016 was a busy year and we are proud to have delivered
millions of pounds in investment and improvements right across
the network. All of these are designed to improve the experience
of our customers.
As promised in the last edition of Track South West, we have
now delivered upgrades to our website and a new smartphone
app, both of which offer the latest information, travel ideas and
great value fares. Our Video Ticket Machines are live at 91
stations, spread right across the network. We are proud to be
the first train company in the country to introduce an integrated
network of these machines, all directly linked to a dedicated
contact centre with specially trained staff.
We have also delivered 1,400 extra car parking spaces and a
further 1,400 spaces to park cycles across the network.
The year ahead
The coming year will be a very busy and very important one for
this railway as we start to deliver the extra space for passengers.
The Waterloo & South West Upgrade will provide space for
30% more passengers during the busiest times of the day. Much
of this investment is already being delivered with little impact on
journeys.
However, there will be changes to journeys during 2017,
particularly between the 5 and 28 August when platforms 1-9
at London Waterloo are closed. Works will also take place on a
number of weekends before and after this time.
This will allow longer trains to run on suburban routes, providing
thousands more seats every day. However, it will mean fewer
trains to most stations during this time.
It’s extremely important that you understand the changes to
services and how journeys will be affected.
Further information on the improvements and what they will
mean for your journey are included in this edition of Track
South West. You can also find out more information by visiting
southwesttrains.co.uk/wswupgrade or you can simply
search online for ‘Waterloo Upgrade’
If you would like to make any suggestions for ways we can
improve our services, check the back cover for our contact
details.
Thank you for travelling with South West Trains.
Christian Roth
Managing Director, South West Trains
Track South West 3
4 Track South West
Improvements at London Waterloo
5 to 28 August 2017
What’s happening
How to make your journey smoother
From 5 to 28 August platforms 1-9 at London Waterloo will be
closed so work can start to extend platforms for longer trains. This
will have an impact on your journey.
Works at London Waterloo will cause temporary changes to your
service. During this time, please consider some of the advice below
to make your journey as smooth as possible.
During this time, we will not be able to run as many trains as
usual. There will be significant reductions in services for some
stations and a small number will be closed throughout this time.
•Travel from a different station or via an alternative route, they
may have more frequent or less crowded trains. Make sure to
check the advice for these stations before travelling.
The effect on your journey will vary depending on where and
when you are travelling. Please see the map overleaf to find out
how your station will be affected.
•Travel slightly earlier or later than normal. The busiest trains
arrive into London between 8am and 9am and leave London
between 5.30pm and 6.30pm. To help you travel outside of
these times we will provide longer trains for extended periods.
Please note that there will also be some platform closures during
weekends, from April to October 2017.
•If you are able to do so, you might want to consider working
from home or taking a holiday during some or all of this time.
Why we’re doing this
London Waterloo is Britain’s busiest station and a vital part
of one of the most heavily used railways in the country. In
the last 20 years, the number of passenger journeys on this
railway has more than doubled to 234 million.
The Waterloo and South West Upgrade programme is an
£800 million investment to create 30% more space for
passengers during the busiest times of the day.
It includes:
•30 brand new trains, providing 150 more carriages
from April this year.
•Allowing longer trains to serve suburban routes from
December 2017.
•Longer trains to Reading from December 2017.
•Five brand new platforms at London Waterloo allowing
more trains every hour by December 2018.
•Creating a bigger and better London Waterloo.
•New technology to make trains more efficient and
improve punctuality.
For more detailed train service information,
advice and ‘at a glance’ service map visit
southwesttrains.co.uk/wswupgrade
August Bank Holiday
On Friday 25 August to Monday 28 August 2017, there
will be additional works at Waterloo and platforms 1-14
will be closed.
This will further reduce the number of trains we are able
to run right across the network but the impact will be more
significant closer to London.
More detailed information will be provided in due course
but please keep this in mind if you are planning to travel
during this time.
rt
Ma
ins
He
ron
Br
a
n
ck
k
Wo
Wi
ing
ha
Wi
nn
nn
ers
h
h
ers
a
Tri
ng
Ea
Tro
wb
le
rle
y
rid
ge
dfor n
ad vo
Br on-A
a
Sp
th
Ba
co
T
ert
t
Ov
Wh
itc
ell
An
m
Sa
ew
Cr
on
hu
rch
do
ve
lis
r
Gr
ate
ley
bu
ry
ry
bu
Tis
am
h
g
llin
Gi mbe
o
c
e
pl
em
ter
ns
mi
Ax on
nit
Ho
on
nit
Fe
ke
rne
Wh
im
ple
C
b
ran
P
roo
k
o
inh
e
r
ete al
Ex entr
C
Mi
llb
k
roo e
g
rid
t)
b
d
res
Re
Fo
w
on
t
e
t
(N
To
ad
rst
hu
Ro
As
eu
t
uli
urs
a
h
n
Be
ke
c
o
Br
ay
n
lto
Sw
Mi
ral
w
mi
be
Ne
Ad
om
n
h
to
sc
Bo
urc
Hin
r
h
o
tc
nf
ris
ow
Ch
th
sd
ou
ke
o
P
em
rn
u
e
Bo
om
ks
an
r
e
B
ton
rks
Pa
le
o
Po
Ha
mw
ort
hy
lt
Ho
on
Wa
reh
Wo
ol
on r
ret
te
Mo ches
r
Do outh
S
y
we
Up
These stations will be exceptionally
busy and will likely have significantly
fewer trains.
Lymington Pier
ter
Lymington Town
ss
ad
Ro )
on rd
nd uildfo
o
L (G
Fareham
Fratton
Hilsea
Havant
Bedhampton
Portsmouth &
Southsea
Portsmouth Harbour
Cosham
Portchester
Haslemere
Liphook
Liss
Petersfield
Rowlands Castle
These stations will be busier than
usual and have fewer services.
Yellow
Swaythling
Bitterne
Hedge End
Woolston
Sholing
Netley
Botley
Hamble
Bursledon
Swanwick
Ash Vale
Ash
Worplesdon
Woking
Wanborough
Aldershot
Guildford
Farnham
Farncombe
Bentley
Godalming
Alton
Milford
Witley
h
Micheldever
Winchester
Shawford
Eastleigh
Hook
Fleet
ug
St. Denys
Southampton
Central
m
Basingstoke
Winchfield
Frimley
Camberley
F
oro
These stations will be closed for
some or all of this period.
For detailed advice for these
stations, please visit our website.
As
b
arn
Orange ale
d
Red nn
d
ing
oo
Weymouth
Su
cro
kw
Romsey
ng
oo
Br
Exeter
St. Davids
Lo
Bagshot
n
ick
g
rid
e
h
B
ort
y
s
sw
rne tne nd n
Ba Pu Wa Tow
sB
isw
e
e
arn
Ch
g
rid
wB
do
y
Effingham
Junction
H
le
ors
Green
n
Box Hill &
Westhumble
Leatherhead
Ashtead
No South West Trains services.
Southern services to London
Victorian will run.
Dorking
Cobham &
Stoke D’Abernon
Bookham
Epsom
Vauxhall
London
Waterloo
Queenstown
Road
Clapham
Junction
These stations are open and services
will remain largely the same.
However, trains calling at these
stations are likely to be busier.
n
Cla
Oxshott
Mortlake Wimbledon
Strawberry
Hill
ick
n
W
o
t
ton
ton
ton
ing
rbi
dd
mp Kings
Te
No
Ha
New
Malden
Hampton Court
Berrylands
Thames Ditton
Chertsey
Motspur
Surbiton
Esher
Park
Hersham
Addlestone
Walton-onThames
Worcester
Hinchley
Park
Wood
Byfleet &
Weybridge
Stoneleigh
New Haw
Claygate Chessington
Ewell
West Byfleet
South
West
Ashford
Feltham
rd
ark
llifo
a
nP
H
ton
ll
ury
pto
er
b
mp
p
lwe
n
m
Ha
Up
Fu
Su
Ke
itto
s
n
ret nd
ee
h
o
rga
Sh
en
ick t. Ma ichm orth
R
N
Tw
S
am
Ke
n
lde r
MaMano
rth
lwo
To gton h
sin ort
es N
Ch
Chandler’s Ford
Wa
rk
Southampton
Airport Parkway
ia
ld
Yeovil Sherborne
Junction
Dean
Mottisfont &
Dunbridge
V
in
irg
fie
Yeovil
Pen Mill
ha
Pa
Castle Cary
Eg
Warminster
w
R
es
Bruton
slo
n
ay
Frome
Westbury
un
rls
Reading
Ho
h
p
ort
ep
ew
Sh
Isl
Wh
ne
on
ert
La
Staines
on
rd
Wraysbury
Sy
tfo
Sunnymeads
en
Datchet
Windsor &
Eton Riverside
Br
Ea
Bristol
Temple Meads
Key for stations
5 – 28 August 2017
Track South West 5
He
ath
am
6 Track South West
Passenger improvements
Expansion of Smartcard
programme makes it easier
for passengers to travel
We’ve expanded our ticketing programme which means many
passengers can now swap their paper season ticket for a new
Smartcard.
The benefits of the new Smartcard include:
•Secure – your season purchase is protected if your card is lost
or stolen
•Durable – no more paper tickets, just a re-usable Smartcard
•Over 100 stations across the South West Trains network are
now Smartcard enabled
For more information, please visit southwesttrains.co.uk/
smart
Bigger and better
car parks
1,400 extra car parking spaces have
been delivered across the network.
Car parks at stations including Haslemere,
Basingstoke, Brookwood, Farnham,
Wokingham, Havant, and Winchester
have now been expanded to provide
extra capacity for passengers travelling
from our stations.
Improved facilities for cyclists
There are now almost 12,000 cycle parking spaces across the network.
As part of a £3.8million investment programme by South West Trains,
the Department for Transport, Rail Delivery Group and local authorities,
1,400 extra cycle spaces at 36 stations were delivered last year. Many
of these extra spaces are in our brand new, state of the art cycle hubs.
The cycle hubs provide free maintenance equipment, real time passenger
information screens including weather forecasts, tiered racks, 24/7 CCTV
for security and fully enclosed shelter.
Track South West 7
Better customer
service
We now have 100 Customer
Ambassadors working at stations across
the network. Our Customer Ambassadors
are easy to spot as they are dressed in
red jackets and located on platforms
and station concourses, offering face
to face guidance and expert advice to
passengers. They are equipped with smart
technology to provide access to the latest
train service information and are also
trained to NVQ Customer Service Level 2.
App and website improvements
Passengers can now access the best value tickets available across the UK rail network
with the launch of our transformational mobile app and website.
The new digital tools allow rail travellers to directly access the best fares and convenient
routes without having to search multiple providers.
New customer contact centre
A brand new 24/7 customer contact centre is now fully up and running in Basingstoke.
It links live to Video Ticket Machines across the network and is believed to be the first
of its kind in the UK. The Video Ticket Machines allow passengers to talk directly to
specially trained staff who can offer face to face advice and assistance, making it
easier for passengers to get help and find the best value fare for their journey. They are
available at 91 different stations.
8 Track South West
On Board With You
Our staff work across the network to provide the best service for
passengers. Andre Xavier is a Guard based at Bournemouth.
What’s your role and how long have you been with
South West Trains?
I’ve been a Guard with South West Trains for five and a half years
and before that I worked for Rail Gourmet as a buffet steward.
I’ve always had confidence in dealing with people, and I speak
five languages too so that helps me to communicate with lots of
different passengers from diverse backgrounds.
What does the role of Guard involve?
We have responsibility for passengers on board our trains, but
are also able to sell tickets and offer advice. There’s a guard on
every train to offer information and take care of passengers.
You’ve won several awards for customer service, most notably
a National Rail Award recognising your outstanding personal
contribution. What’s your favourite aspect of the job?
I really enjoy meeting people from all walks of life. Working out of
the Bournemouth depot means I usually work on the long-distance
services between Waterloo and Weymouth so I get a great
opportunity to build a rapport. I’ve even met some famous people
who have travelled on board my trains – Helen Mirren and
Theresa May to name a few! I enjoy talking to people and have
been known to do a magic trick or two for our younger travellers.
What’s the most challenging aspect of the job?
Managing disruption can be very challenging. We do empathise
with passengers – we’re human too, and when they’re late, we’re
also late, so we make it a priority to run a safe, reliable railway.
It sounds like you have a lot to think about on board! How do you
work through all the individual tasks?
I’m very methodical, and I’ve developed a system to sign on at
the start of my shift, check through my train schedule for the day
and any notices or briefings I need to be aware of. Having all
the tools for the job, such as my mobile phone and carriage key,
means that I can offer a better service and provide more detailed
information for passengers.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy
7
5
3 9
3
5 1 9
6
2
8 9
2
3 1 6
5
4 7
5
4
9 2 8
6
1 9
2
4
7
Piece of cake
4
Raising the bar
2 6
9 3
9
6
4 7
1
8
1
2
1
3
2
4
1
2
5 4
6
7
5 9
8 3
2 4
4 1
5 2
9 6
1 5
2
5
3
9
7
9
6
4
6
2
5
1
3 8
9 6
2
8 1
4 8
2
Only for Geniuses
4 8
5
2
9 6 4
7
3
2
2
6
5
5 2 9
1
8
2
4
2 9 3
6 2 7
3
1
6
2
1
7
Track South West 9
Our punctuality
We know how important the punctuality and reliability of our trains is to passengers.
The following information shows our performance from July to December 2016.
Industry Measure PPM
85.1%85.1%
99.6%99.6%
85.1% of our trains ran on time
as measured by the industry
performance measure. On time is
defined as within five minutes.
We also measure trains which
arrive at the time they are
scheduled and 57.6% of trains
arrived at their destination within
57.6%57.6%
59 seconds of their scheduled
arrival time.
Train lengths
Trains cancelled
There are occasions when our trains
don’t run with as many carriages as
they are planned to, and we know
this can cause inconvenience for our
customers. Over the last six periods, we
operated 99.6% of the planned number
of carriages during the morning and
evening peak times.
97% of the 489,670 trains we
planned to run in the last six
periods operated as planned.
Our punctuality
Early
Right Time
3.0% 3.0%
Delay responsibility split
39%
On time
57%
within 2 mins
South West Trains 25.5%
76%
within 4 mins
85%
within 6 mins
89%
within 8 mins
91%
within 10 mins
Other train operators 4.5%
92%
+ 10 mins
4%
+ 20 mins
1%
+ 30 mins
0.5%
Network Rail 70.0%
10 Track South West
Your feedback
We are absolutely committed to being open and honest with our passengers and
stakeholders so we can continue to improve all parts of our service.
The following data and information has all been compiled independently and will be used by South West
Trains to help further improve services.
Customer Feedback – National Rail Passenger Survey
Transport Focus carries out an independent survey of rail passengers twice a year. The results are then broken
down by each individual train company and published. The latest survey was conducted in Autumn 2016.
South West Trains – Overall Satisfaction with your journey – % satisfied or good
2013
2014
2015
2016
Spring
81%
79%
80%
82%
Autumn
81%
80%
81%
83%
Satisfaction with
provision of information
at stations*
Satisfaction with the
helpfulness and attitude
of on train staff*
Satisfaction with train
punctuality and
reliability*
Overall satisfaction
of London and South East
(Autumn 2016)*
85%
83%
73%
76%
81%
75%
74%
68%
68%
65%
56%
73%
50% 52%
44%
tT
r
Th ain
am s
So esli
nk
ut
he
as
te
rn
So
ut
he
rn
ia
W
es
ov
h
ut
So
G
tT
r
Th ain
am s
So esli
nk
ut
he
as
te
rn
So
ut
he
rn
ia
W
es
ov
h
ut
So
G
tT
r
Th ain
am s
So esli
nk
ut
he
as
te
rn
So
ut
he
rn
ia
W
es
ov
h
ut
So
* as at 27th January 2017
G
ia
ov
G
So
ut
h
W
es
tT
r
Th ain
am s
So esli
nk
ut
he
as
te
rn
So
ut
he
rn
30%
Track South West 11
As part of our commitment to listening to passengers and continuing to improve,
we carry out independent surveys of our service. We also facilitate a survey online
where customers can give feedback about their entire journey experience.
Below are the results from the August 2016 Track South West publication, compared with
the new results. We will continue to update the results every six months. Targets will also be
reviewed and updated each year based on the previous 12 months’ performance.
74%
72%
65%
58%
55%
et
rg
e
ta
or
ew
N
rg
ew
N
ev
io
us
ta
sc
us
io
Pr
ev
Pr
sc
et
e
or
et
rg
e
ta
or
ew
N
rg
ew
N
ev
io
us
ta
sc
us
io
Pr
ev
Pr
sc
et
e
or
et
rg
e
ta
or
ew
N
rg
N
ew
ta
us
io
sc
et
e
or
sc
us
1.35
Pr
ev
io
ev
Pr
50%
50%
1.6
1.6
1.48
65%
Customer Effort Score
Net Promoter Score
Customer Satisfaction Score
This is a score between 1 & 5
for how easy passengers find
completing a transaction with
South West Trains.
1 is the lowest effort
This is a percentage score on
whether a passenger would
recommend South West Trains to
their friends and family.
A customer score on “how satisfied
were you with your journey on
South West Trains?”
southwesttrains.co.uk
•Buying tickets online
•Special offers and days out
•Live train information
•Plan your journey
•Train times
•Latest news
southwesttrains.co.uk/jca
Keeping our registered customers up-to-date with their
service running information, delays and alterations
0345 6000 650
The Customer Service Centre team is available
7 days a week from 6am to 10pm for ticket sales
by credit or debit card, or comments and suggestions.
03457 48 49 50
National Rail Enquiries for train times, fares
and rail information
@SW_Trains
/swtrains
Give us your feedback for a chance to win
£100 travel vouchers. Simply log on to
www.tellswt.co.uk