South West Trains Passenger Forum – Tuesday 17th May 2016
Full Question and Answer Transcript
Capacity and Overcrowding
(BJ2) - I travel daily on the 06:46 and note this is a very crowded train. The earlier train at
05:56 is a 12 car train and is less busy, Could help with information about any plans to
strengthen services departing Farnborough Main?
We have recently lengthened the 0700 service to eight carriages in length. The 0556 service
has a multitude of duties during the morning (forms another two peak time services later
on) and needs to be 12 carriages in length in order to perform these. We will continue to
monitor loadings on all services and seek out means by which to optimise our finite capacity
resources.
(BJ17) - I pay for a 1st class ticket so that I can get a seat. But I do sometimes sit on the
floor. Also why are the 1st class benefits so bad on SWT? I can only get a tea or coffee until
10:00 am. I would like water, but cannot have this. On GWR and Virgin I get a newspaper,
food and better seating.
Whilst it is not possible to guarantee a seat, I understand your disappointment. As a first
class season ticket holder, you’re entitled to compensation where there are less than the
usual numbers of 1st Class carriages or seats on a train. However, confirmation of nonavailability of 1st Class should be obtained by way of a special form or written confirmation
from the guard, with the application then made through the office that issued your season
ticket. As a primarily commuter led rail service South West Trains does not offer catering on
every journey and so does not need a catering department. For longer journeys we have a
relationship with the catering company Rail Gourmet who provide an at-seat trolley service.
Other train operators who do provide complimentary refreshments on their services for
First Class customers can do so because they have their own catering departments offering
those refreshments, and on a mile for mile basis it can be argued that passengers are
charged more for this additional service. We are currently reviewing our First Class offering
and I will pass on your feedback to our review team.
(EX16) - 15 years ago I was able to find a seat on the 08:10 service from Farnborough, but
now even the 0645 is full and not able to find a seat.
I am sorry to learn of the ongoing overcrowding issues you have been experiencing. The
number of people travelling across the South West Trains Network has risen by more than
100% in just the last 20 years. However, this massive increase in passengers and journeys is
taking place on what is fundamentally the same railway. We’re investing millions of pounds
to add new trains, refurbishing some of the existing stocks to increase the capacity,
lengthening the station platforms and adding the old Eurostar platforms at London
Waterloo to South West Trains network. We would expect achieve these targets between
2016 and 2018. From 13 December we have added 57,000 extra seats and over 70 new
services throughout the week. The added capacity should alleviate the overcrowding issue
you face.
(EX15) - The 05:56 service from Farnborough is formed of 12 carriages and has only two
stops and runs direct to London Waterloo. The 06:16 service has 5 stops and only 5
carriages and hence is overcrowded. The next train is in around half an hour and there are
bike restrictions in place. Why can you not have more capacity on the 06:16 service or
another train? Can you use carriages that have designated cycle spaces/storage that do not
compromise seats on the 06:40 or alternative services which allow bikes on board?
We have recently lengthened the 0700 service to eight carriages in length. The 0556 service
has a multitude of duties during the morning (forms another two peak time services later
on) and needs to be 12 carriages in length in order to perform these. We will continue to
monitor loadings on all services and seek out means by which to optimise our finite capacity
resources.
(A1, AM33,AP32, AP33, AM18) - What are South West Trains doing to reduce overcrowding
issues?/I use South West Trains services every day and there is always overcrowding
We are in the process of implementing a major investment programme in the refurbishment
and expansion of our fleet. Indeed, in the short term we are investing £65 million to
refurbish 108 train carriages, allowing longer trains to run on our suburban routes. The first
of these new longer services have been running since Spring 2015 when the first of our
newly refurbished Class 456 trains entered service. More trains were introduced throughout
2015 and since our recent timetable change in December we are now providing more than
57,000 additional seats right across the network. In the long term, we are investing £275
million in 258 more carriages between now and 2018. When both Phase 1 and Phase 2 are
both completed by mid-2018, we will have boosted capacity by 30% on our busiest services
as well as carrying out major infrastructure improvements across the network to support
these new trains. At the moment, regrettably the network is completely full and we cannot
add additional services as there simply isn’t space on the tracks to run them. However
please be assured that we are starting work on a major programme of upgrade and
improvement works that will help more people travel into and out of London Waterloo.
(AM20) - I travel on the train for 1 hour each day and am not happy that the new trains will
have less seating.
I am sorry to hear of your concerns. The new trains are part of our capacity programme so
will be able to move more people around the network. Unfortunately, due to the nature of
our services it is not always possible to guarantee a seat.
(AM33) - There are constant delays.
I am sorry to learn of the frequent delays and cancellations you have experienced. I can
assure you that, after safety which is the overriding priority, the running of a right time
railway for our customers takes precedence. One big issue that affects performance is that
of limited track capacity and congestion. This affects a number of areas across our network,
especially nearer London and it is a major issue for us. Our timetable restructure has helped
enormously; however, the tracks are still heavily used during peak hours, with little spare
capacity to absorb delays. This means that a delay to even a single train can have a knock-on
effect to many others – a ‘multiplier’ effect.
(AM35 & AM48) - The 8 car 06:54 service from Fleet is very uncomfortable between
Surbiton and Waterloo/ There are rarely seats on the 07:41 and 08:28 from Ashford to
London Waterloo. Seats are very essential and South West Trains are not listening to what
customers want.
Whilst I completely understand that customers base their journey time around work
commitments, we do operate very regular services from most stations throughout the
morning peak and a short wait for the next service can often mean a more comfortable
journey. There will always be more popular services and these will be busier than earlier or
later trains. Carrying over 500,000 customers a day there will always be occasions when
some trains are more crowded than we or our customers would like.
(AM49) - 4 trains per hour to Weybridge are not enough. Due to overcrowding most people
get off at Surbiton. The arrival at Surbiton is at the same time as both the slow and fast
trains. The slow train tends to be delayed and so I miss the connection. No information from
the staff as when the trains will arrive. I have to pay for taxis often.
am sorry for the frequent delays and overcrowding you have experienced. I can assure you
that, after safety which is the overriding priority, the running of a right time railway for our
customers takes precedence. One big issue that affects performance is that of limited track
capacity and congestion. This affects a number of areas across our network, especially
nearer London and it is a major issue for us. Our timetable restructure introduced in
December 2004 has helped enormously; however, the tracks are still heavily used during
peak hours, with little spare capacity to absorb delays. This means that a delay to even a
single train can have a knock-on effect to many others – a ‘multiplier’ effect.
(AM51) - There is not enough capacity and over the last 4 years things have just got worse.
Rail fares are always expensive and the 09:11 from Surbiton is always a 4 car.
I am sorry for the overcrowding you have recently experienced. At the moment, regrettably
the network is completely full and we cannot add additional services as there simply isn’t
space on the tracks to run them. However please be assured that we are starting work on a
major programme of upgrade and improvement works that will help more people travel
into and out of London Waterloo.
(AM52) - During overcrowding there is not enough ventilation.
Our fleet of 455 trains which are used on our Suburban route do not have air conditioning
installed on them. This is due to the frequent number of stops that this service carries out
on route, which means that the train doors are constantly opening and this makes the
operation of air conditioning ineffective. However please note it is always possible to ask
the guard to open the windows on these trains.?
(AM60) - I am unhappy with the overcrowding on the 06:34 and 06:53 from Guildford into
London Waterloo.
We do aim to provide an adequate number of seats but as a “turn up and go” Train
Operating Company serving the UK’s largest network, regrettably there will be times when
not every customer is able to get a seat or board our service. I appreciate that this has
caused discomfort and inconvenience to your journeys with us and I apologise.
(AM14) - Why can't the seats on the blue 450 trains be wider? Also are there plans to run
more trains from Alton/Farnham?
The Alton Line is currently running at capacity due to a single line at Bentley and capacity at
London Waterloo. There may be scope to improve journey times in the future. I am sorry
that you are unhappy with the use of 450 trains on the Portsmouth line. I must advise that
our Class 450 trains are modern, reliable, air-conditioned rolling stock. Our customer
feedback shows that getting a seat is high on the list of priorities for our passengers. These
trains, when run as 12 cars, provide 142 additional seats per journey compared to a 10-car
Class 444 train. It is also clear from our passenger loading statistics that these trains are well
used by customers.
(AM19) - I travel on the 06:45 service from Hounslow during the rush hour and it is often a
4-car service. It feels like a cattle truck. I would like to request someone to meet here at
London Waterloo twice to view the train.
We are aware of the overcrowding difficulties that this train faces and apologise for the
cramped conditions. The 707 stock cascade combined with the changes at London
Waterloo will result in longer trains and improve the your journey.
(AM32, AM33, AM49 &BJ3) - I catch the 06:51 service from Southampton Airport Parkway
but it has been changed to a train with extra seats on. This is to meet the government's
quota of extra services. However I prefer the old service, as it feels overcrowded and
uncomfortable to sit on. Also, the frequency of the Weymouth train is every half hour all
day. I think it would be better to have more services in the peak time and less frequent in
the non-peak period.
The stock type for the 06:51 service from Southampton Airport Parkway has been changed
to increase the seating capacity. A balance between numbers complaining about standing
and comfortable seats has to be assessed. The stock was changed to maximise seating as
this was in greater demand. The Weymouth service is unable to provide more trains in the
peak hours. Regular off-peak pattern service to Weymouth serves different markets along
the route. Cancelling trains would not improve the number of peak trains that could run.
(AM38) - Is there a chance of increasing fast services to Surbiton during the peak period?
Also there is high capacity with crushing resulting in passengers not being able to get on
these trains, and this issue is only going to get worse. I am concerned the changes you
mention will not resolve this issue.
Crossrail 2 will help, as will longer 10-car services when we bring the London International
Terminals (Platforms 1-4) back into use. We are unable to operate more trains to Surbiton
as it stands. The capacity improvement will come when London Waterloo is rebuilt to allow
for longer trains.
(AM52) - I travel on the 07:35 and 07:30 services from Norbiton to London Waterloo. The
trains are very busy with no seats. Could more services be added in the peak?
At the moment, regrettably the network is completely full. However please be assured that
we are starting work on a major programme of upgrade and improvement works that will
help more people travel into and out of London Waterloo.
(AM51) - Are you planning to reintroduce 12 carriage trains for the 06:57 service from
Walton-on-Thames, as there currently isn't enough space?
More stock will be available with the Class 707 stock cascade and London Waterloo
rebuilding, so train formations will start to change. This service is currently planned to
become 12 carriages in the December 2017 timetable change.
(AM15) - What are the plans for capacity between Portsmouth Harbour and London
Waterloo? Also the standard compensation rebate is 60 minutes, which is different to other
Train Operators - others have 30 minutes delay and will compensate.
Class 707s will release some rolling stock which may increase train capacity on fast services.
10-car suburban trains are dependent on completion of London Waterloo rebuilding. We
not offer 'Delay Repay' but provide compensation based on our Passengers Charter, which
was agreed with the Department for Transport at the onset of our franchise.
(JS32) - When travelling on Sundays between 11:00 and 12:00. I have experienced 4 coaches
from Motspur Park and by Epsom it tends to be full. Also bicycle users, parents with children
and scooter users tend to travel on Sundays, taking up too much space.
It is recognised that many of our weekend services are extremely busy and following our
£65 million investment, we have implemented a number of major improvements to our
timetable. This has included increasing the number of services running, and also lengthening
some of the trains. However it has to be remembered that train loadings at weekends can
vary widely due to the weather and which events are taking place. Also the weekend is the
only time that maintenance can take place on the rolling stock which is fully utilised on
Mondays to Fridays for the peak periods.
(AM25) - More capacity is needed at Surbiton, are you able to clear the platforms at
Surbiton so that customers do not have to queue?
Under the Wessex Capacity Project once the enhancement works at Waterloo are
completed in late 2017 there are plans to build a second stairwell leading to platforms 3 and
4 at Surbiton which should help provide extra space at the station and alleviate the pressure
clearing platform areas more quickly.
(HP6) - I take the train from Poole and am concerned about the overcrowding on trains from
Woking / Clapham Junction. Why do trains stop at these stations when the train is already
full? I am also concerned about the £15 deal tickets being accepted by guards at peak hours
as I am then unable to find a seat after paying full price.
We do aim to provide an adequate number of seats but as a “turn up and go” Train
Operating Company serving the UK’s largest network, regrettably there will be times when
not every customer is able to get a seat or board our service. I appreciate that this has
caused discomfort and inconvenience to your journeys with us and I apologise. I am also
sorry to learn that the restrictions of our recent £15.00 promotional ticket were not being
correctly enforced. I have passed your comments onto the Guard Management team.
(HP11) - The capacity on the West of England line is an issue.
We are aware of the capacity issues on this route and have sought to address this where
possible through implementation of an enhanced level of train service at the busiest times
(through frequency changes or longer trains). This now takes us to the maximum possible
capacity with current rolling stock and infrastructure. Further development of services on
this route is certain to feature in the new franchise specification.
(HP12) - The 07:40 train from Woking to London Waterloo (10 car train) is full at Woking.
When will the capacity increase?
The 07:40 train from Woking is now formed of 12 coaches to provide the much needed
additional capacity from this station.
(AM17) - The posters that advertise additional capacity are misleading. This is really
annoying to some passengers on busy routes such as from Guildford who have not
benefited from the additional carriages but hears all the communication about it!
Thank you for your comments, I appreciate your concerns and understand your frustration
seeing the marketing material but not feeling the benefits. Additional rolling stock will be
brought in during the next year that will benefit some of the stopping trains from Guildford
and we are currently looking into what improvements we can make on the faster services.
(AM35) - Earlsfield capacity needs improving. Please can you remove seats to increase
standing space and ask staff to encourage passengers on board to move down the train? Or
use announcements to encourage good commuter etiquette.
I understand your concerns; capacity and overcrowding are issues on many of our trains in
this area. Staff are available at Earlsfield in the peak hours and should be able to assist with
promoting commuter etiquette. On the topic of seats vs standing room there is a delicate
balance and we try to provide as much as possible of both, in order to make sure that
people are as comfortable as possible.
(HP17) - The 17:25 from London Waterloo to Alton should be a 12 or 10 car not an 8 car
train. What are the plans to improve the length of this train?
With the introduction of the new 707 train stock in 2017 and the subsequent cascade across
the network many of our train services will be strengthened and we will look to include this
service in those plans.
(HP20) - The overcrowding at Clapham Junction is an issue.
Clapham Junction is the busiest interchange station in the United Kingdom and we are
experiencing increases in passenger loadings on most services. We have recently
implemented a robust crowd management plan to alleviate crowding issues, and this was
used to great effect during the Rugby World Cup. We have also doubled the number of
platform staff who work at Clapham Junction, which is helping us manage the smooth
running of the railway and the safety of customers across all of our platforms.
(HP32 & HP33) - More fast trains would make a big difference, can we have some more at
Raynes Park please?/ I am unable to board the train, there are more than 100 passengers
running around trying to board the same train. 1st class is almost empty and not
declassified!
At the moment, regrettably the network is completely full. However please be assured that
we are starting work on a major programme of upgrade and improvement works that will
help more people travel into and out of London Waterloo. The decision of declassifying 1st
Class is ultimately down to the Guard. Only in exceptional circumstances would a Guard
“declassify” First Class accommodation and permit Standard Class ticket holders to occupy
it. If he or she was to do this there would first have to be an announcement and those First
Class ticket holders already in the accommodation would be offered pro rata refunds for the
difference between the two ticket rates.
(HP50) - Can we have more trains during Royal Ascot week on this line?
Additional trains are provided for large scale events such as this, in order to cope with the
unusually high volume of passengers.
(HP57) - When there are cancellations why can't South West Trains stop fast trains to collect
other passengers? This is often an issue at Woking.
During disruption it is sometimes arranged for trains to stop additionally at Woking.
However, many trains that do not usually call at Woking, are already full to capacity. To stop
services that are already full and standing at additional stations would not be beneficial to
passengers already on board, or to passengers waiting at the station, as there would not be
the space to accommodate them.
(HP70) - I am a passenger travelling from Woking every day, the trains are too busy and
there are no seats. Between 06:30 and 07:30 there is no explanation as to why there are
only 5 carriages on the trains. I pay a lot of money to not have a seat. I feel unsafe with the
number of people travelling. Why are there too few seats and why can additional carriages
not be added?
All of our available carriages are currently in use during the morning and evening peak
during the week. Providing more seats on this train would be at the expense of seats on
other equally busy services. We are aware of the overcrowding issue particularly at Woking
and are working hard to improve our capacity. The introduction of the new fleet of 707's
towards the end of 2017 and subsequent cascade of stock will help this problem along with
the enhancement works at London Waterloo.
(BJ27) - Are Brompton collapsible bikes no larger than luggage?
A folding cycle with the dimensions of 90cm x 70cm x 30cm is considered as a piece of
luggage
as
per
the
National
Rail
Conditions
of
Carriage.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/documents/content/NRCOC.pdf
(BJ42) - When are we getting 10 car trains in the Metro area?
We would expect to complete our High Output programme between 2016 and 2018. The 30
new Class 707 five-carriage ‘Desiro City’ trains will significantly boost capacity on services,
providing for more than 18,000 extra peak-time passengers every day travelling into London
Waterloo. The train order will also allow for a further 6,000 daily peak-time passengers once
infrastructure upgrades are completed on the mainline and Hounslow loop. The £65 million
investment in 108 additional refurbished carriages for the network, combined with the
order for new trains, will deliver a total peak-time capacity increase of around 30% by 2018.
(BJ48) - I experience dangerous levels of overcrowding and it is often difficult to board a
train at Surbiton. This results in missing one or two trains. Stairs in the middle become
crush dangerous, do you plan for another footbridge.
I am sorry to hear of your difficulties you have experienced at Surbiton. It is a very busy
station that often becomes congested especially during peak times. Surbiton is a listed
station so there are no current plans for another footbridge.
(BJ53) - The 0808 service (from Surbiton) has reduced carriages from 10 to 8 and has First
Class removed. Although we were promised more seats we currently experience severe
overcrowding.
We are sorry to learn of your concerns regarding revised capacity of 08:08 service from
Surbiton. These changes were necessary to deliver some of the other increases in train
capacity and will be in place until the next tranche of rolling stock is built and arrived. Due to
the current refurbishment programme we’re in severe shortage of train carriages, leaving us
sometimes with no spare carriages to replace any faulty carriages taken out of service.
(BJ58) - Is it possible to link an extra service from Guildford in the morning between 07:00
and 07:30?
Unfortunately our network is at capacity, especially during morning peak services so it is not
currently possible to include an extra service from Guildford at this time.
(BJ79) - There is a survey suggesting using an online account to gain repayment before 07:00
or 17:00 with a £1.00 discount under the name of South West Trains.
Unfortunately this is not an offer from South West Trains.
(AM16) - I have to stand on the train from Hinchley Wood. Why can't more services consist
of 10 carriages? Can Brompton bikes be carried on your services? Sometimes other
passengers travel with full-sized bicycles on restricted trains that block up the aisles.
Brompton bicycles should be carried in a bag as this avoids inury to passengers' backs of
legs. Also the Suburban 10-car capacity scheme at London Waterloo will enable more trains
to run at 10 cars.
(AM50) - I take the 06:52 service from Weybridge and I feel there are not enough coaches
and space. In addition, tickets to London are expensive.
The 06:52 service will benefit from the Class 707 cascade of stock. This is currently
scheduled to become 12 coaches in December 2017 timetable.
(AM41) - I travel from Dorking and feel that trains shouldn't stop at Earlsfield but at Vauxhall
and Clapham Junction. Also there is overcrowding on these services.
Earlsfield is a big market which could cause confusion if some trains ran fast. With all trains
calling there is a regular stopping pattern. If some trains ran fast they would wait outside
Clapham Junction for the previous train.
(AM1) - I travel on the 06:45 or 07:00 services from Farncombe. If these are cancelled then
the next is scheduled to leave at 07:28, which makes it very busy. Why is there not a train
in-between or why are trains not stopped? Also Guards are not announcing stops when the
train leaves stations. Also, Passenger Information Screens do not show stops on journeys why not?
When we introduce the new 10-car trains, we will be able to move stock around. New trains
will have more space during peak times.
Also: "The on board Passenger Information
Screens (PIS) should be announcing stations when operational, and if this is faulty then our
Guards are expected to make manual announcements prior to arrival at each station.
Certain types of stock mean the Guard cannot make announcements from all door
positions.
(BJ22) - During disruption trains at Surbiton you do not wait for everybody to board. Why
can't you wait for everybody to board, especially during disruption?
We are sorry to hear of difficulty you have experienced at Surbiton station, especially during
disruption. Often it is necessary to load the train as fast as possible, so it can move onto the
next station to continue to rebuild the network. We will however pass your comment onto
the station management team for their consideration.
(BJ27) - Early trains are only 5 cars and people are standing. 8/10 car trains would improve
the situation.
Our passenger numbers continue to rise and as such we’re now operating at full capacity.
We’re investing millions of pounds, right across the network to replace and upgrade
equipment, in order to improve the reliability and capacity of our services. We would expect
achieve these targets between 2016 and 2018. From 13 December 2015 we have added
57,000 extra seats and over 70 new services throughout the week. We’re investing a further
£210m in a fleet of new trains. The 30 new Class 707 five-carriage ‘Desiro City’ trains will
significantly boost capacity on services, providing for more than 18,000 extra peak-time
passengers every day travelling into London Waterloo. Looking further afield, the delivery
date for Reading line 10 car trains is likely to be December 2018, once the upgrade work has
taken place to the old Waterloo International station to make it suitable for domestic use,
subject to platform lengthening and power upgrades on the Reading line west of Virginia
Water and subject to successful delivery of Class 707 rolling stock to allow for a cascade of
units to make longer train formations.
(BJ38) - Trains from Farnham are very busy. Faster trains are required to Woking and to
London Waterloo. The tickets are expensive, but I have to stand all the time
Our passenger numbers continue to rise and as such we’re now operating at full capacity.
We’re investing millions of pounds, right across the network to replace and upgrade
equipment, in order to improve the reliability and capacity of our services. We would expect
achieve these targets between 2016 and 2018. Though the specific trains you mentioned
aren’t strengthened, the added capacity should alleviate the overcrowding issue you face.
We struggle to find a train timetable slot on this route for anything over and above the
present offerings.
(BJ39) - Are there new services planned to cater for increased numbers using SWT Services?
Unfortunately our services are currently at capacity, but we have ongoing projects that will
increase train length and coaches on the network.
(LR2) - On Saturday 14 May 2016 the Farnborough Main to London Waterloo service only
ran with a 4 car 450 stock, why was this?
It has to be remembered that train loadings at weekends can vary widely due to the
weather and which events are taking place. Also the weekend is the only time that
maintenance can take place on the rolling stock which is fully utilised on Mondays to Fridays
for the peak periods.
(LR10) - Can you do something about the crowding at Wimbledon?
We are aware of the large volumes of passengers passing through the station at
Wimbledon, which has increased recently with 50% more trams stopping during the
morning peak. In response to this we have employed additional part time staff to assist
with train dispatch and customer information, and we use security staff and a queueing
system to restrict access to the platform in times of high footfall.
(LR23 & LR24) - Why are the Guildford to London Waterloo services always overcrowded
and customers sit on the floor? Every day this service is standing room only.
We do aim to provide an adequate number of seats but as a “turn up and go” Train
Operating Company serving the UK’s largest network, regrettably there will be times when
not every customer is able to get a seat or board our service. I appreciate that this has
caused discomfort and inconvenience to your journeys with us and I apologise. At the
moment, regrettably the network is completely full. However please be assured that we are
starting work on a major programme of upgrade and improvement works that will help
more people travel into and out of London Waterloo.
(LR22) - It is too busy on escalators to Jubilee Line from London Waterloo. It is chaos and the
barriers on the underground cause traffic jams.
Due to station renewal works at London Bridge, Southeastern services are currently running
non-stop between London Waterloo East and New Cross/Lewisham. As such tickets are
being accepted on Jubilee line services between London Waterloo and London Bridge, which
has increased the footfall down through Exit 2 of the station. These works are scheduled to
finish in August 2016, at which point the crowding will ease in that area.
(EX8) - Why don't the indicator boards at Worcester Park show the number of carriages for
the 05:42 and 06:12 services?
Thank you for flagging this issue to us, we have passed it on to our Information Team for
further investigation.
(EX9) - Wimbledon station is congested – could there be a separate entrance for the TfL
tubes?
At the present moment in time there are no plans to provide a separate entrance for the
District Line at Wimbledon station. A large proportion of customers interchange at
Wimbledon from platforms 5 –10 to platforms 1 – 4, and a separate entrance would not
alleviate this issue. However there are more long term works proposed to update the
station as part of Network Rail Control Period 6.
(EX10) - When are platforms 1-4 being extended?
Work to extend Platforms 1-4 at WAT will be carried out in the summer of 2017.
Car parks
(SSB26) - Car park prices increased by 10%.
(SSB29) - Car park prices increased from £ to £7.50.
(HP37) – The car park prices are too high.
Car park tariffs have been frozen at the same price for the past two years in many locations
and our car park prices are set competitively with other parking facilities in the area. We
continue to reinvest in our car parks, including the delivery of 1400 additional spaces across
our network by February 2017.
(AM46) – How can I get onto the waiting list for season car parking at Worplesdon station?
In order to be added to the waiting list, please visit Worplesdon station ticket office – who
will be happy to add your details to the list and advise you on the length of wait.
(HP14) – In the new car park plans at Farnham, disabled parking is not included. The
National Rail website says that there are no disabled spaces at all, which is against the law!
What provision is being made for accessibility during the car park closure and why is
disabled parking not included in the plan?
I am pleased to inform you that there is provision for disabled parking in the new car park at
Farnham. The National Rail website will be updated accordingly and we are sorry if this has
not been made clear. Accessibility has been taken into consideration and will not be a
problem during the works. If you have specific problems or concerns please speak to station
staff, who will be happy to answer any queries you may have.
(VS27) – The car park at Haslemere does not provide enough spaces for scooters or
motorbikes. There are 12 spaces currently but there needs to be more.
We are pleased to advise that Haslemere will be going through a major re-development,
including a new cycle hub, a refurbished forecourt and a new multi-storey car park. We
have passed your request onto our Estates team, who are looking at increasing scooter and
motorcycle spaces in the new car park and within the forecourt area.
(BJ49) – There is not enough parking spaces at Petersfield station.
Petersfield car park has 154 spaces with 5 accessible bays, however we are well aware it is
very busy between Mondays and Thursdays in particular. We have fed this on to the station
management team, however there are currently no plans to increase the number of spaces
at the station.
(HP25) – Can we have an increase in exits at Surbiton?
There are currently no plans to increase the number of exits at Surbiton station.
Customer Service Issues
(AM12) - I left a bike helmet on a train at Woking station and could not find anyone to pass
on the information to the next station. A phone call to the next terminating station would
have been helpful.
Thank you for your comments. I have passed on your feedback to the Woking station team.
As far as possible we do try to assist with lost property enquiries though this can be difficult
especially at peak times where there are many other demands on our staff members. The
best way to track down anything that you have lost is to contact our lost property
department.
(AM7)- 99% of the time, your service and Guards are excellent. However, as soon as
something goes wrong then they hide and it lets the service down. That's when passengers
require help and communication.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our Guards' performance. All of our Guards
are aware that they should make announcements after 2 minutes of any delay or incident.
Though they might not at this point know the reason, they are expected to regularly update
passengers. We have recently provided our Guards with Smartphones which means
information can be passed on quicker in the future. Our Guards should inform passengers of
their location on the train frequently and we do carry out discreet assessments as a
Management team to ensure this is adhered to.
(AM4) - Your compensation needs to be simpler. Guards are not making announcements
and are not patrolling. Your trains are smelly and need better cleaning.
All of our trains should have an automated Passenger Information System and our Guards
supplement these announcements. If the system is faulty then the Guard should make all
announcements manually and regularly. On certain stock there are only Passenger
Announcement points in cabs and not at every door. Our Guards are expected to patrol the
trains frequently and the only time this might not happen is if the train is extremely busy or
any safety issues occur.
(AM22)
- The enforcement of mobile-free zones should be better.
I am sorry you feel the enforcement of the use of our quiet zones is not stringent enough.
The request that people try to keep noise to a minimum in a quiet zone is not a Railway
Bylaw and thus is not a legal requirement. The rationale behind the policy was to offer an
area of the train which was quieter, by encouraging customers who had purposely chosen to
sit there to be more respectful of the noise made in that area. This policy is backed up by
the labels we place in the designated area, showing that we would prefer customers not to
use portable music equipment, to keep mobile phones on silent and to talk at a reasonable
level when using the quiet zone.
(LR26) - Why do you use congestion as a reason?
Congestion is a term we use to describe service delays in and out of Waterloo following an
incident which has since been resolved. Sometimes this congestion can be the result of 5 or
6 smaller issues, each of which has caused a delay which then builds due to our already tight
timetable. Cancellation is an unfortunate outcome of service recovery - particularly during
the peak periods. Guards are trained to make extra announcements when delayed.
(LR28) - The customer ambassador at Liphook is not very helpful. He keeps telling people
that all his job is to help people with Ticket Vending Machines.
I am sorry and concerned about the difficulties you describe. The situation as you describe it
is not the attitude or service level we would expect our staff members to provide. Even if it
is not possible to fulfil a customer’s request we expect all transactions to be dealt with in a
pleasant and courteous manner. Please be assured that your description of events was
forwarded to the manager responsible for the staff member concerned and while we cannot
advise you of action taken against staff members I would like to assure you we take all
feedback such as yours seriously and deal with such reports appropriately.
(AM45) - Why do South West Trains staff smoke outside Waterloo station? Usually next to a
no smoking sign? I have sent photos to customer services and tweeted them but it still
happens! Are you going to do anything about it?
New signs have been brought in to make it clear which areas smoking is not allowed and the
local authority at Waterloo are taking the lead on enforcing the smoking policy outside the
station. This is an issue we are aware of and are working hard to change.
(HP36) - On the 17:35 and 18:35 services from Waterloo to Weymouth, the guards do not
deal correctly with passengers who have cheap deal tickets.
Thank you for your feedback, I am sorry to hear that you do not feel that the guards have
been dealing correctly with passengers who have deal tickets. I have fed this back to the
Guards managers to re-brief their teams regarding these tickets.
(HP46) - When there is a platform alteration there is poor communication, late information
and late announcements at London Waterloo. The information staff are rude and I have had
occasion to escalate this issue.
At South West Trains, we are committed to providing quality information to our customers.
We are continually reviewing how we communicate information especially during times of
disruption, working with the British Transport Police and our Alliance partners Network Rail
to review changes in order to ensure you that at the times we can’t provide our advertised
service, we can tell you why and how to complete your journey as quickly as possible. I am
sorry to hear your comments regarding the information staff, this is not the behaviour we
expect of our team and if you would like to discuss your individual experience further please
contact our customer service team.
(HP73) - Walton-on-Thames ticket office staff are not very helpful and sometimes even
bordering on rude.
We are sorry to hear of the difficulties you have experienced with Walton-on-Thames staff –
we have passed these onto the Station Manager.
(JS22) - I would like to provide feedback for the customer service desk at Clapham Junction. I
wanted information about Oystercard replacement and was told just to go down to London
Underground knowing they would not help. I understand Oystercards are not South West
Trains' products but it is the help and customer service which is missing.
I am sorry and concerned about the difficulties you describe. The situation as you describe it
is not the attitude or service level we would expect our staff members to provide. Even if it
is not possible to fulfil a customer’s request we expect all transactions to be dealt with in a
pleasant and courteous manner. Please be assured that your description of events was
forwarded to the manager responsible for the staff member concerned and while we cannot
advise you of action taken against staff members I would like to assure you we take all
feedback such as yours seriously and deal with such reports appropriately.
(BJ54) - I have a season ticket between Sandhurst and London Waterloo. Sometimes I break
my journey at Staines or at Guildford. In the last week the barrier staff challenged me at
both stations and have been rude. I have had this ticket for the last 8 years and never had
an issue previously.
We are sorry that you found our staff to be rude. Your comments have been passed to the
relevant station managers for their attention and appropriate actions.
(BJ57) - I receive inconsistent information regarding refund claims procedures.
We are sorry to hear this. If you contact our Customer Service Centre they will be able to
advise.
(BJ70) - I could not find the trolley services on some of the Portsmouth services and wonder
if the trolley service has been withdrawn from some of the services.
Trolley service is provided on a number of our longer distance trains, including some trains
from Portsmouth to London Waterloo via Basingstoke. The trolley service is not generally
provided in late afternoon/ evening trains on this route.
(BJ1) - There are inconsistent tanoy announcements and a lack of information on the
Easteligh to London Waterloo Route. Some are excellent and I have praised staff in the past
for friendly and helpful service. I have communicated this to customer services, but have
had no feedback. Many guards do not make any announcements and when services are
delayed they do not provide passengers with updates. I have raised this before at Passenger
Forum, but had no feedback
When there is severe disruption extensive alterations to advertised schedules often make
the relaying of current information to passengers difficult, especially as details of a
particular train may be updated at very short notice. We have to use many contingency
measures to try and get trains and crews to their correct locations, so that the advertised
timetable is restored as soon as possible. We’re upgrading our customer information
systems so that station Customer Information Screens and online journey planners share
the same source of information (the National Rail Enquiries Darwin database, which powers
the National Rail Enquiries website and the majority of UK journey planners). This will
ensure both the customers’ mobile phone and the station information screens show the
same information, and any updates to either delay predictions, or any alterations to the
stops the train will make will be reflected in both within a matter of seconds. We have
recently upgraded the guards’ mobile phones to i-phones, which will improve their access to
latest information.
(EX30) - Why doesn't the guard show discretion and declassify First Class when people are
standing in Standard.
A guard will declassify First Class in exceptional circumstances, but he/she first must obtain
permission from our Control Unit. We do have an obligation to our First Class paying
customers, particularly Season ticket holders to ensure that seats are accessible to them as
far as possible.
(R23) – I booked assistance on 1531 Hounslow to London Waterloo, but the staff were
unaware of my booking.
The most valuable reassurance that we can provide you with is to take steps to ensure we
have done all we can to prevent this incident being repeated in the future. At the heart of
our company values is our commitment to learn from our mistakes. Any complaints are
investigated in full with the Managers concerned for the staff involved. Our Access and
Integration Manager will also be made aware of the situation. Whilst the outcome of the
investigation will remain internal we will do all we can to make sure that next time you
travel your assistance is as you booked it.
(RT41) - I am frustrated that the tickets are never checked in First Class when I am travelling
between reading and London Waterloo. Why should I pay for a seat and have to stand when
some people have not paid First Class?
Our Guards have many duties and many of these are safety critical. It is important that
Guards on services are in the right place at the right time for certain duties. South West
Trains takes the safety of our passengers and crew very seriously and when a train is
crowded, making it difficult for our Guards to travel through the service then the Guard may
have to avoid travelling through the train and checking tickets in order to attend their more
critical duties. However, any reports of passengers travelling without a valid ticket will be
forwarded to our Guards Management and Revenue Protection Teams. This will allow them
to be aware of any issues and to ensure more ticket inspections are carried out on the
services you mention.
(BJ62) - I want to complain about the 1800 service from Waterloo last night.
I am sorry to learn about your concerns. One of our Senior Managers will get in touch with
you soon.
(J6) - I travel between Portsmouth and Woking and Guards aren’t doing their job properly.
They very rarely check tickets, allow bicycles on trains and sit in their cubicles reading
papers. Also I Tweet about the issue regarding Guards but have received no response. They
have said this is due to the volume of correspondence but actually respond to questions.
I'm sorry you have felt the need to complaint about the Guards on your route. Guards are
trained to check tickets frequently, however when trains are extremely busy safety must
come first. So the Guard may remain in one area so that they can safely operate the doors.
Also they may encounter revenue equipment failure. Also we do have a cycle policy that our
Guards are aware of and the amount they can carry. Performance and punctuality are key to
our business so we would not expect our Guards to delay trains to remove passengers with
cycles. We do ask our Guards that if they are in their cubicle not to read papers or play on
mobiles and this is monitored during assessments that our Management teams carry out.
(BJ12) - When there are major disruptions I have witnessed driving staff joking around
disruption. Staff should be more professional in incidents. Some guards are good.
Please accept our apologies that you found our staff unprofessional. Your observation is
passed to the relevant managers for appropriate actions.
Customer Service Centre
(AM24) - I have not received responses to some of my emails to you.
(SSB24) – South West Trains telephone service could be improved. I have an outstanding
issue with Customer Service and South West Trains haven't replied, this has been going on
for nearly 28 days.
(JS24)- Why hasn't my complaint been answered since 1st April 2016?
(HP66) - The Customer Service Centre have not replied to my enquiry.
(HP 80) - My complaint regarding a train service that failed in the platform at Waterloo took
two months for the Customer Service Centre to respond to. The train failed with a large
number of passengers on board and required are boot of the system. All the doors however
were locked so no passengers could get off the train. The guard did not announce this.
We are sorry for the length of time it has taken to respond to you. Our Customer Service
Centre received an usual amount of customer contact through March and April which has
resulted in a backlog. Please be assured your contact is important to us and we are working
hard to clear our backlog of cases, we will respond to your case as soon as possible.
(AM34) - I received no help from customers services when my ticket was lost. Customer
relations were not very receptive and did not follow it up.
We are sorry to hear of the bad experience you received with our Customer Relations
department. Please see our Complaints Handling Procedure which is published on the
South West Trains website for more information on how we follow up on cases.
(VS10) - On 18 March 2016, the Cobham to London Waterloo service at approximately 17:30
was stuck just before Surbiton for 90 minutes due to electrical problems. I have complained
to the CSC but no reply has been received to date.
We’re sorry that you haven’t received a response yet. We do currently have a backlog which
we’re working our way through as quickly as we can. Please be assured your complaint will
be looked into and responded to.
(SSB25) - I have an outstanding complaint with no response.
West Trains regarding my claim is incorrect.
The data sent from South
The South West Trains Customer Service Centre responded to this query on 18/05/16. We
have checked our response and can confirm that the data provided was correct. We
apologise if you are unhappy with the level of response.
Cycle Policy
(AM13) - Why don't you enforce bicycle rules after 07:45?
We are keen to allow as many cycles as possible to use our trains but we are a commuter
serving Train Operating Company and we have to find a happy medium between providing
enough space for customers and cycles. During peak times when space is at a premium and
trains are at their busiest, it is important that we prevent cycles from being carried to
maximise customer space. More information can be found on our website.
(BJ41) - I feel that people with folding cycles should keep them folded until they exit the
station as they knock into people on the stairs and when they are wheeling them on
platforms. Also would like more cyclists with folding bikes to be educated not to leave them
in the train doors as they cause trip-hazards.
We are keen to allow as many cycles as possible to use our trains but we are a commuter
serving Train Operating Company and we have to find a happy medium between providing
enough space for customers and cycles. During peak times when space is at a premium and
trains are at their busiest, it is important that we prevent cycles from being carried to
maximise customer space. Unfortunately, it is difficult to police how our customers travel
with folded bicycles, but we will take your comments on board. More information can be
found on our website.
Fares
(SSB20) - Is there an obligation to find a guard if you unable to buy a ticket, or can you wait
at your seat?
If the ticket office is open or TVMs are available for the ticket required, then a customer is
expected to purchase a valid ticket before boarding a train. They may still be liable to a
Penalty Fare/UFN even if they approach the guard or revenue as soon as they board.
(HP19) - The cost of a season ticket is too high.
(HP19) - I would rather pay more for my ticket if it would help to increase capacity, I don’t
agree with the fares freeze.
In August 2015, the government announced that Regulated Fares would be capped for the
remainder of this parliament, and will apply to calendar years 2016-2020, inclusive.
Regulated Fares for each calendar year are based on the preceding July's RPI figure, and is
applied to many season ticket, Anytime Day and, Off Peak Returns on longer distance
journeys. For 2016, the Regulated Fares increase will be capped at +1.0%, or 10p, whichever
is greater. Our unregulated fares will also increase by around +1.0%.
Revenue from ticket sales is used, not only to fund the day to day running of the railway, but
also to enhance and maintain a safe and reliable railway. Government policy has attempted
to move a greater cost of operating the railway from the tax payer to the fare paying
passenger. An element of our income from fares is also paid to the government as a premia
for the right to run the franchise. The current franchise, which started in 2007, was on the
basis of a contractual agreement with the government in which assumptions were made on
volume growth and fares increases. In recent years, the government has sought to limit the
fares increases at a rate below that agreed but we remain obliged to meet our premia
payments. For every pound spent on rail fares, 97p goes on fixed costs, such as paying for
access to use the tracks, train carriage leasing, staff costs, etc; whilst 3p is made as a profit.
We’re sorry to learn about the overcrowding issues you have experienced when travelling.
We do aim to provide an adequate number of seats but as a “turn up and go” Train
Operating Company serving the UK’s largest network, regrettably there will be times when
not every customer is able to get a seat or board our service. We appreciate that this has
caused discomfort and inconvenience to your journeys with us and I apologise.
(BJ24) - There is no smart ticketing facility at Farnborough Main station. I buy a weekly
season ticket and am not able to obtain any refund if plans change after 3 days.
We’re in the process of rolling out Smart Card facilities through the entire network. A tickets
from ‘Farnborough Stations’ to ‘London Terminals’ (Route Any Permitted) are valid via
Farnborough North/ Reading to London Paddington station. Due to the compatibility issues
with Great Western Railway in this route currently we’re unable to offer smart card from
Farnborough to London.
Refund of a season ticket is the difference between the price you paid and the cost of a
ticket or tickets for the period for which you have actually used the ticket, plus an
administration charge of £10.00. Because of the discounts on Season Tickets, refunds are
not made pro rata to the periods before/after surrender. When calculating refund of
Weekly season ticket the cost for the period of use is calculated as numbers of Any Time
Day Returns to cover the period.
(BJ26) - I’m not happy with the 11% hike in the car park charges at Worplesdon station in a
month. Not sure if this was because I had to purchase the season ticket at London Waterloo
as the ticket office at Worplesdon was closed this morning.
Car park tariffs have been frozen at the same price for the past two years at Worplesdon
and our car park prices are set competitively with other parking facilities in the area. We
continue to reinvest in our car parks, including the delivery of 1400 additional spaces across
our network by February 2017. The tariff for Worplesdon car park is the same at all ticket
offices.
(HP34) - Can you introduce split 12 month season tickets that allow use on the tube for only
half the year, as I cycle in the summer?
Thank you for your feedback. We have noted your suggestion and passed it on to the
relevant department, though providing tickets with half use would be a logistical challenge
we can see how this may be beneficial to some passengers.
(HP54) - I travel to Vauxhall in the morning peak but the service sometimes runs fast to
London Waterloo. I then can’t use my ticket to get back to Vauxhall from London Waterloo. I
would like a clear yes or no as to whether I can use my ticket to get back from Waterloo to
Vauxhall, and in writing so that I can use it on the gateline.
It will depend on the type of ticket the customer has - a couple of possible scenarios are
below. Ewell West is in Zone 6, and Vauxhall is on the boundary of Zones 1 & 2.
Oyster pay as you go/contactless - Normally, the customer would touch in at Ewell West,
touch out at Vauxhall. They would be charged a Zone 6-2 fare. If they travel via Waterloo,
touch out to go onto the concourse, then touch back in to get on a train towards Vauxhall,
they'll be charged the higher Zones 6-1 fare. If they stay behind the gateline (on the
platform side), they will be charged the correct Zones 6-2 fare when they touch out at
Vauxhall.
Oyster season ticket: If they have a Zones 2-6 Travelcard, and they have Oyster pay as you
go credit and they touch out at Waterloo to enter the concourse, touch back in again to
enter the platform, then touch out at Vauxhall, they'll be charged a Zone 1 fare (as their
season ticket isn't valid). If they have a Zones 2-6 Travelcard, and stay behind the gateline at
Waterloo (on the platform side) they will not be charged any additional fare for this journey.
The ticket isn’t valid in Zone 1, but as they haven't exited through a gateline, it doesn’t
create an issue for them.
Paper ticket (day or season): These tickets aren’t valid into Waterloo. However, staff can
use discretion to let her through the gateline, if required. If the customer stays behind the
gateline (on the platform side) they won't have any problems.
Information
(AM73) - Emails come out with content saying disruption has been cleared but the title does
not imply that. Would be more helpful for 'disruption cleared' to be in title rather than
'disruption found' which is misleading.
Thank you for your feedback, we've asked our software developer whether this can be
amended and hopefully, you will see an improvement soon.
(JS31) - There aren't any performance alerts during bus rail replacement services.
We've spoken to our Rail Replacement Bus team who have let us know that they're
developing a tracking system for all replacement buses, this will also enable the drivers to
be contacted directly should any issues arise.
(AM71) - Announcements in general are too long with poor grammar. They need more
clarity to be easier to understand for passengers don’t need railway terminology, just short
sharp information and to the point. Customers don’t need the whole dialogue especially at
Clapham when the only other stop is Vauxhall. A simple thank you is fine but we don't need
to be thanked after every comment. Announcements are great just keep them short and to
the point.
All of our Guards are encouraged to make announcements at principle stations, where we
know many passengers get on board and alight our trains. They are also encouraged to
provide information about where the train stops, onward travel information and safety
information. We’re sorry to hear that you sometimes feel these announcements are too
long with too much information, and we’ll pass this onto the Guards teams.
(BJ11) - I wonder if announcements could be reduced between Waterloo and Putney.
This isn't possible as these announcements are necessary for our visually impaired/disabled
customers.
(SSB48) - SWT Website text/email alerts not particularly helpful. Doesn't differentiate
between slow/fast trians to Waterloo. Would be useful to specify particular train.
The system that we use to communicate problems on our network identifies problems
between two locations, this means that all trains travelling between them may be delayed.
We are always working with our software developers to see where we can make
improvements and have passed on your comments.
(ZS10) - I am generally happy with the service. The staff are friendly. However, I would like
to know when the issue with platform information on apps e.g. National Rail will be fixed?
We are planning on launching new software on Tuesday 24th May which will put platform
information back into the National Rail, and other 3rd party apps.
(ZS45) - Please could announcements be put out at London Waterloo with regarding to the
Jubilee line? This helps in making alternative travel arrangements should there be
disruption.
Where possible, our station announcers at Waterloo will let you know about the status of
London Underground, our guards also announce the service status when possible.
(BJ30) - The clocks are not accurate at all locations. I notice variation of about one
minute. Someone needs to follow this up
Thanks for feedback, we try to rectify these problems as soon as possible after being
notified. If you spot this please report it through Twitter, our help points or a member of
staff and we will arrange for engineers to fix it.
(AM12) - I left a bike helmet on a train at Woking station and could not find anyone to pass
on the information to the next station. A phone call to the next terminating station would
have been helpful.
Thank you for your comments. I have passed on your feedback to the Woking station team.
As far as possible we do try to assist with lost property enquiries though this can be difficult
especially at peak times where there are many other demands on our staff members. The
best way to track down anything that you have lost is to contact our lost property
department.
(BJ12) - When there is major disruption, there is always confusion as to what is happening.
There is also overcrowding at stations.
When there is disruption, we have to use many contingency measures to try and get trains
and crews to their correct locations, so that the advertised timetable is restored as soon as
possible. During this process some trains may have to be cancelled, terminated short of
their destination, or run direct to their destination. We are upgrading our customer
information systems so that station customer information screens and online journey
planners share the same source of information (the National Rail Enquiries Darwin database,
which powers the National Rail Enquiries website and the majority of UK journey planners).
This will ensure both the customers’ mobile phone and the station information screens
show the same information, and any updates to either delay predictions, or any alterations
to the stops the train will make will be reflected in both within a matter of seconds. We
expect this upgrade to take place this year.
(AM7)- 99% of the time, your service and Guards are excellent. However, as soon as
something goes wrong then they hide and it lets the service down. That's when passengers
require help and communication.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our Guards' performance. All of our Guards
are aware that they should make announcements after 2 minutes of any delay or incident.
Though they might not at this point know the reason, they are expected to regularly update
passengers. We have recently provided our Guards with Smartphones which means
information can be passed on quicker in the future. Our Guards should inform passengers of
their location on the train frequently and we do carry out discreet assessments as a
Management team to ensure this is adhered to.
(AM4) - Your compensation needs to be simpler. Guards are not making announcements
and are not patrolling. Your trains are smelly and need better cleaning.
All of our trains should have an automated Passenger Information System and our Guards
supplement these announcements. If the system is faulty then the Guard should make all
announcements manually and regularly. On certain stock there are only Passenger
Announcement points in cabs and not at every door. Our Guards are expected to patrol the
trains frequently and the only time this might not happen is if the train is extremely busy or
any safety issues occur.
(AM22)
- The enforcement of mobile-free zones should be better.
I am sorry you feel the enforcement of the use of our quiet zones is not stringent enough.
The request that people try to keep noise to a minimum in a quiet zone is not a Railway
Bylaw and thus is not a legal requirement. The rationale behind the policy was to offer an
area of the train which was quieter, by encouraging customers who had purposely chosen to
sit there to be more respectful of the noise made in that area. This policy is backed up by
the labels we place in the designated area, showing that we would prefer customers not to
use portable music equipment, to keep mobile phones on silent and to talk at a reasonable
level when using the quiet zone.
(LR26) - Why do you use congestion as a reason?
Congestion is a term we use to describe service delays in and out of Waterloo following an
incident which has since been resolved. Sometimes this congestion can be the result of 5 or
6 smaller issues, each of which has caused a delay which then builds due to our already tight
timetable. Cancellation is an unfortunate outcome of service recovery - particularly during
the peak periods. Guards are trained to make extra announcements when delayed.
(LR28) - The customer ambassador at Liphook is not very helpful. He keeps telling people
that all his job is to help people with Ticket Vending Machines.
I am sorry and concerned about the difficulties you describe. The situation as you describe it
is not the attitude or service level we would expect our staff members to provide. Even if it
is not possible to fulfil a customer’s request we expect all transactions to be dealt with in a
pleasant and courteous manner. Please be assured that your description of events was
forwarded to the manager responsible for the staff member concerned and while we cannot
advise you of action taken against staff members I would like to assure you we take all
feedback such as yours seriously and deal with such reports appropriately.
(AM45) - Why do South West Trains staff smoke outside Waterloo station? Usually next to a
no smoking sign? I have sent photos to customer services and tweeted them but it still
happens! Are you going to do anything about it?
New signs have been brought in to make it clear which areas smoking is not allowed and the
local authority at Waterloo are taking the lead on enforcing the smoking policy outside the
station. This is an issue we are aware of and are working hard to change.
(HP36) - On the 17:35 and 18:35 services from Waterloo to Weymouth, the guards do not
deal correctly with passengers who have cheap deal tickets.
Thank you for your feedback, I am sorry to hear that you do not feel that the guards have
been dealing correctly with passengers who have deal tickets. I have fed this back to the
Guards managers to re-brief their teams regarding these tickets.
(HP46) - When there is a platform alteration there is poor communication, late information
and late announcements at London Waterloo. The information staff are rude and I have had
occasion to escalate this issue.
At South West Trains, we are committed to providing quality information to our customers.
We are continually reviewing how we communicate information especially during times of
disruption, working with the British Transport Police and our Alliance partners Network Rail
to review changes in order to ensure you that at the times we can’t provide our advertised
service, we can tell you why and how to complete your journey as quickly as possible. I am
sorry to hear your comments regarding the information staff, this is not the behaviour we
expect of our team and if you would like to discuss your individual experience further please
contact our customer service team.
(HP73) - Walton-on-Thames ticket office staff are not very helpful and sometimes even
bordering on rude.
We are sorry to hear of the difficulties you have experienced with Walton-on-Thames staff –
we have passed these onto the Station Manager.
(JS22) - I would like to provide feedback for the customer service desk at Clapham Junction. I
wanted information about Oystercard replacement and was told just to go down to London
Underground knowing they would not help. I understand Oystercards are not South West
Trains' products but it is the help and customer service which is missing.
I am sorry and concerned about the difficulties you describe. The situation as you describe it
is not the attitude or service level we would expect our staff members to provide. Even if it
is not possible to fulfil a customer’s request we expect all transactions to be dealt with in a
pleasant and courteous manner. Please be assured that your description of events was
forwarded to the manager responsible for the staff member concerned and while we cannot
advise you of action taken against staff members I would like to assure you we take all
feedback such as yours seriously and deal with such reports appropriately.
(BJ54) - I have a season ticket between Sandhurst and London Waterloo. Sometimes I break
my journey at Staines or at Guildford. In the last week the barrier staff challenged me at
both stations and have been rude. I have had this ticket for the last 8 years and never had
an issue previously.
We are sorry that you found our staff to be rude. Your comments have been passed to the
relevant station managers for their attention and appropriate actions.
(BJ57) - I receive inconsistent information regarding refund claims procedures.
We are sorry to hear this. If you contact our Customer Service Centre they will be able to
advise.
(BJ70) - I could not find the trolley services on some of the Portsmouth services and wonder
if the trolley service has been withdrawn from some of the services.
Trolley service is provided on a number of our longer distance trains, including some trains
from Portsmouth to London Waterloo via Basingstoke. The trolley service is not generally
provided in late afternoon/ evening trains on this route.
(BJ1) - There are inconsistent tanoy announcements and a lack of information on the
Easteligh to London Waterloo Route. Some are excellent and I have praised staff in the past
for friendly and helpful service. I have communicated this to customer services, but have
had no feedback. Many guards do not make any announcements and when services are
delayed they do not provide passengers with updates. I have raised this before at Passenger
Forum, but had no feedback.
When there is severe disruption extensive alterations to advertised schedules often make
the relaying of current information to passengers difficult, especially as details of a
particular train may be updated at very short notice. We have to use many contingency
measures to try and get trains and crews to their correct locations, so that the advertised
timetable is restored as soon as possible. We’re upgrading our customer information
systems so that station Customer Information Screens and online journey planners share
the same source of information (the National Rail Enquiries Darwin database, which powers
the National Rail Enquiries website and the majority of UK journey planners). This will
ensure both the customers’ mobile phone and the station information screens show the
same information, and any updates to either delay predictions, or any alterations to the
stops the train will make will be reflected in both within a matter of seconds. We have
recently upgraded the guards’ mobile phones to i-phones, which will improve their access to
latest information.
(EX30) - Why doesn't the guard show discretion and declassify First Class when people are
standing in Standard.
A guard will declassify First Class in exceptional circumstances, but he/she first must obtain
permission from our Control Unit. We do have an obligation to our First Class paying
customers, particularly Season ticket holders to ensure that seats are accessible to them as
far as possible.
(R23) – I booked assistance on 1531 Hounslow to London Waterloo, but the staff were
unaware of my booking.
The most valuable reassurance that we can provide you with is to take steps to ensure we
have done all we can to prevent this incident being repeated in the future. At the heart of
our company values is our commitment to learn from our mistakes. Any complaints are
investigated in full with the Managers concerned for the staff involved. Our Access and
Integration Manager will also be made aware of the situation. Whilst the outcome of the
investigation will remain internal we will do all we can to make sure that next time you
travel your assistance is as you booked it.
(RT41) - I am frustrated that the tickets are never checked in First Class when I am travelling
between reading and London Waterloo. Why should I pay for a seat and have to stand when
some people have not paid First Class?
Our Guards have many duties and many of these are safety critical. It is important that
Guards on services are in the right place at the right time for certain duties. South West
Trains takes the safety of our passengers and crew very seriously and when a train is
crowded, making it difficult for our Guards to travel through the service then the Guard may
have to avoid travelling through the train and checking tickets in order to attend their more
critical duties. However, any reports of passengers travelling without a valid ticket will be
forwarded to our Guards Management and Revenue Protection Teams. This will allow them
to be aware of any issues and to ensure more ticket inspections are carried out on the
services you mention.
Other
(AM15) - I think that the food trolley is overpriced and that Rail Gourmet staff are rude.
(JS18) - The food service provided on your trains should contain healthier options - less
sugar, salt and fat. Also herbal tea options should be provided.
We are sorry to hear that you feel our Rail Gourmet food is overpriced. We work closely
with Rail Gourmet to provide a good service to our customers and a vast selection of food.
We will be sure to pass on your comments to them.
(LR5) - Do you have better contingency plans in place for fatalities?
We are undertaking a range of different activities focused on suicide prevention across our
network and are constantly striving to reduce the number that occur. The activities include:
- Identifying opportunities for new physical mitigations and opportunities
- Working closely with our stakeholders across the route such as the British Transport Police,
Mental Health services and the Samaritans
- Linking in nationally to implement good practice as it emerges
- Continuing to provide training to our staff
We are continually looking to explore new avenues for suicide prevention to reduce the
number of fatalities that are experienced on our network.
(AM68) - Is there any future plans for the lines down to Exeter and/or Salisbury to be
electrified?
There are no current plans to electrify these lines in question. Please note that major
infrastructure upgrades such as these are identified and funded by the Department for
Transport and typically delivered by Network Rail. Funding for major projects on the
railway is split into 'Control Periods', typically of five years. The current Control Period ends
in 2019 and the priority for this network is the major capacity increases being delivered.
Options for beyond 2019 are still to be finalised.
(AM76) - I left luggage on a train at Waterloo and didn’t know which platform. 3 members
of staff said they couldn't help. I emailed customer services but did not receive a response.
I managed to get the item back from lost property.
We are sorry to hear about your experience regarding Lost Property and our Customer
Service Centre, but am pleased you were reunited with your item.
(AM77) - I am overall very positive about the service South West Trains offers but I am
frustrated with the current Fulwell drainage works.
Thank you for your positive feedback. Please see our website for further information about
the Fulwell drainage works that will be happening in July.
(JS53) - I'm interested in joining passenger groups. There's also no facility at Ascot to make
a complaint - I'd prefer a leaflet rather than online forms. It would be good if you offered a
postal address rather than an email.
(BJ43) - I would like to take part in local passenger focus groups or any passenger focus
groups.
If you contact our Customer Service Centre they will be able to point you in the right
direction with regards to joining Passenger Groups. If you speak with a member of staff at
Ascot station they will be able to give you a comments form which includes a postal address.
(JS12) - Your website is very difficult to use.
(SSB27) - Website is difficult to use
We are sorry you have experienced problems using our website. If you are still having
problems we do have a dedicated web support team. They can be contacted by telephone
on 0370 906 6649 opt 3, or via email at [email protected]. We are
however working on the launch of a new website and are expected to ‘go live’ Mid 2016.
(JS21) - I work with Transport for London to give feedback on issues that affect autistic
people, such as seating/announcements. I would like to help South West Trains.
Thank you. If you contact our Customer Service Centre they will be able to point you in the
right direction.
(HP69) - I don't like the long trains hanging over the level crossing at Egham. Why not use
the door selection in reverse in order to avoid stopping on crossings?
Thank you for your feedback. We are aware that this is not a satisfactory situation and plans
are in place to extend the platforms at Egham to accommodate longer trains. The nature of
the automatic door selection is that the train is detected at the platform as it enters the
station and therefore it is not possible for it to work in reverse as such.
(BJ37) - I would like my son to apply for the apprenticeship programme at Bournemouth
Depot.
Please contact our recruitment department on 0845 408 1322 or e-mail them to
[email protected]. You could also search and apply for job vacancies using the
link http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/job-search.aspx
(VS30) – My general comments overall are as follows; In regards to the Franchise I think
Stagecoach are a better fit than First Group.
Thank you for your feedback.
(VS32) - I am a First Class Goldcard holder. I travelled on the 07:28 from Farnham and I left
my ticket on the train when I got off. The Guard would not let me back on the train to
retrieve it. In fact he walked away and my ticket was lost. No contact details were given
regarding it. I should have been helped. The Duty manager was no help. The train then went
to Clapham Yard and the ticket was not collected. The Duty manager did not call me that
evening.
We are sorry to hear of your bad experience with us. If you contact our Customer Service
Centre will be able to complete a full investigation.
(VS41) - The Mums to Be programme - You don't get your MatB1 until 28 weeks and it is not
clear on the adverts that you need a card as 'proof' which is also a bit embarrassing and not
inclusive. You would not ask someone with a disability to show a card as evidence. It means
you can't benefit from First Class when you feel at your worst. It is awkward to find Guard
when you need to sit down.
Thank you for your feedback, we will pass this onto our Marketing Team.
Performance
(AM41) - The last two Saturdays the 07:37 from Ewell West has been cancelled and the next
train wasn’t until 0807, and then you had to take a taxi to the next station.
On Saturdays 30th April and 7th May, the 07:37 train from Ewell West was cancelled due to
crewing issues. I am very sorry for the delay caused to your journey on those two occasions.
(AM42) - Please stop the practice of sending delayed trains past Suburban stations without
stopping.
The rail corridor between Woking and London Waterloo is one of, if not the busiest rail
corridors in the United Kingdom. In times of service disruption, and with trains running
severely late, we sometimes have to run services fast by missing out stations. We do not
take decisions like this lightly, however running a late train to all stations will delay other
services and inconvenience a greater number of people. When making a decision like this
we will validate it beforehand to ensure we inconvenience as few people as possible and do
not leave customers at stations for long periods of time.
(AM46/ LR25/ AM57/ BJ68/ JS17/ BJ64/ BJ4) - Delays on the South West Trains network are
too frequent, especially morning and evening peak hours.
One big issue that affects performance is that of limited track capacity and congestion. This
affects a number of areas across our network, especially nearer London and it’s a major
issue for us. Our timetable restructure introduced in December 2004 has helped
enormously; however, the tracks are still heavily used during peak hours, with little spare
capacity to absorb delays. This means that a delay to even a single train can have a knock-on
effect to many others – a ‘multiplier’ effect. Our passenger numbers continue to rise and as
such we are now operating at full capacity. Every train on our network is not only
timetabled to be at a station at a booked time and the trains are running at minimum
headway between one another from Raynes Park into Waterloo. Platforming at Waterloo is
also operating pretty much at maximum capacity. Therefore, delays to incoming services
have an immediate impact onto the departures of other trains, with subsequent trains into
Waterloo then needing to await an available platform. This forms a ‘queue’ of trains
approaching London Waterloo.
(AM55) - Clapham and Wimbledon is the problem. Between 08:15 and 08:30 my trains are
always delayed 3 times or more per week.
As you may well be aware, the particular challenge that we face in the morning and evening
peaks is that to accommodate the volume of customers travelling, we have to run the
maximum number of services that we can to/from Waterloo. As a result, where even a
fairly minor delay occurs to a train for any number of reasons, this quickly has a knock on
effect to all trains following, with virtually no scope available to recover the delay until after
the peak. Between Raynes Park and Waterloo, trains run 2-3 minutes apart. With the lines
between Raynes Park and Waterloo already operating at maximum capacity in the peak
hours and with the number of passengers travelling on our services to/from Waterloo
continuing to increase, the only real solution is to provide additional carriages on our trains.
Hence our current 10 Car Railway programme, which is part way through implementation.
As part of this programme, works to extend platforms where necessary have been
undertaken across the suburban network. Unfortunately however, we cannot start
operating 10-car trains on the majority of suburban trains though Wimbledon, until
platforms 1 to 4 at Waterloo are lengthened to accommodate them. The works at Waterloo
are a complex operation and require a major engineering works possession, closing some of
the tracks between Clapham Junction and Waterloo for an extended period. These works
are planned to take place during Summer 2017. After these works have been completed,
10-car trains will be able to enter service, providing up to 25% more capacity.
(JS1) - The Farnham line landslide resulted in a line closure and replacement buses. I
sometimes found the bus service was poor and one night was non-existent. I had to pay £25
for a taxi and have complained to a manager about this, but I've received no reply.
I am sorry to learn you have not yet had a response to your case. Unfortunately, our
Customer Relations team are currently experiencing a high amount of correspondence. We
aim to respond to you soon. Thank you for your patience.
(JS8/ JS16) - There have been regular flooding entailing line closures between Hampton and
Shepperton. Why can't you put buses in place?
We are sorry for the inconvenience. Unfortunately many sections on our network were
built in cuttings and tunnels which are lower than the surrounding area, making them
susceptible to flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. The line to Fulwell is being closed for
2 weeks in July 2016 to improve the drainage in the tunnel, which should reduce the role of
flooding significantly. Replacing trains with buses has significant impact on the local traffic
and is not considered as a permanent solution.
(JS14) -During flooding at Fulwell, you sacrificed the service due to problems elsewhere.
Multiple factors are considered when deciding which service alterations should be made
during times of disruption. These include the location of the disruption, the available
infrastructure and the position of the trains around the network at the time. The facility of
the bay platform at Kingston does allow a train to be terminated there without significant
adverse impact to other trains that would occur if a train were to be terminated at say
Wimbledon or Clapham Junction. For similar reasons, on other occasions it’s sometimes
arranged for a train from Epsom to be cancelled completely, or for a train to be run fast
from Surbiton or Motspur Park to Waterloo. As is always the case, the balance to be
achieved is between continuing to run the full timetable with all stations stops and taking
pro-active action to reduce the level of delay experienced by the majority of our customers
as is possible. One other factor that needs to be considered is that in addition to trains
running at minimum headway between one another from Raynes Park into Waterloo, the
platforms at Waterloo are also operating pretty much at maximum capacity. Therefore,
delays to incoming services have an immediate impact onto the departures of other trains,
with later trains into Waterloo then needing to await an available platform.
(JS15) - My journey should take 5-10 minutes but I experienced a 45 minute long journey
and the fares are too expensive. I would also like to see fast services.
I am sorry to learn about your experience. There has been a number of infrastructure
related incidents in the past few months including major signal failures, different types of
engineering works, emergency engineering works along with an unfortunate amount of
fatalities and trespass incidents and also weather related problems, which affected our
performance. Rail fares in Britain are subject to regulation by the Department for
Transport, on behalf of the Government. The level of regulated fares across the UK rail
network is determined by the Government policy. Regulated Fares for each calendar year
are based on the preceding July's RPI figure, and is applied to many season ticket, Anytime
Day and, Off Peak Returns on longer distance journeys. For 2016, the Regulated Fares
increase was capped at +1.0%, or 10p, whichever was greater. Our unregulated fares also
will increase by around +1.0%. Revenue from ticket sales is used not only to fund the day to
day running of the railway, but also to enhance and maintain a safe and reliable railway.
Government policy has attempted to move a greater cost of operating the railway from the
tax payer to the fare paying passenger.
(JS27) -When trains are cancelled due to lack of staff, why do you not replace the staff?
We have a number of spare drivers and guards that are specially assigned to give daily
emergency cover. Unfortunately, we do not have infinite resources of these staff and there
are occasions - for instance a high incidence of sudden staff sickness - when these reserves
of spare staff are quickly used up. We’ll only cancel a service if we have examined every
other option. We always try to alter staff daily schedules to cover a service that isn’t
covered, however, if we’re unable to do this, or utilise a 'spare' member of staff where
available we have to take the regrettable decision to cancel a service. Please accept our
apologies if there were occasions we let you down.
(TJ1) - Why does the 0747 from Surbiton always wait for 3 minutes, but not in the Station?
The train has to wait as it’s scheduled to follow a service from Poole into London Waterloo.
It cannot wait in the station as it would take up platform space needed for Alton service
(RT33) - Shepperton Branch is not high priority for South West Trains, particularly when
problems occur. I would like reassurance that this line will be given more priority.
Several different factors are considered when deciding which service alterations should be
made during times of disruption. These include the location of the disruption/late running,
the available infrastructure and the position of the trains around the network at the time.
The facility of the bay platform at Kingston does allow a train to be terminated there,
without significant adverse impact to other trains that would occur if a train were to be
terminated at say Wimbledon or Clapham Junction. For similar reasons, on other occasions
it’s sometimes arranged for a train from Epsom to be cancelled completely, or for a train to
be run fast from Surbiton or Motspur Park to Waterloo.
(TJ2) - Last Saturday, the trains at Strawberry Hill were disrupted but no information was
given.
We always aim to provide a high standard of information and realise that this is even more
important to customers when services aren’t running on time. We’re continually reviewing
how we manage disruption and are listening to feedback we have received from our
customers on how we can help them to stay informed.
(RT40) - Why is my train always cancelled during disruption?
Any operational decision is made by a dedicated team of staff within the Wessex Integrated
Control Centre at London Waterloo. This centre is staffed by both Network Rail and South
West Trains staff, who have the tools at hand at view the entire network. With this insight
they are able to make decisions which benefit the whole network. When disruption occurs
the main aim has to be to recover service as quickly as possible, whilst minimising the effect
of the disruption to you, the customer. Some of the decisions may not appear to have this
effect when you’re travelling but when put into the context of the network as a whole, they
usually do benefit the majority customers, even if the positive effect isn’t felt on the line
you’re using.
(TJ3) - What pressure is being put on Network Rail to resolve the capacity?
Unfortunately the lines into and out of London Waterloo during peak periods are heavily
used. Any further increase will not be possible until platforms 1-4 at London Waterloo have
been lengthened. This will require major engineering possession, but we have plans to
commence this work during 2017. http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/WCIP.aspx
(SSB1) - Why cancel the Portsmouth stopping service and run the fast during disruption?
We always aim to provide as many services as possible during service disruption, in
particular between Guildford and Portsmouth. Unfortunately during severe disruption our
train crew are displaced across the network and we are unable to run as many services as
we would like. Every decision is made on a case-by-case basis and to inconvenience as few
people as possible. There is regrettably no hard and fast rule on what services we are able
to run, as this depends on where the issue is and the time of day.
(HP5) - Are your performance statistics correct?
Yes, you can view them here:
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/our-performance.aspx
(HP13) - Trains are often cancelled and delayed. Recently there was a track upgrade at
Wimbledon but it’s still suffering with technical faults, why is this?
After the completion of the points work at Wimbledon we have seen an increase in
reliability and plans are in place to provide more reliability improvements to the rest of the
network.
(AM62) - Why trains are cancelled or run fast not considering passengers at Liphook? In the
evening only one fast train runs to this station. Can this be increased given that 1000 new
homes are being built in the area?
Trains are run fast to ensure that when they reach the busiest parts of the network they are
in their booked 'slot' or as near to it as possible so that train crew and train stock are in the
correct place to ensure that knock on delays are minimised. I appreciate that this can be
very frustrating when you’re affected but it is not a decision we take lightly. It is also very
difficult to add more services to Liphook in the current timetable without significant impacts
on journey times to current routes which will negatively affect a large number of other
passengers travelling to and from London from further afield. I hope from this you can see
that timetabling is a difficult balancing act and we do our best to accommodate as many
passengers as we can as best we can.
(HP30) - Signal failures often happen after engineering works. Why is this?
Thank you for your feedback, we will feed this back to the performance team to see if there
is any correlation between signal failures and engineering works though I do not believe this
to be the case. Our engineering works do help us to improve our reliability. With the large
and complicated infrastructure across our network it may be that these are unrelated
issues. We continue to strive to improve our reliability and further details of what our
engineering work involves can be found on our website.
(HP31) - South West Trains should hold connecting trains longer on Sundays when the
frequency of trains is less.
Unfortunately, we aren’t able to hold trains because of the knock on impact this has on
other services and other connections. Though it may benefit some customers, delaying
trains further can cause more problems for other passengers who may be making
connections at other destinations or who are travelling on trains which are delayed behind
the train held back. Timetabling is a delicate balancing act and I understand your
frustrations. We do try to keep trains running to time and holding other trains isn’t
beneficial to the overall service.
(HP43) - The 18:02 from London Waterloo to Walton-On-Thames always sits in the platform
at Waterloo for 4-6 minutes past its departure time. I would like to know why this is.
It would appear that the 18:02 London Waterloo to Woking service is sometimes delayed by
a London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour service which departs 2 minutes earlier. We
have fed this back to our Performance team for further evaluation, but for the meantime
can only apologise for any delays you are currently experiencing.
(HP45) - The trains from Wanborough to Guildford are late every day, which makes catching
connecting trains a challenge.
Thank you for your feedback, I have passed the information onto the train planning team
who have identified this as an issue they are already aware of and are looking at potential
ways to maintain and provide connections from Wanborough when customers arrive at
Guildford station.
(HP53) - The 07:49 Shawford - London Waterloo service arriving at 09:03 never arrives on
time to Waterloo. Typically it’s 5 minutes late.
I am sorry that this has been your experience travelling with us. The performance of this
train is below average. The train arrives at Waterloo at 09.03 which is at the tail end of the
high peak period so any delays on any mainline service into Waterloo will likely affect this
service as this is the busiest time of the day. The Performance Team are taking part in a
series of meetings to improve the root cause problems of these delays and both South
West Trains and Network Rail continue to invest time and money in improving reliability of
trains and Infrastructure across the network to prevent failures and thereby improve train
performance.
(HP58/AM37) - Why are trains not turned around at Guildford when there is disruption on
the Portsmouth line? Eg: beyond Guildford - Portsmouth.
The infrastructure and congested nature of Guildford station make it extremely difficult to
turn Portsmouth services back at Guildford during disruption. Our control team have to
react and make decisions on a case by case basis being careful so as not to exacerbate
delays later on in the service.
(HP63) - The 07:55 and 08:25 Hampton Court to London Waterloo services have become
extremely unreliable in the last 6 - 8 months. What have you done and what are you doing
about it?
As you may well be aware, the number of customers travelling on our trains has increased
significantly over the last few years, with the growth showing no signs of abating. The
particular challenge that we face in the morning and evening peaks is that to accommodate
the volume of customers travelling, we have to run the maximum number of services that
we can to/from Waterloo. As a result where even a fairly minor delay occurs to a train for
any number of reasons, this quickly has a knock on effect to all trains following, with
virtually no scope available to recover the delay until after the peak. Between Raynes Park
and Waterloo, trains run 3 minutes apart. Such delays tend to become more marked as the
peak progresses and hence will be more noticeable on the 07.53 / 08.23 services. A further
specific factor that can impact on the services from Hampton Court in the morning peak, is
that the trains have to interwork with the 'mainline' trains calling at Surbiton, with any
minor delay on those services also having a knock on affect to the Hampton Court services.
With the lines between Raynes Park and Waterloo already operating at maximum capacity
in the peak hours and with the number of passengers travelling on our services to/from
Waterloo continuing to increase, the only real solution is to provide additional carriages on
our trains. Hence our current 10 Car Railway programme, which is part way through
implementation. This will also have the benefit of improving punctuality by reducing the
station dwell times.
As part of this programme, works to extend platforms where
necessary have been undertaken across the suburban network. Unfortunately however, we
cannot start operating 10-car trains on the majority of suburban trains though Wimbledon,
until platforms 1 to 4 at Waterloo are lengthened to accommodate them. The works at
Waterloo are a complex operation and require a major engineering works possession,
closing some of the tracks between Clapham Junction and Waterloo for an extended period.
These works are planned to take place during summer 2017. After these works have been
completed, 10-car trains will be able to enter service from Hampton Court and other
suburban routes, providing up to 25% more capacity.
(BJ45) - I experience service disruption on a regular basis from Cosham to Brighton. I realise
this isn’t South West Trains route, but it would be useful for a customer to have another
option.
This is the ‘Coastway West’ route of Southern trains. We’re aware there have been recent
cancellations due to staff sickness/ shortages. You may wish to contact Southern Rail
http://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/customer-services/contact-us/
(VS56/ VS45) - I travel on the West of England Line, why do South West Trains terminate
these trains at Basingstoke when there is disruption?
Due to congestion coming into Waterloo and dependant on nature of disruption, sometimes
it’s necessary for certain service groups to be altered. One of our plans is for the West of
England at Basingstoke as it’s a safe and easy interchange and it allows us to thin out
services.
(BJ69) - I find Alton line trains always late and fares high. Announcements on train
sometimes go on and on.
We’re sorry for the inconvenience. The single line between Farnham and Alton limits our
options when there is a disruption on the line as we’re forced to wait at Farnham or Alton
for the passage of the train on the other side. We understand how important it’s to
balance the provision of information to our customers with customer comfort. Our
information team and on train crew try to make sure that the information systems give
enough information for our customer’s needs, whilst being aware that over use of the
announcement system can be intrusive. When announcements are too loud for comfort the
on train crew will investigate if informed, and will either then arrange for an alteration to
the volume if deemed necessary, or report the fault for repair in depot.
(LR4) - The platform information is fixed so why is the National Rail App still not showing this
information? The Basingstoke to Winchester services are struggling for traction; it feels like
the wheels are spinning and the electric engines are struggling. This has been happening for
1 month.
We are working on a solution to the issue with the platform numbers, this has been an ongoing problem having recently switched to a new system. We hope to have a solution
shortly, thank you for your patience in the meantime. Regarding your second point, I can
assure you that all of our trains are rigorously safety tested and would not be brought into
service if they were not able to cope with the demands of the journey.
(LR11) - There always seems to be problems with the infrastructure (signalling) at
Petersfield. What is the problem and what are you doing about it? When the train is
crowded I cannot log onto the Wi-Fi network.
The system in use is designed to give the best possible level of signal to users, but due to the
geographical expanse of our network, there may be areas where the signal is not as strong
as we would like. Should you lose your connection, you will be able to re-connect without
logging back in. Please also bear in mind that the bandwidth is shared with other users on
the train, so as more users connect, you may experience a slight decrease in service speed.
(LR19) - I travel from Haslemere to London Waterloo and the trains are rarely on time. If I
use the 07:02 there is about 50% chance of getting a seat and if I get the 07:10 there is
about 80% chance. The trains aren’t well maintained and there are faults with both internal
and external doors. The number of reasons why the trains are late is ridiculous eg. Signal
problems at multiple locations, persistent problems with level crossings near Petersfield,
blaming Southern for trains being late and customers aren't kept informed of delays. It’s
very difficult to claim compensation; the tiny amount I got on my season ticket last year
didn’t compensate for the disruption caused to me. I would like a website address on the
SWT site that clearly lays out compensation information that is easy to read. I’m not
informed of delays on trains while en route. I’m dreading the service when the new car park
is built at Haslemere. There aren’t enough carriages already and many peak services are
only 5 cars. It should be pointed out that a ticket doesn’t mean you’ll get a seat. Please get
rid of the trolley service on busy trains as they can't get through the train. Also food and
drink should be more competitively priced. I feel that the conductors on the trains should
be got rid of as they have no use and the trains should be D.O.O (Driver Only Operation).
The conductors do nothing for anti-social behaviour.
A member of our team will be in touch with this customer directly to discuss their concerns.
The performance of this train is 50.2% Right Time arrivals at Waterloo over the last 12
months and 81.8% within Public Performance Measure (PPM). The train is booked to arrive
at Waterloo at 08.35 which is in the middle of the high peak for Mainline services so any
delays across the network impact on this service. Looking at the performance data there are
no repeating trends, the cause of delay is following other delayed trains into Waterloo. The
Performance Team are leading SWR in a series of local cross-functional meetings to improve
the root cause problems of these delays and both SWT and Network Rail are continued to
invest time and money in improving reliability of trains and Infrastructure across the
network to prevent failures and thereby improve train performance.
(LR17) - Could the xx:24 & xx:54 London Waterloo to Epsom stop at Ewell West to give 6
trains per hour?
(EX40) - I think the downside exit at Ewell west is too small and there needs to be at least
one more. When are the trains going to become 10 cars?
During the peak hours we run additional services on the Ewell West line, however due to
limited capacity south of Epsom we are restricted in where these trains can stop. As such,
Dorking services do not call at Motspur Park, Stoneleigh and Ewell West to ensure they run
ahead of Southern Rail services towards Horsham. We run additional Epsom services 6
minutes later from London Waterloo which call all stations. Once we extend the platforms
at London Waterloo, numbers 1-4, we will be able to run longer services on the Ewell West
line. We have passed your feedback to the station manager regarding the exits and
performance. During disruption we do sometimes cancel Dorking services, however,
depending on the severity tickets are usually accepted on Southern services between Ewell
East and Clapham Junction (and vice versa).
Praise
(VS6) – Friendly gate staff now and better customer focus.
(AM14) - I am generally happy with South West Trains service.
(AM19) - I had lovely service by the Guard on my train this morning.
(EX50) - The staff are always courteous and helpful and I always feel safe and secure on the
trains.
(AM26) - I just wanted to praise you on your delivery and performance over the last month.
(AM28 )- I think that the service is quite good.
(AM29) - I am from Ireland and would like to praise the frequent trains and friendly service
and announcements from the Guards.
(AM38) - I like the wi-fi on trains.
(AM39) - The staff provide a really good service especially the fire at Vauxhall.
(AM40) - I am very happy with South West Trains - the last 6 months have been great.
(AM75) - There is great service from guards and I love the fact South West Trains have one
on every train. This means good information and less delays.
(JS4) - During the Earlsfield fatality, there was excellent management and information.
(JS5) - On the 07:52 (P13) service from Woking, the Guard was really good. Please can you
ensure the Guard receives positive feedback.
(JS10) - I would like to praise the quiz master and Farnham ticket office.
(JS19) - South West Trains generally provide good service.
(LR29) - Nothing but praise for SWT. It's a good service if occasionally disrupted. I like the
new 10 car trains that are already running.
(EX1) - The trains are regular and clean.
(EX2) - I like the free wifi.
(EX3) - The trains are comfortable.
(RT7) - South West Trains is a very good Train Operating Company. I am pleased with the
service they provide.
(RT11) - Last Tuesday the Weymouth to London Waterloo train was on time, and there was
plenty of seats.
(RT12) - My experience with South West Trains is very positive, particularly compared with
other Train Operating Companies.
(RT17) - South West Trains provides a good service but the trains tend to look a little tired.
(RT21) - I would like to praise the quality of Templecombe station and the reliability of the
services.
(RT31) - Winchester delivers great customer service and the new car park and bridge are all
very good.
(SSB11) – Great service, clean and on time etc.
(SSB12) - Generally doing a god job - better than other operators used.
(HP10) - Good service, on time. The fares are better than Great Western Railway.
(HP21) - From Wimbledon there is generally a good service.
(HP23) - I had a really excellent journey this morning (17/5/16) on the 08:05 from Andover
to London Waterloo. The train was nice and clean and the guard made clear
announcements. Please let the guard and driver know.
(HP29) - The special offers SWT offer are good.
(HP51) - On the 13:54 from Fleet to London Waterloo, the guard, Brad was very good.
(HP59) - Guards are making better announcements and keep customers informed during
disruption. Well done!
(HP67) - Haslemere staff are brilliant!
(HP77) - I can get a seat on mornings and evenings. During delays and cancellations there is
good information. I enjoy taking the train more than taking the tube.
(BJ5) - 0657 Walton on Thames to London Waterloo reduction of carriages is not great, but
like driver engaging with passengers and guards, communication for engineering is good.
(BJ8) – I am a daily commuter from Earlsfield to Waterloo and generally have no problems.
(BJ13) – I am very happy about the cleanliness of Class 444 type rolling stock.
(BJ40) - Twitter account staff are brilliant. They always answer queries really quickly.
(BJ52) - I have no big issues with South West Trains. I am happy with the services, polite
staff and with the new buildings.
(BJ63) - I find South West Trains to be very good at getting customers home when there is
disruption.
(BJ67) - I fainted on the 0745 service from St Margarets to Waterloo on 27 April. I am
grateful for the assistance I received from the guard and find them to be efficient and
professional.
(BJ71) - Twickenham staff are brilliant.
(BJ76) - I find the services from Bournemouth good and staff excellent.
(BJ78) - The service has improved over the years. I am pleased with Waterloo as the London
station and am interested in Samaritans partnership with Network Rail and the
communication at the time of description.
(VS58) - I like the run fast action that is taken to recover the service. Overall the service is
good; trains are clean and pretty punctual. The Twitter feed is great and the website stays
consistent. One point I would raise that the TVMs aren't great. I prefer to use the ticket
office so please keep these people!
(HP79) - Praise for the platform staff at Walton-on-Thames, one in particular is very helpful
and friendly.
(LR8) - On the whole I think you do a good job.
(VS37) - After the rush hour there is more bike space so I cycle to Clapham or Surbiton.
When there were Guards vans there was space for everything! I am happy with the service
provided by the Guards. There has been a real improvement.
Thank you so much for attending the South West Trains Passenger Forum May 2016 and for
passing on your kind comments about our service and staff. We are constantly working
hard to improve our service and we are pleased that you are happy with our trains, stations
and staff. Where specific members of staff, stations or issues have been praised, we will be
sure to pass on this information so teams can be recognised. Thank you.
Retail Policy
(JS34) - As a season ticket holder, last year I only got £7.00 on a £4,000 season ticket. I feel
season ticket holders are treated poorly. If I were to buy a day ticket I would more likely get
a full refund!
(AM74) - I only got half a day worth of void days on recent annual season renewal. This
doesn't seem possible and I have no way of checking. On a positive, loves the 10 coach
services!
(JS1) - I travel from Alton to London Waterloo via Bentley and Farnham. Your compensation
policy is terrible - I was delayed 2 hours and got 5p compensation, a joke. Other Train
Operating Companies provide a much better service.
(HP4) - Why can Gold card holders not claim compensation?
To give you a clearer picture on our Void day process, season ticket holders are awarded
void days for days when there has been severe disruption and no alternative transport
provided. There are some instances that fall outside of our control, such as weather
conditions, fatalities, vandalism, bridge strikes, trespass etc. After any major disruption we
collect all of our performance data and the decision of whether to award a void day or half
day is made at Director Level. All void days are automatically calculated at the Ticket Office
and the number of days available to you can be viewed at stations or on our website
throughout the year. Upon visiting a staffed ticket office and requesting your void day
entitlement you’ll receive any compensation applicable to your service group as a cash
payment.
To explain further, regarding how void days are calculated, the process below is used on all
peak time trains. This is for the morning (start of service to 0930) and evening peak (1600 to
1930) services. The figures below are the total number of services that need to be delayed
in a particular group.
• Suburban 50% or more trains 20 minutes late
• Mainline 50% or more train 40 minutes late
I must reiterate that any exclusions are removed first which include weather, fatalities,
vandalism, bridge strikes, trespass etc. To calculate the amount due, the cost of your yearly
ticket is divided by 260 to calculate the daily rate (the AM & PM peak) as your ticket price is
based on 260 days of travel. The remainder of the year warrants free travel. A Monthly
ticket is divided by 22 to calculate the daily rate. Our Train running performance is
independently monitored however; it’s an overall performance and isn’t solely focused on a
particular line. Again, this is part of our Franchise agreement with the Department for
Transport.
(SSB46) - Online ticketing can be complicated. When printing out the font is so tiny, it makes
it nearly impossible to read.
Ticket layout has changed as part of a national policy to include different information on the
ticket and make it easier to follow. We’ll be launching a new website soon which will make
buying tickets online a much clear and quicker process.
(HP62)- When can I renew my annual season ticket further out than a week in advance?
Renewal of Monthly or longer season ticket can only be processed up to one week in
advance. Certain exceptions are applied during December every year due to the high
volume of renewals before the fare revision on 2 January.
(BJ12) - I’m unable to find out season ticket prices online, it asks for Credit Card Number.
I’m sorry to learn about the difficulty you faced. You could find the season ticket prices using
the link http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/season-conditions.aspx without sharing your
credit card details. Should you require further assistance please call our Gold Service
department on 0845 607 9999 or email to [email protected]
(LR13) - I pay £4,300 for my season ticket and the void days are different to others eg 1hr
versus 30mins delay. Why are you different to the others and what are the triggers? There
seems to be a lack of transparency.
Each Train Operating Company (TOC) will agree their compensation arrangements with the
Department of Transport at the onset of their franchise. As each TOC has started at
different times, the arrangements vary. To give you a clearer picture on our Void day
process, season ticket holders are awarded void days for days when there has been severe
disruption (of at least one hour) and no alternative transport provided. There are some
instances that fall outside of our control, such as weather conditions, fatalities, vandalism,
bridge strikes, trespass etc. After any major disruption we collect all of our performance
data and the decision of whether to award a void day or half day is made at Director Level.
All void days are automatically calculated at the Ticket Office and the number of days
available to you can be viewed at stations or on our website throughout the year. Upon
visiting a staffed ticket office and requesting your void day entitlement you’ll receive any
compensation applicable to your service group as a cash payment. Our primary
measurement for punctuality is the Public Performance Measure (PPM). For South West
Trains services, trains must arrive at the destination within 5 minutes of their scheduled
arrival time, also calling at all of their booked stations. This measure allows for delays which
can and do occur to our services for many different reasons, some of which are outside our
direct control. We do however strive to ensure that our trains run to their booked schedule
throughout their journey.
(BJ35) - The print on the tickets from the ticket machine on the platform is too small to read.
This isn’t the case with tickets from the ticket office. I’m unable to read/ identify which is
OUT or RTN tickets.
(BJ59) - The letters on the new form of tickets are too small/ illegible
(BJ77) - Why has the OUT and RTN on the new ticket form been changed to be so small?
The aim of the current ticket format is to provide clear, relevant information within the
confines of the limited space available on ticket coupons. This format is the result of
considerable research and consultation into customer’s expectations and the industry as a
whole. We believe that it represents a step in the right direction towards better information
for customers but we’re reviewing the layout with other train companies and our suppliers.
We have made further changes to the font size which will be rolled out over the coming
months.
(SSB47) - Are SWT looking into having tickets on mobile apps like airline tickets?
Unfortunately we aren’t currently making plans to introduce this. It’s a suggestion that may
be looked at in the future but we aren’t actively pursuing it at the present time.
(RT20) - Why can't I use my super off peak ticket on off peak trains if my outward train was
delayed?
Time restrictions for Off Peak and Super Off Peak tickets are based on the scheduled
departure time of trains at each station. These fares exist to try and manage demand for
travel by offering lower fares on quieter services. During periods of disruption, we may
relax, or remove, time restrictions to allow customers to make their journey.
(EX20)- Why is Ashford not in zone 6?
Decisions regarding the London zones are made by Transport for London. If you would like
to discuss this further please do contact Transport for London here https://tfl.gov.uk/helpand-contact/.
(EX21) - No reference: Would it be possible to have a family season ticket, so that my wife
could use it a few days a week?
Although we can’t offer a family season ticket, we’re working with the Department for
Transport and other Train Operators to set up a trial for flexible ticketing using a smartcard
system. However before the trial starts there are several complicated issues that need to be
resolved. Unfortunately, although we plan to bring in part time season tickets, it’s unlikely
that we’ll be able to offer them in the immediate future.
(RT32) - Ticket offices don’t open on time. I needed to buy my monthly parking ticket.
Twitter wasn’t able to help. Their response was too vague.
We’ll always strive to make sure our ticket offices are staffed when they are supposed to be,
that said if changes occur at short notice such as staff sickness, it will not always be possible
to staff the station straight away and unfortunately in some incidences the ticket office may
need to stay closed as any relief staff we have will be sent to stations according to priority
and passenger numbers. We understand that having no staff available is frustrating, but any
complaints are forwarded to the Station Manager for investigation.
(SSB22) - If paying by card and you enter your PIN, if you press cancel it doesn't cancel and
automatically pays
We’re aware of this issue, which affects certain cards, and are working with our suppliers to
fix it. I’m very sorry for any inconvenience this has caused and we hope to have the issue
fixed as soon as possible.
(HP56) - I travel from Surbiton to London Waterloo. Some services run direct non-stop to
Waterloo. Why can't passengers occupy 1st class if seats are free?
Passengers who occupy 1st class must hold a valid 1st class ticket. I appreciate that services
from Surbiton can be exceptionally busy. If the guard feels it appropriate they are able to
use their discretion in exceptional circumstances to declassify 1st class. However, 1st class
passengers pay a premium to travel in this area and it would be unfair on those passengers
who purchase a 1st class tickets to declassify the seating in usual circumstances.
(BJ15) - Other train operators provide vouchers as well as season ticket refunds. Can this be
provided by SWT. I also note that there has been an increased number of delays recently.
We offer passenger charter compensation, which are awarded as ‘void periods’ for monthly
or longer season ticket holders. Void day payments, which in line with our Passengers
Charter are the only compensation we’re obliged to provide if performance is still meeting
punctuality and reliability standards.
(BJ19) - Gold Card Magnetic strips aren’t working and breaking regularly.
If the ticket works initially and then suddenly fails, this is usually down to the fact that the
magnetic strip on the back has become de-magnetised. There are instances where tickets
can become de-magnetised by close proximity to a magnetic force and we advise customers
not to place magnetically encoded tickets in close proximity to mobile phones or computer
equipment. Looking ahead, we have plans to roll out our Smartcard Scheme across our full
network during 2016, which will help us to reduce use of paper tickets.
(BJ23) - I decided not to renew my 1st class season ticket as it’s rarely checked. I find it
cheaper to sit in 1st class with regular ticket and pay the upgrade. On rare occasions I’m
questioned about this.
I’m sorry to learn that you’re unhappy your ticket wasn’t inspected regularly. Our Guards
have many duties and many of these are safety critical. They may have to avoid travelling
through the train and checking tickets in order to attend their more critical duties. Our
Revenue Teams are able to devote more attention to ticket checks as this is the main part of
their job. In line with National Rail Conditions of Carriage South West Trains’ policy on
occupying a first class accommodation is “Buy before you Board”. If you’re boarding a train
from a station with ticket purchase facilities you’re required to hold a valid first class ticket
to occupy a first class accommodation. If you have boarded the train from a station with no
ticket purchase facility, then you need to seek permission from the Guard and agree to pay
the required fare before occupying the first class accommodation.
(BJ46) - I’m unable to get an off-peak train to get to London Waterloo early enough. First
off-peak train is at 0956, and gets into London too late.
We’re aware that frequency of trains is an issue on this route. However, we struggle to find
a train timetable slot on the route between Surbiton and London for anything over and
above the present offerings. Trains are extremely busy towards London in the morning peak
hours and unfortunately the current ticket restrictions must apply. This has been agreed
with Department for Transport.
(BJ50) - I find it unfair that as a season ticket holder if I forget my ticket twice I have to pay
full fare, yet there is no discount when trains are late. My connection at Brookwood has
only 10 minutes and Arriva trains don’t wait. If we’re late we have to get a taxi.
I’m sorry to learn that you aren’t happy with the refund arrangement for tickets when your
season ticket is left at home. The terms and conditions governing the use of a season ticket
are executed by South West Trains in line with instructions from the Association of Train
Operating Companies (ATOC) as laid out in the Retail Manual Part One a publication which is
produced by ATOC instructing Train Operating Companies how to conduct their business.
(BJ56) - I’m unhappy that there is no compensation is available whilst the Alton line was
closed. I have written to the Customer Service Centre but had no response.
I’m sorry that you haven’t received a response for your contact with the Customer Service
Centre. Due to the recent disruptions on our service we’re behind our work schedule and
take longer than usual to respond many of the customer contacts. During the Alton line
closure there were full bus replacement services in operation and unfortunately we’ll not be
offering compensation on this occasion.
(BJ74) - I’m unable to purchase tickets for the next day before 3 pm.
I’m sorry for the inconvenience. The restriction on ticket vending machines regarding
purchasing tickets for the next day’s journey was introduced to reduce the number of
incidents of customers purchasing tickets for the wrong date accidently. You’re able to buy
daily tickets further in advance at ticket office windows.
(AM23) - Other Train Operating Companies such as South Eastern allow customers to claim
refunds when a train is 30 minutes late, South West Trains only allow customers to claim
refunds when a train is 59 minutes or later.
We’re looking towards a Delay/Repay scheme in the discussions for the new franchise. Our
Passengers Charter arrangements are reviewed every three years and were last reviewed in
accordance with the Department for Transport on October 2014. Please note any changes
to compensation payments structure or move to a delay repay scheme will form part of any
future franchise requirements set by the Department for Transport.
(AM56) - I would appreciate answers as to why the refund procedures aren’t transparent
and still not readily available at the ticket office and also cash refund as opposed to National
rail vouchers.
We work hard to run a punctual train service and occasionally, we may experience some
delays. If your journey with us is delayed, you may be able to claim compensation. From the
beginning of October this year I’m pleased to inform you that you’ll be able to request cash
refunds instead of vouchers.
(AM57) - I would like to know why South West Trains can regulate at board level with
regards to void days. If you receive compensation from Network Rail why can you not pass
this on to passengers?
We have a refund policy in place which is based on our franchise agreement with the DfT
and as this is a contracted arrangement with the DfT, we must keep within the boundaries
of this agreement which includes our relationship with Network Rail. When performance
has triggered the void day criteria, we have to contractually declare the void and release the
funds.
(LR1) - Why can't I use my Student Rail card before 10:00? My lecture starts before 10am
and I can't get there in time.
Unfortunately, student card discounts aren’t available before 10:00 as trains are already
running at capacity. For this reason discount cards are only permitted during off-peak travel
when services are quieter.
(LR15) - Can I buy my monthly season ticket more than a day in advance? There is a lack of
consistency in staff understanding. I’m pregnant, what is your policy and do your guards
know?
If you’re renewing your season ticket and there is no break in the continuity you’re able to
purchase your ticket up to 7 days in advance. If you’re purchasing a new season ticket you’ll
be able to buy your ticket from 12pm the day before it starts or after 12pm on a Friday for
the Monday morning (or Tuesday morning if it’s a bank holiday). This is controlled by the
ticket office clerk’s terminal and they aren’t able to override the system. Expectant mothers
who hold a weekly, monthly or longer season ticket can apply for a First Class Upgrade
which allows you to sit in First Class when there are no Standard Class seats available. To
apply, you’ll need your MATB1 form which is given to you by your doctor or midwife no
more than 20 weeks before your due date.
(EX25) - I would like a multi-trip ticket that isn’t a weekly or monthly ticket.
We’re working with the Department for Transport and other Train Operators to set up a trial
for flexible ticketing using a smartcard system. However before the trial starts there are
several complicated issues that need to be resolved. Unfortunately, although we plan to
bring in part time season tickets, it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to offer them in the
immediate future.
Safety and Security
(LR14) - The level crossing barriers at Strawberry Hill seem to be slow. There are too many
announcements on trains.
Whilst we are sorry for the inconvenience caused to you, regrettably delays at level
crossings are unavoidable. Level crossings are the legacy of how railways were built in the
past. At that time, there was less traffic on the roads, and the population was not so dense
and there were fewer, slower trains. The increase in passenger and freight traffic over the
past 20 years has seen an inevitable rise in delays at level crossings. Today, when we build
new railways, we will build bridges or underpasses to avoid road-rail interface. Safety is our
number one priority and all level crossings have a set of strict operating regulations (known
as a statutory level crossing order) to keep the travelling public safe. The ‘order’ is made by
the Office of Rail Regulation who is the safety executive for the railway and sets out the
timings for when level crossing barriers are lowered. Although we recognise that this can
inconvenience road users and pedestrians, we are obliged to run a safe, reliable and
punctual railway for the British public. We are sorry for any inconvenience that you may be
caused while the barriers remain down.
(VS24) - Ash station needs a footbridge. It has a level crossing and is dangerous for access
when the gates are down.
Thank you for your comments, we have passed this onto the relevant station manager for
their information.
(VS33) - I used to travel on the train from Surbiton but I could never get on the train due to
overcrowding. I’m a First Class passenger from Esher to London Waterloo and nobody
polices First Class. If they don’t have a First Class ticket they should be penalised and asked
to move. In the past year I can’t recall any ticket inspections on the 07:52 Esher to Waterloo
service or the 18:32 Waterloo to Basingstoke. I often have to stand as there is no space.
South West Trains has a very firm Security Revenue policy for the benefit of all of our
customers. We are keen to protect our revenue and to protect the interests of the paying
customers. Your complaint has been taken seriously and has been forwarded this to the
managers responsible for investigation and appropriate actions.
(VS5/ AM6) - Customers travelling without First Class tickets sitting in First Class - I have to
get on early trains because of this.
It’s frustrating to witness other passengers travelling without a valid rail ticket. However,
we’ll always forward any complaints to our Guards Management and Revenue Protection
Teams when we’re provided with specific details of journeys. This will allow them to be
aware of the issue you have raised and to ensure more ticket inspections are carried out on
the services you mention.
Smartcards
(JS28)- Can we please have Smartcards at Worcester Park?
Unfortunately Smartcard has not been rolled out to the Worcester Park area as it is included
in Transport for London’s Oyster card area. The Smart ticketing route map can be found at
http://swtsmart.co.uk
(SSB14) - Why is there no electronic ticketing leaving London? I Work part time, so a season
ticket is not applicable.
The Transport for London Oyster readers at stations within the London zones are not
compatible with our Smart Cards. Unfortunately this means that the smart cards will not be
available from these stations for the foreseeable future.
(SSB15) - I want PAYG style smartcard.
We do understand that as working patterns have changed, the way people buy tickets has
changed. Whilst we expect that daily commuters will continue to be the majority of our
peak customer base, we are mindful that we will need to consider those who work less
rigidly and bulk buy tickets for the same journey, but not necessarily on consecutive days.
We are working with the Department for Transport and other Train Operators to set up a
trial for flexible ticketing using a smartcard system. However before the trial starts there are
several complicated issues that need to be resolved. Unfortunately, although we plan to
bring in part time season tickets, it is unlikely that we will be able to offer them in the
immediate future.
(SSB16) - I want to transfer my Goldcard into my Smartcard.
Unfortunately we are currently unable to transfer paper season ticket to Smart card. This is
something that we’re working on. However, when you renew your season ticket you could
ask to load the new ticket to your smart card, subject to the validity of smart card facility for
your journey.
(SSB17/ SSB18/ VS8/ LR13) - I pay £5k and get a flimsy ticket that doesn’t work for too long when will I be able to use Smart?
Smart card facility is being rolled out across our network. However, there are certain
compatibility issues with some of other train operators sharing the ‘route’ in our area. A
map of where Smartcard is enabled can be found at http://swtsmart.co.uk. As soon as more
routes and tickets become Smartcard enabled, this will be updated.
(SSB19) - Paid for ticket over phone, following morning Smartcard didn’t work. Purchased
another ticket from the guard and no refund was given for the original ticket.
Please contact our Customer Service Centre who will be able to chase this for you.
(AM72) - Do you have Smartcards on Route Guildford to Waterloo with Zone 1?
This isn’t currently available. We currently offer tickets to London Terminals or London
Zones 1-6. We intend to introduce other zonal options later in the year. If this refers to a
season ticket from Guildford, the only ticket available is a full travelcard (Zones 1-6).
(AM45) - Smartcards should be similar to the Oyster system.
We offer Smart tickets (loaded to Smartcards) alongside paper tickets on a number of
routes, covering around 100 stations on the network. More information about Smartcards
can be found on the South West Trains website. Oyster cards are a scheme run by Transport
for London but we work closely with them to ensure smooth running where it’s available at
our stations. Smartcards are very similar to the Oyster system, but as we run a different
network with different needs to the Oyster area there will always need to be some
differences between them.
(BJ68) - When are we getting Smartcards at Farnborough station?
We’re in the process of rolling out Smartcard facilities through the entire network. A ticket
from ‘Farnborough Stations’ to ‘London Terminals’ (Route Any Permitted) is valid via
Farnborough North/ Reading to London Paddington station and involves travel by Great
Western Railway. Due to the compatibility issues with Great Western Railway on this route
currently we’re currently unable to offer Smartcards from Farnborough to London though
we’re working hard to address these issues and hope to be able to in the future.
Stations
(RT9) – There is a lack of signage at Twickenham station between the Underground and the
Railway Station.
There is a proposal to improve the Jubilee Hall under the Wessex Capacity Programme that
is currently underway. Unfortunately Twickenham station does not have an Underground
station attached, however signage will be reviewed as part of any works.
(VS54) - Earlsfield station is busy and can feel unmanaged. Station staff are not very visible. I
do think that staff are very good at dealing with disabled passengers.
We are aware of a large increase in passenger flow at Earlsfield station, which is partially
down to some large residential developments in the local area. We have in response
employed additional part-time staff in the morning peak to assist with passenger
information, assistance and train dispatch, and 2 additional security staff who manage the
platform edge.
(AM21) – Will South West Trains open the Waterloo International terminal?
(AM59) – Please can I have an update on the Waterloo extension project?
Work is already underway to rebuild the former Waterloo International Terminal so it can
be brought back into domestic passenger use. This is part of the £800million investment to
increase capacity on the lines in and out of London Waterloo by 30% by early 2019.
(AM44) – There is only one person at the ticket office at Cobham. This is not enough for the
number of people who use this station.
There are no plans to increase the staff numbers in the ticket office and the size of the office
is such that it can only be a one person operation. However an additional ticket vending
machine has been installed and will start being brought into operation early June.
(AM53) – Staff at Earlsfield, Clapham Junction and Vauxhall shout at passengers.
Unfortunately our platforms at Earlsfield, Clapham Junction and Vauxhall are very busy
during the morning peak and sometimes passengers are unable to board the first service.
Our staff are trained to ensure the safety of customers on the platform and have to speak
with elevated voices to help maintain a sufficient gap between the train and the platform
edge.
(AM12) – The bridge at West Byfleet is slippery in the evening. I have seen people fall on
the stairs, what is going to be done to improve this?
We have not received any reports of accidents on the stairs and have not had to fault any
unsafe conditions with the stairways. We have also had a new anti-slip surface applied to
the bridge walkway which has improved the safety of the bridge in general. Nevertheless
we have forwarded your comments to the station manager for further investigation.
(HP9) – Hersham station could do with a facelift.
Hersham was repainted 2 years ago as part of a larger decoration scheme. There are
currently no plans for any further works to be carried out.
(BJ19) – I find the Teddington station access route is narrow and in the wrong place. Can
you not open the gates and redesign the station?
We are sorry to hear about the access issues to Teddington station. We are aware that
customers queue across the platform entrance towards Kingston to purchase tickets, and
congregate by the rear of the train service due to exit points at stations further up the line.
The issue has been raised with the local manager for their attention and any appropriate
actions.
(BJ32) – Why does everyone, including SWT staff ignore the 'No Smoking' signs by the
Waterloo station bike racks? There should be a designated smoking area and it should be
enforced as it is unpleasant locking bikes up in a fog of smoke.
We are sorry to hear this. Your comments have been raised with the station management
team for appropriate actions.
(BJ61) – There is a lot of track side rubbish, especially railway rubbish such as old sleepers.
Why can't this trackside rubbish be cleared?
Unfortunately South West Trains’ access to the railway is limited to the station boundary.
Network Rail is responsible for the maintenance of the tracks and they have access to the
railway outside the station boundary. We’ll inform Network Rail of your observation.
(BJ72) - 8 car services arriving on platform 5 at Wimbledon stop too far ahead, why does
everyone have to walk so far?
Trains stop further up the platform at Wimbledon to avoid significant congestion around the
platform entrance.
(BJ72) – Broken automatic doors at Victoria Road, Teddington. These have not worked for
weeks. Hydraulic seat should be installed at stations. More seats and public toilets are
required at Teddington.
We are sorry to learn about the broken doors at Teddington, which have only been recently
installed. We have brought this to the attention of the relevant manager for further
investigation and resolution. Unfortunately we do not have any plans to install additional
seating or toilets at the station.
(BJ74) – There are not enough bike storage spaces at Fleet station. They are already filled
by 08:00. Can you add more bike storage facilities at the station? Also he drop-off/ pick-up
point on the down side is badly designed.
New cycle racks are due to be in place on London side of the station by the end of June this
year. There are also plans to place some in the underground car park. Unfortunately, there
are no plans to alter the drop-off point at this time, however, there are 10 other points
around the station that can be used as an alternative.
(JS25) – The ticket office at Earlsfield has closed on a number of occasions.
We are sorry to learn of the inconvenience you experienced when the ticket office at
Earlsfield was closed during advertised opening hours and we understand how frustrating
this must have been for you and other commuters. South West Trains will always strive to
make sure our ticket offices are staffed when they are supposed to be. That said, if changes
occur at short notice (such as staff sickness) it will not always be possible to staff the station
straight away. In some incidences the ticket office may also need to stay closed as any relief
staff we have will be sent to stations according to priority and passenger numbers. We
understand that having no staff available at the time you wished to use the ticket office was
frustrating for you. Please be assured your comments about your experience have been
passed to the Station Manager.
(JS30) – Can you provide lifts at Raynes Park to provide access for all?
There are currently no plans for lifts to be installed at Raynes Park. Platforms 1 and 2
towards London Waterloo can be accessed via a ramp and we have alternative lift facilities
at Wimbledon and New Malden.
(AM24) – I don't think South West Trains has any pride in its own brand. Ash Vale station is
decrepit and needs repainting and/or refurbishment. There is rubbish everywhere and
overgrown weeds. The work that is being done on the overgrown areas starts at 7.15am
and when I complained about the noise of the machinery a worker swore at me in reply.
This has been going on for 18 months. We are aware of the problems at Ash Vale and are
currently looking into what enhancements or repairs we are able to provide the station
with. As you say we have already started work into clearing the overgrown areas but
unfortunately some of the rubbish there is in an inaccessible and potentially dangerous
area, which has led to a delay in retrieving it. We are currently investigating your complaint
regarding the contractor working on the site and sincerely apologise if you have been
offended by their conduct.
(AM13) – Please can you open the south ramp (Brooklands side) at Weybridge at more
useful times – it is almost always closed. It would be much more convenient if it was open
at busy times.
The gate at Weybridge is only able to open at times when the gateline is not in operation in
order to prevent fare evasion. It opens on weekdays at 10am and closes at 4pm. We are
sorry if you find this to be inconvenient.
(AM47) – Access to the Jubilee line exit at London Waterloo is always difficult and
sometimes impossible to access. When are you going to do something about it?
(HP72) – There is a lack of escalators at London Waterloo.
(RT45) – There are access issues at the station, especially down to Waterloo Road.
Since the start of the improvement works at London Bridge station, the passenger flow on
the escalators and the Jubilee line has increased significantly. For everyone's safety we have
been monitoring the flow of people and unfortunately this sometimes means closing the
exit. Once London Bridge re opens in August this year we anticipate that the flow of
passengers will reduce to a more acceptable level.
(HP22) – The Ladies toilets at London Waterloo are down a steep flight of stairs, have
permanently broken turnstiles, charge for entry and demand exact change. I would like
some progress to be made in restoring the toilets and making them nicer for use.
(AM37) – The Ladies toilets at London Waterloo are really bad.
Unfortunately the Ladies toilets are down a flight of stairs, however there are provisions for
disabled access to toilets should you need them. We acknowledge that the turnstiles are
sometimes unreliable and we do try to react as quickly as possible when they break down.
The turnstiles do indeed ask for correct change but at the entrance to the toilets there is a
change machine provided to help customers who may not be carrying the correct money.
Despite all of this we do appreciate that the toilets could be improved and Network Rail,
who manage the station building, will be looking to refurbish the toilets in the future. This is
likely to be after 2019 following the completion of the Waterloo enhancement works.
(VS17) – In the evening, people hang around the gateline and are not being challenged. They
get in the way of other customers and they need to be challenged by the staff as to their
intentions.
We will pass your feedback to the Station team who will review the situation. If deemed
appropriate we will brief staff to be more proactive in moving people away from the
gateline so that they do not obstruct others.
(VS49) – I have concerns over the automatic ticket gate setting of gates in/out at London
Waterloo. I would like to see more gates in exit mode for arriving trains in the morning peak
and vice versa in the evening.
The gates at London Waterloo are currently set for optimal flows and are monitored by our
control room. We review the data on a regular basis and make changes as and when
appropriate.
(AM67) – The substation at Teddington has graffiti on it and requires removal. The bridge
needs repair.
The substation at Teddington is maintained by Network Rail and we will pass your feedback
onto them to investigate further. We have also recently replaced a number of the handrails
at Teddington station, and are looking at options to replace some of the glass panels on
which the graffiti is most prominent.
(SSB13) – Fly tipping in the car park at Walton-on-Thames.
(JS7) – There’s been fly tipping in the customer car park at Walton-on-Thames.
We are aware of the issue with fly tipping, and have placed a skip at the station to allow us
to remove everything. It is currently being used by Network Rail as part of their works
programme; when this is complete the skip will be removed.
(AM11) – The platforms are very dirty at London Waterloo, not with litter but with stains
like vomit. Other London stations are clean but at Waterloo they do not look like they have
ever been washed. Why not and when can they be?
Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that you feel that the platforms are not clean
enough. We have passed your comments on to the station management team at Waterloo
to investigate this issue.
(EX11) - The departure screens at the bottom of the Jubilee line escalators need to be made
bigger and more visible.
Thank you for your correspondence regarding this matter, we have fed this back to the
station management team.
(BJ7) – No more access cards are being issued at Norbiton, seemingly because they have
"run out". Facility is not being fully utilised (less than 50%).
We have issued 100 cycle cards for the facilities at Norbiton, for which individuals have paid
a £25 deposit. We have passed this query on to the Station Manager for further
investigation.
(VS52) – At London Waterloo, the priority/disabled toilet is hard to get to and hard to use as
you are let in by camera monitor.
We are sorry for any difficulties you have had in accessing the disabled toilet at London
Waterloo. We have passed this feedback on to the station manager for further
investigation.
(TW1) – I would like to see local champions at Twickenham.
Currently there is no community rail partnership in place at Twickenham, however the
Rugby Football Union occasionally support us by providing volunteers for big events and
tournaments.
(AM66) – Taxi rank outside Waterloo is great, but fails to explain the numbers system. Can
we please have a sign?
Thank you for your correspondence, we have passed this on to the station management
team for further evaluation.
(AM78) – The staff morale in Lost Property is seemingly low. There is also a bad smell in the
Lost Property area. There is also a bad smell on platforms 5 and 6 at London Waterloo.
We have passed this on to the station management team to investigate further, thank you
for raising these issues with us.
(BJ71) – Is there any chance of a footbridge between South West Trains and the Tube
station at Richmond.
We have passed this feedback on to our Station Property team. Currently there are no plans
to install a footbridge at this location.
(PM1) – The subway at Aldershot flood frequently.
We have recently installed electric water pumps in the Aldershot subway that kick in during
flooding. There is an alternate method of getting to different platforms via the overbridge.
(R28) – I would like a fast track blocking section in front of the barriers at London Waterloo,
similar to the yellow lines on the platforms.
Thank you for feeding back this suggestion, we have passed this onto station management
for further investigation.
(PM2) – I am a policeman and have to take my bike on the train. The gate attendant does
not open the large gate for me.
We are sorry to hear about this issue, and have raised it with station management as a
matter of urgency.
(PM3) – The platform at Salisbury is a long way to walk.
Parts of the station at Salisbury are Grade II listed and it is unfortunately not feasible for us
to introduce quicker means of interchange between platforms.
(LR9) (1) – Please can you reduce crowding at London Waterloo? You could achieve this by
not shutting exits, by announcing the trains earlier so people have time to walk down the
platform and the gates are set the wrong way. You should announce to plan, a change of
platform is no worse than announcing late.
Many of our suburban services into and out of London Waterloo have a short turnaround
time of between 7 and 10 minutes. This unfortunately limits our ability to advertise
platforms in advance in case of any last minute platform alterations – however we do
endeavour to do this as early as reasonably practicable. Since the start of the improvement
works at London Bridge station, furthermore, the passenger flow towards the Jubilee line
has increased dramatically. We sometimes have to take steps to close Exit 2 on safety
grounds, and divert customers to alternative exits. Once London Bridge re opens in August
this year, we anticipate that the flow of passengers will reduce to a more acceptable level,
resulting in that exit being closed on fewer occasions.
(LR9) (2) – On the Shepperton line the new trains need entrances at each end. The 18:42 is
an 8 car and overcrowded, but the 18:43 is a 10 car and half empty, can these be swapped
over to give more capacity?
Currently it is not possible to swap the 2 services over at London Waterloo due to
limitations of capacity on platforms 1-4. We are however extending platforms 1-4 to allow
for longer 10-car trains to run to London suburban stations. This work is scheduled to take
place during August 2017.
(LR9) (3) – Terminating trains short is a problem eg. at Kingston. Trains often run fast
without information and important announcements are lost amongst auto announcements.
One of the biggest issues that impact our performance is that of limited track capacity and
congestion. The tracks into London are heavily used during peak hours, as we run as many
trains as we can, and a delay to even a single train can have a knock-on effect to many
others. Ideally, we would rather have some slack in the system so that these minor delays
do not have such a big impact, but we must meet the demands of the thousands of people
travelling with us at peak times. We are also in the process of connecting our information
screens to Darwin, a nationwide Customer Information System (CIS) that update onplatform displays and automatic announcements across the country. Once the full system is
live you will see fewer discrepancies between the information on websites, apps and the on
station information.
(JS2) – In Worplesdon car park there are rails blocking parking bays since April/May 2015.
Also there is a large skip blocking a bay. The car park has not been swept since at least last
year – when it is wet its very dangerous and slippery. Recently work has taken place by
Station Road exist making the junction dangerous to exist station.
We are sorry for the limited number of parking spaces at Worplesdon currently, and have
forwarded your correspondence on to the station management team as a matter of
urgency. Half of the rails have recently been removed and we will endeavour to get the
other half removed as soon as possible. The skip is currently being used by our Estates team
and will be removed in the next couple of weeks. The works to the junction of Station Road
have not been undertaken by South West Trains or Network Rail and are not within our
station boundary. We believe the work has been carried out by contractors on behalf of
Woking Borough Council, who will hopefully be able to address your concerns.
(AM36) – There is lots of litter around exit 2 at London Waterloo in the evening peak. Also
there are far too many people handing out magazines near the main road outside by exit 2.
We have raised the issue of litter and canvassers with the station management team and
apologise for any issues you have experienced.
(HP5) – Longer platforms have been built overlooking gardens at Hampton Wick. Residents
were not told about the extension of the platforms. We were promised bamboo 18 months
ago and yet nothing happened. What is going to be done about this?
We have spoken with the station manager about this issue, who will go away and
investigate this further. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.
(BJ65) – Why there are not more motor cycle parking spaces at Fleet? These have been
reduced by the recent rebuilding works. I have written to the South West Trains customer
services and was told nothing could be done and have received similar response from the
local MP.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this is causing you. Your feedback has been passed on
to the station manager for further investigation.
(BJ14) – I wonder if you can reconsider ban of vaping on platforms in light of recent medical
advice.
We currently have no plans to reconsider this decision, in line with other train operators.
(LR21) – Why is Wandworth Town always dirty? Why is it hard to get on the train during
high peak? And are there any developments planned for Wandsworth Town?
Wandsworth Town is currently one of the biggest growth areas in London, with new
developments springing up around the Wandsworth Gyratory. This is resulting in a much
higher passenger footfall through the station than previously, in particular at peak times.
We are currently looking at options to improve the accessibility of the station and ways in
which to minimise the impact of the works on station cleanliness.
(PM4) – Why are the toilets at London Waterloo not free?
The toilets at London Waterloo are chargeable to contribute towards the cost of their
upkeep. This is in line with other central London rail terminals.
Timetables
(BJ20) - I would like to see more trains from Vauxhall on Sunday mornings. Currently there is
a wait for almost half an hour and I almost missed the flight. No station staff was available,
no seating facilities available.
We are sorry that you were inconvenienced during your recent journey from Vauxhall. The
current frequency of trains from Vauxhall to Clapham Junction or to London Waterloo on a
Sunday morning is between 05 and 15 minutes.
(VS15) - There needs to be more trains to Fleet in the evening peak. There has been no
increase in capacity for Fleet After 1912 there is only 1 fast train to Fleet and Farnborough
has 2 trains.
All of the trains between 1800 and 1900 to Fleet are at maximum operable length on
current infrastructure. In the 1900-2000 hour we face the challenge of providing adequate
capacity with the scarce resources available to us, having concentrated the vast majority of
our carriages in to the busiest period of the evening peak period. We continue to review
train lengths together with passenger loadings and seek to optimise wherever operationally
possible. To add more stops at Fleet in existing trains would cause journey times to longer
distance destinations, such as Winchester, Southampton and Salisbury, to be extended. The
social and economic disbenefit of this would outweigh the benefit in the present climate.
(VS18) - The 17:25 to Farnham is an 8 coach train however it is busier and it really could do
with being 12 coaches please?
We do try to strengthen the services which are needed to be however we do have an
infinite number of units and are unable to increase as many as we would like to. We do
continue to monitor services and can adjust this where possible.
(EX45) - 07:56 train has lots of empty seats but gets into London Waterloo too late. Why
does the train get held outside of London Waterloo which causes delays?
Trains are sometimes held outside London Waterloo awaiting an available platform or for
another train to depart. The corridor between Clapham Junction and London Waterloo is
one of the busiest in the United Kingdom and 1 train delay can cause services behind to be
held at red signals for longer than we would like.
(BJ28) - There are no services on a Sunday from Worplesdon. The current hourly services
isn’t good enough.
We apologise that there are no services from Worplesdon on a Sunday, this is a very small
station with minor footfall which is why trains do not stop there on a Sunday.
Geographically, Worplesdon is centrally situated between the two large stations of Woking
and Guildford so customers have suitable alternatives.
(BJ29) - I’m worried that due the Crossrail 2 project we may miss out on the direct services
from Hampton Court to Waterloo.
South West Trains unfortunately does not hold any knowledge of specific service plans for
Crossrail 2. However it is our understanding that their development is ongoing.
(BJ44) - I find trains to be overcrowded, especially during every December. I travel by 2230
and is always full and standing. Is it possible to reinforce these services to increase capacity?
Where known special events are taking place and at busier times of the year, we do
endeavour to strengthen late evening services. However we do have to ensure that the
carriages are in the correct location to allow the full service to start first thing the following
morning.
(BJ47) - Why do the last trains from London Waterloo not stop at Earlsfield?
The 00:15 is the last service from London Waterloo scheduled to stop at Earlsfield. The
00:42 service from London Waterloo doesn’t call at Earlsfield, as often it needs to run via a
different route (East Putney) to allow overnight engineering works to take place.
(BJ71) - Can we stop more trains at Clapham Junction travelling South?
Unfortunately we can’t call any more peak trains at Clapham Junction due to the
infrastructure limitation on the fast lines, which results in increased journey times and loss
of capacity.
(AM28) - Why are the services from Godalming only hourly? The weekend services are
particularly poor. It would be better if some of the fast services stopped at Godalming.
We do not have the capacity on the faster services, nor the time available in the timetable,
to call these services additionally at Godalming at present. To add in the extra call will cause
the train to miss its allotted timetable slot at critical points of the network such as at Havant
or Woking, adding to the journey time between London and important centres such as
Portsmouth.
(RT38/ JS29) - Are there any later weekday services planned?
We have fewer carriages available late at night, due to the need to carry out essential train
maintenance work during overnight periods. This work takes several hours at a time and
cannot be done at any other time. This means that unfortunately, we do not have the ability
to run every train at maximum length. We must make best use of the carriages we have
available, taking note of maintenance requirements and also the requirements of the
following day’s service. However, we do regularly monitor loadings on all of our services and
actively optimise the deployment of our carriages to ensure the most appropriate capacity
levels are provided with our finite resources.
(RT39) – We need an hourly faster train from Farnham to London Waterloo. 80% of
passengers board at Farnham and 90% of First Class passengers alight at Farnham.
To make journeys on the route from Farnham faster, it would have to be at the expense of
journeys from Basingstoke and beyond on current infrastructure. Given the sheer numbers
of people travelling these long distances on these other routes, it’s not possible to provide
business case justification for improving journey times on the Alton line at the expense of
the main line via Farnborough.
(RT22) - Vauxhall needs more trains to stop there as there will be a lot more demand as
embassies are moving there.
The vast majority of our suburban services call at Vauxhall station, offering a train on
average every two minutes at peak times. Unfortunately there is no infrastructure capacity
to call additional trains at Vauxhall without compromising on the present level of train
service due to the time taken to make a station stop.
(AM54) - There aren’t enough fast trains from Kingston into Waterloo
Unfortunately we do not have the capacity on current infrastructure that would be required
to facilitate faster services between Kingston and London. There would need to be a trade
off made to journey time for some of our longer distance services, such as to Basingstoke,
rural Surrey and Hampshire, or frequency at some of our important and heavily used inner
London stations, such as New Malden and Earlsfield, and this would be extremely
unfavourable and have no economic justification.
(AM62) - I want to know why in the new timetable why the 21:58 from Havant to Cosham
and the 22:59 again from Havant to Cosham have been withdrawn and I want to know why I
have to pay for a taxi home all the time.
These services were removed as they were no longer viable for us to operate. We consulted
with local stakeholders, Transport Focus and the Department for Transport on these
changes.
(AM63) - Why are Portsmouth trains always the first ones to be cancelled in times of
disruption?
Unfortunately during times of disruption it is often necessary to cancel certain trains to get
the overall service back up and running. Where we choose to cancel trains is dependent on
the nature and location of the service disruption. For example, if there was an issue in the
Windsor area, we would on the whole not look to cancel trains in the Portsmouth area. We
are aware that there have been an unusually high amount of issues in the Portsmouth area,
but are working to rectify this.
(AM79) - The 0717 Basingstoke to Waterloo - does this train go empties to Clapham
following termination of service?
Yes this service goes empty to Clapham Yard where it stables between required duties.
(AM20) - Previously, more trains have stopped at Berrylands in the peak hours. I was just
wondering if there are any plans to increase the number of trains in the peak hours? There
was a previous campaign by the local MP.
Berrylands currently has no additional trains planned but will lengthen with London
Waterloo plans and when the 707 stock cascade is complete
(AM31) - I would like trains to be more frequent from Whitton to London Waterloo.
Unfortunately there are no plans for an increased number of trains, but we are looking to
increase the number of carriages that operate between these stations.
(AM48) - Can you get a direct service between Camberley and London Waterloo? I feel
these services need journey time improvements which a lot of people would benefit from.
We’re looking into options and working with local stakeholders. Unfortunately line capacity
limits our service that can be provided from Camberley. If additional trains could run into
London Waterloo in the future, Camberley might benefit.
(AM27) - I travel between Hampton and London Waterloo. In the morning , additional trains
stop at Twickenham for 10 minutes which means they aren’t a lot of use, and alternate
routes seem to get delayed. On the way home, more trains from London Waterloo would be
great. Can the timetable of XX12, XX13, XX42 and XX43 be better spaced out?
The Shepperton train connects at Twickenham into a fast service and provides connection
from fast train into all of the stations along the line. The trains via Richmond have been
squeezed in between other trains and we acknowledge that they aren’t ideal, but
unfortunately we’re unable to provide a better spread of services in the evening period.
(LR12) - I travel from Reading to Sholing. From Southampton Central the Cross Country
service gets in at XX:41 but my connection is at XX:44, Southampton Central to Portsmouth.
I have to sprint across the platform with 10-15 others. If I miss this then the next train is an
hour away. Is there any scope to change the timetable slightly to integrate with Cross
Country?
We recommend a 5 minute connection time at Southampton Central between trains.
Adjustments would be needed to several services to improve the connection time which is
difficult as there are multiple operators involved and this would benefit only a small number
of people.
(SSB9)- Portsmouth slow service to and from needs looking into as Portsmouth economy
relies on it.
Unfortunately due to constraints with the line and infrastructure, it would be difficult to run
more trains on this line. Great Western Railway do however run a faster service between
Southampton and Portsmouth, that does not stop at all the smaller stations South West
Trains stop at.
(SSB10) No new pocket timetables at Guildford.
New pocket timetables are displayed in the leaflet racks on both entrance of the station.
(HP24) - I catch the 06:01 from Surbiton, earlier starts at Chessington station would be
better are you able to provide this? Currently there are buses to Surbiton before 06:00 and
they are full, I believe that the business case could stack up for this to be introduced.
Technically earlier services at Chessington might be possible, though it would mean route
opening times would need to be eased on this route. It’s unlikely that this will happen in the
present franchise due to the rerouting implications but is potentially something that could
be introduced in the future. Thank you for the feedback, it has been passed on to train
planning who will consider the options available to us.
(HP38) - The Weymouth trains should not stop at Woking and Clapham Junction.
Thank you for your suggestion. Many of our passengers board and alight at both Woking
and Clapham Junction and as such it’s important for us to stop longer distance trains at
these busy stations to allow passengers to take advantage of the numerous connections
available to them at these destinations.
(HP60) - With the development of Guildford, are there plans for changing the current
service to include a semi-fast service?
There are no plans currently to alter the service at Guildford, as it would require substantial
infrastructure changes on the route. It’s also particularly difficult to run more services
between Woking and London Waterloo as this line of route is at maximum capacity.
(HP65) - I would like to request a faster service from Kingston to London Waterloo. Are
there any future plans to speed up the journey time?
Unfortunately we do not have the capacity on current infrastructure that would be required
to facilitate faster services between Kingston and London. There would need to be a trade
off made to journey time for some of our longer distance services, such as to Basingstoke,
rural Surrey and Hampshire, or frequency at some of our important and heavily used inner
London stations, such as New Malden and Earlsfield, and this would be extremely
unfavourable and have no economic justification.
(HP74) - Hinchley Wood services now depart 2 minutes earlier in the morning peak and then
sit at Surbiton. Why is this?
There is a difficult crossing that can often become congested, that this train must cross in
the morning peak. This, combined with heavy passenger loadings at Surbiton station is the
reason this service departs slightly earlier.
(VS12) - Everyday I arrive at Basingstoke from Mortimer and I miss the connection to
London Waterloo at 06:03. Can this be held for 60 seconds?
The connection which the customer is trying to make isn’t a valid connection unfortunately.
Due to the constraints of the current timetable it’s not possible to adjust trains by even a
minute as this will have a greater effect on the train's overall journey which would
necessitate many more adjustments.
(AM28) - It’s only an hourly service from Godalming. The service is unusable during the
weekend. It would be better if some of the fast services called at Godalming for customers
travelling to Guildford.
We do not have the capacity on the faster services, nor the time available in the timetable,
to call these services additionally at Godalming at present. To add in the extra call will cause
the train to miss its allotted timetable slot at critical points of the network such as at Havant
or Woking, adding to the journey time between London and important centres such as
Portsmouth.
(AM30) - I take the 07:27 train from Twickenham to London Waterloo. Why is my train
shorter?
This train is timetabled to be 8 coaches, it may have been shortened on occasion due to
performance issues and a temporary shortage of rolling stock. This service will imminently
be changing permanently to a 10 coach train, I am sorry for the inconvenience during the
transition period.
Train Quality
(AM26) - I'm finding the blue trains extremely uncomfortable. The First Class in blue trains
are worse than Standard Class in 444 white trains. I've heard about the new 707 trains and
wanted to know what effect this would have on the Portsmouth line? I can only travel on
444 trains due to my back.
The Class 707 cascade will 'free' more class 450 blue trains. Capacity will increase but a
limited number of 444 units will not increase the number of Portsmouth trains, and the
number of 444 units will not change.
(BJ14/VS47/LR16/RT22/RT30/HP27/HP68/JS33/VS9/BJ6/HP49/HP76/LR3) - The tables on
the trains aren’t fully cleaned and there are signs that marks/ debris isn’t cleaned
thoroughly. You need to have a campaign to remind passengers to dispose of their own
rubbish. Onboard tables need cleaning outside of peak times.
We have several cleaning schedules which take place throughout the day. Trains should
start the day having been cleaned in the evening at the depot. The train should enter into
service having had all litter removed, bins emptied, tables and trays should be clean, carpet
areas will be hoovered, any stains should be removed from all surfaces and the toilets
should be in a clean condition with soap, tissues and water replenished. This clean is
supplemented throughout the day by our turn around cleaners who work at all our main
terminal stations. We do our best to make sure our trains are clean and tidy but we do rely
on customers accepting some responsibility for helping us by disposing of their own litter
and using the toilet facilities in a reasonable manner. Unfortunately most of the problems
that are reported to us between booked cleaning times are caused as a result of people not
respecting the facilities we offer. Any concerns are passed to our Train Presentation Team
who will investigate what went wrong and take whatever steps are possible to prevent this
happening in the future.
(VS9) - I travel between Winchester and Waterloo and I have to wear my coat because the
air-con is too blustery and cold. The responses have received from the CSC haven’t gone
down well and I feel fobbed off.
The air conditioning on our 444 and 450 stock that we use on the route isn’t controlled by
the guard and the guard isn’t able to reset the system if customers feel the temperature is
too warm or too cool. Between 01 April and 01 November, all units are on the summer time
setting of cooling to 23°C heating to 21°C so the carriage should be within a range of 2123°C. The winter setting is in operation from 01 November to 01 April will cool to 24°C and
heat to 23°C and so the carriage should be within a range of 23-24°C. The temperature the
air needs to be on the train is monitored by sensors in each coach. There are six sensors per
coach set at differing heights which constantly check the temperature. Should the
temperature fall out of the set range then either the body side heaters or the overhead air
conditioning will respond to this. However, we appreciate on-board temperature is an
incredibly personal preference and we can’t please everybody all of the time. I’m sure that
you can appreciate if we had a system whereby the guard could change the temperature of
the coach upon request this would be incredibly time consuming for our staff and possibly
result in confrontation between customers with differing preferences. Whilst you may
receive a standard letter from our Customer Service Advisors, we always forward any
complaints to our Fleet Management Team for further investigation.
(BJ55/ VS20/RT19/ HP7) - The train is changed from 4 seats in a row to 5 seats in a raw,
which in effect has reduced the capacity as people don’t want to sit on the three seats.
The Class 450 type Desiro trains are modern air-conditioned and reliable trains and given
the numbers of people travelling on this route the current mix of class 444 and class 450
stock is the best fit for the mainline Line and out network as a whole. The seating
arrangements on our trains are made to best fit to meet the high demand for seats on our
trains. We try to strike a balance between comfort and the amount of seats we put in,
taking into account the average person’s height and build. Please be assured that that the
trains were designed and built to all of the legislation and group standards regarding
seating, that were in place at the time of manufacture.
(BJ60) - I would like to get longer and cleaner trains for my journey.
In order to improve the reliability and capacity of our services we’re investing millions of
pounds right across the network to replace and upgrade equipment. When completed the
network should be more reliable with fewer delays and incidents. We would expect achieve
these targets between 2016 and 2018. From 13 December 2015 we have added 57,000
extra seats and over 70 new services throughout the week. We’re investing a further £210m
in a fleet of new trains. The 30 new Class 707 five-carriage ‘Desiro City’ trains will
significantly boost capacity on services, providing for more than 18,000 extra peak-time
passengers every day travelling into London Waterloo. The train order will also allow for a
further 6,000 daily peak-time passengers once infrastructure upgrades are completed on
the mainline and Hounslow loop. The £65 million investment in 108 additional refurbished
carriages for the network, combined with the order for new trains, this will deliver a total
peak-time capacity increase of around 30% by 2018.
(BJ66) - On 10 May I travelled from Poole to London Waterloo by the 1140 train. The plug
sockets in first class didn’t work. Emailed the Customer Services, but had no response.
Unfortunately, our Customer Relations team is currently experiencing a high amount of
correspondence. We aim to respond to you soon. Thank you for your patience. We’re sorry
to hear that on this occasion the plug socket you used didn’t work and we’ll pass this onto
our Fleet team.
(VS7/AM61) - South West Trains have better and reliable trains now. I’m unhappy with
punctuality and the cleanliness of the 0634 and 0653 trains from Guildford to London
Waterloo.
We have worked hard to improve our services for our passengers. It’s always satisfying to
learn that our emphasis on customer care is being rewarded and even more pleasant when
someone takes the time and trouble to thank our staff for the service given. However we’re
sorry to hear of your issues with these specific trains and have passed on your comments to
the relevant teams.
(VS11) - Regarding the windows on trains - Should the drivers announce to passengers to
open the windows in hot weather? I have fainted on a previous journey due to this.
It does depend on which route you’re travelling, as some of our trains don’t have opening
windows. If a coach does have a fault and become uncomfortably warm the guard can open
the internal doors and turn up the speed of the fans to ensure that fresh air is still getting
into the coach. If the train does have windows which open, it’s only the guard who can do
so.
(VS21/VS29/VS36/AM70/LR16/BJ25) - The Wi-Fi is very erratic. Why do you need to log in
every time? I travel from Basingstoke to Waterloo on the 444s and the Wi-Fi isn’t working
on most journeys. I would say 7 out of 10 journeys this will not work.
The WiFi system in use is designed to give the best possible level of signal to users, but due
to the geographical expanse of our network, there may be areas where the signal isn’t as
strong as we would like. Please also bear in mind that the bandwidth is shared with other
users on the train, so as more users connect, you may experience a slight decrease in service
speed. We’ll continue to monitor and work to improve the system where possible. In the
event of any future problems with using this service, please contact the South West Trains
Nomad Digital Customer Support Desk: by telephone - 03300 889327; or by email - [email protected].
(VS22) - Why is there not more First Class available? I travel on the 07:07 or 07:17 Guildford
to Waterloo.
Unfortunately some of our trains don’t offer first class facilities. This is due to the size and
style of the trains and the routes that they travel on. We apologise that your journey may be
affected by this, but we do provide first class facilities on a number of routes.
(VS26) - I travel on the Alton line and would like to see the carriage numbers in the display.
Also I often find announcements too loud.
We’re aware that there was a fault with our on-train system that displays carriage numbers
but this has now been rectified and numbers should be on display. We apologise that you
find the announcements at a higher volume than you would like. The volume of
announcements is set but the volume which guards speak into the system may vary.
(VS31) - Why are the lights left on trains in the early evening during summer light?
The interior saloon lights are always operational during passenger service to ensure
passenger safety. Many of our services operate under bridges and through tunnels and
cuttings that have little or no light, even during summer evenings.
(VS34/ BJ75) - The noise of the doors seems to be much louder than previously on the
Guildford (Desiro stock) service. This has happened over the last few months. I have raised
this previously but never had any real response?
The sound volume and pitch are governed by legislation on the design of all trains in the UK.
The door open sounders have been required by guidance governing the design of all new
trains built since 1994. Legislation was introduced for new trains built since 1998; this is
termed 'Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations' or RAVR for short. These regulations require
an increased loudness for door open sounders, which is above the 1994 guidance.
(VS35) - There is no quiet zone on the West of England services. There used to be on the old
stock but not anymore.
Our Diesel Fleet Class 158 and 159 that operate on the West of England line are equipped
with quiet coaches.
(VS51/VS55/AM65) - Customers make a lot of noise in quiet carriages. I suggest that you
announce this at stations and this will then cost nothing to fix.
The request that people try to keep noise to a minimum in a quiet zone isn’t a Railway
Bylaw and thus isn’t a legal requirement. The rationale behind the policy was to offer an
area of the train which was quieter, by encouraging customers who had purposely chosen to
sit there to be more respectful of the noise made in that area. This policy is backed up by
the labels we place in the designated area, showing that we would prefer customers not to
use portable music equipment, to keep mobile phones on silent and to talk at a reasonable
level when using the quiet zone.
(VS53) - I don't like that the trains don't have toilets or Wi-Fi.
These trains were introduced on to south west London suburban routes in the early 1980s
and research carried out at the time showed that the vast majority of journeys made by
passengers who would use these trains were comparatively short. It was following this
research that it was decided that the available space should be used to provide as many
seats as possible and toilet compartments were not, therefore, included. In order to comply
with current regulations for crash worthiness, new high-back seats have to be fitted as part
of the refurbishment of the units, to replace the existing low-back seats. These take up more
room, and therefore fewer seats can be provided within the overall set of 4 coaches.
Additionally, in order to comply with disability discrimination regulations, dedicated spaces
for wheelchair customers have to be provided as part of the refurbishment. This necessarily
involves the creation of space by removing seats. In view of the reduction in seating
capacity on these trains, we decided that we were unable to allocate further space for toilet
compartments and the refurbished units will remain with no toilets. Under the Rail Vehicle
Accessibility Regulations (RVAR), trains don’t have to have toilets, including new ones. The
new trains on London Overground are an example of this as they don’t have toilets. The
Southern 313 class stock don’t have toilets either, but are RVAR compliant. Many train
operators travelling in and out of London during peak hours have had to adopt this stance.
We do want our passengers to travel in comfort, but on the shorter journeys in the
suburban areas, where we use trains without toilets, space is a premium during peak times
Unfortunately not all of our trains are equipped with Wi-Fi at the present time, but we’re
looking to increase this where we’re able.
(AM17/J23/LR7) - Why are plug sockets only available in First Class?
When our trains were designed the decision was made to have plug sockets only in First
Class and it would be very difficult to put these in all coaches. There will however be plug
sockets available in all areas of our new trains, the 707 fleet.
(AM27) - I find that the armrests on seats are uncomfortable and would like all of them to
be removed.
We’re sorry that you find the armrests uncomfortable. All of our seats are in accordance
with laws and regulations that ensure they cater for the average person’s build and height
and have overall proved to be of comfort and use over the years, and we’re sorry you don’t
share this view.
(AM32) - The water comes out of the taps too fast on the toilets of 450s and 444s. This can
look like urine on the floor. Other Train Operating Companies don't have this problem - can
the water be turned down?
The pumped system or flow rate have never changed since the introduction of these trains
in 2004 but the system equipment has regular attention including tap nozzle changes and
independent tank/system testing for bacteriological analysis. Although there is no plan to
change the system or operation, the maintainers will be asked to undertake a random
sample of flows to ascertain any trend and then make a calculated decision if and whether
we can adjust rates of flow.
(AM64) - Why do you run shorter trains outside of commuter hours e.g Saturday or late
nights? Do we consider passenger increase outside of peak times? This also has an impact
on the safety side if you have nowhere to go on a packed train, sitting with others under the
influence.
We have fewer carriages available late at night/weekends, due to the need to carry out
essential train maintenance work during these periods. This work takes several hours at a
time and can’t be done at any other time. This means that unfortunately, we don’t have the
ability to run every train at maximum length. We must make best use of the carriages we
have available, taking note of maintenance requirements and also the requirements of the
following day’s service. However, we do regularly monitor loadings on all of our services and
actively optimise the deployment of our carriages to ensure the most appropriate capacity
levels are provided with our finite resources.
(AM2) - I travel from Fleet and would like to see more white trains as seats on the 450s are
too tight for normal-sized customers. I would also like to see better signage on seats and
rear of seat in front stating it’s for disabled customer only as these seats are often taken up
by overweight customers. I would like to see more pro-active Guards challenging customers
in disabled-only seats. I’m awaiting a hip replacement and I want to be able to travel in
comfort without large customers taking up a seat-and-a-half.
Unfortunately our 159 Diesel stock is mainly used on the West of England line and our
electric stock covers the majority of other routes. Regarding disabled seating this is hard to
manage as not all disabilities are obvious and our set areas make it easier for passenger
assistance staff to help them keep delays to a minimum whilst at stations. Our Passenger
Assistance teams are here to help and will ensure you board the train safely and get you
seated. The Guard will ensure you’re comfortable and can only assist if informed
(AM29/ AM18) - Why is the 0651 from Southampton Airport Parkway a 450?
The change in rolling stock will increase the capacity of this service with an additional 140
extra seats meaning more passengers can travel in safety and comfort.
(RT23) - Are there plans to upgrade the upgrade the class 455/456 interiors to allow tables
and better working accommodation?
Unfortunately, there are no current plans to upgrade these trains and change the internal
layout.
(RT4/RT5/JS13) - The trains are overcrowded.
At the moment, regrettably the network is completely full and we can’t add additional
services as there simply isn’t space on the tracks to run them. However please be assured
that we’re in the process of implementing a major investment programme in the
refurbishment and expansion of our fleet. Indeed, in the short term we’re investing £65
million to refurbish 108 train carriages, allowing longer trains to run on our suburban routes.
The first of these new longer services have been running since Spring 2015 when the first of
our newly refurbished Class 456 trains entered service. More trains were introduced
throughout 2015 and since our recent timetable change in December we’re now providing
more than 57,000 additional seats right across the network. In the long term, we’re
investing £275 million in 258 more carriages between now and 2018. When both Phase 1
and Phase 2 are both completed by mid-2018, we’ll have boosted capacity by 30% on our
busiest services as well as carrying out major infrastructure improvements across the
network to support these new trains.
(LR6) - I have noticed the increased capacity and the new 707s. I also appreciate the
footbridge at Staines and having guards on the trains. I would, however, like to point out the
lack of cycle space and the cleanliness of the trains is worse between 14:00 and 15:00. There
were too many trains cancelled for Vauxhall fire but I did appreciate the ticket transfers.
Thank you for your positive comments and we take these on board. With regards to
between 14:00 and 15:00, this is outside our peak travel times when trains are moving
about to get to their peak destinations but we’ll pass on these comments to the relevant
teams.
(RT8) - Why is the new 458 reduced from a 10 coach to a 5 coach train? It’s also very noisy.
The toilets, doors and announcements don’t work.
Unfortunately the refurbished fleet that operates on your service has not been as reliable as
we would have liked. Our engineers at Wimbledon depot are working hard to improve
reliability and availability, so that our customers don’t suffer from the issues that you have
described. We’re aware that there have been some issues with doors not releasing when
they should and are in the process of developing a software solution, with our suppliers,
which will alleviate this issue in the coming months. There are plans in place as part of
ongoing capacity works to increase train lengths across the network.
(RT15) - Why is the first train out of Windsor always full of litter?
Trains should start the day having been cleaned in the evening at the depot. The train
should enter into service having had all litter removed, bins emptied, tables and trays
should be clean. Carpet areas will be hoovered, any stains should be removed from all
surfaces and the toilets should be in a clean condition with soap, tissues and water
replenished. This clean is supplemented throughout the day by our turn around cleaners
who work at all our main terminal stations.
(RT16/ BJ25) - The trains are old and the toilets are overflowing. There is no WiFi on board
and the trains generally are dirty.
The class 159 type rolling stock used to Yeovil Junction will be going through a
refurbishment, commenced in May 2015. They are completely stripped back, repainted and
new type of seats are added. However we have no current plans to introduce WiFi on board
these trains, firstly because these trains aren’t compatible to introduce WiFi in a financially
justified way. Secondly, we rely on mobile signals to support the Wi-Fi systems on board our
trains. Due to the varying signal strength on the West of England Line we aren’t confident
that we can offer quality Wi-Fi signals on board these trains.
(RT19) - Would it be possible to have flip up seats in the entrances of 444s? Is it possible to
have free/reduced upgrades to First Class during peak periods? Why do we sometimes have
450s instead of 444s?
A guard will declassify First Class in exceptional circumstances, but he/she first must obtain
permission from our Control Unit. We do have an obligation to our First Class paying
customers, particularly Season ticket holders to ensure that seats are accessible to them as
far as possible. Unfortunately there are no current plans to introduce new seating in the
444s, and at times it is necessary to run different class of trains dependant on disruption or
timetable changes.
(RT30) - Passengers who put their feet on the seats should be fined.
We’re aware of the antisocial practise of some passengers, who persist in putting their feet
on seats. Like other service providers, we have to rely on the public to behave in a manner
which is socially acceptable and I’m afraid there are occasions when individuals are unwilling
to do so. There are now signs in most coaches of our trains and our conductors do what
they can in terms of announcements. Our guidelines to them, however, are to use discretion
in the case of aggressive passengers who refuse to stop this practice. Guards have no power
to force these people to remove their feet - only the police can do this. They reserve the
right to call the police but obviously taking this action would delay the train which would
then delay a huge number of customers.
(SSB8) - 456 trains aren’t very comfortable.
Thank you for your feedback, we are sorry that you feel this way.
(HP8) - Why is it that some trains to Hersham and Walton on Thames have toilets and others
do not? Particularly late night trains should have a toilet as people have been out drinking.
Unfortunately, we only have a limited number of trains equipped with toilet facilities and
prioritise their deployment on long distance routes or on routes with longer journey times.
(AM61) - On the Kingston services the lights are often not working.
Thank you for the feedback, I’m disappointed to hear that you have found this to be the
case and have fed this back to the train presentation team.
(HP16) - I would prefer not to have a train stock change on the Windsor line as there is no
heating on the new trains!
The change of stock on this line will allow us to provide much needed extra capacity on this
route and many others across our network. Although the stock will not have heating they
will have air conditioning, free passenger WiFi, brighter and more efficient lighting
throughout and faster opening doors. I hope that you’ll enjoy the improvements and the
additional capacity benefits that the change will provide and apologise that these trains will
not have heating on-board.
(HP47) - The seats in the carriages are a little short for someone like me who is 1.88m tall.
For comparison the sears in standard class on Great Western Railway have longer backs and
are more comfortable. Please can we get seats like these.
The seats on all of our trains are ergonomically tested and are based on the results of those
tests. I’m sorry if you don’t find them to be comfortable enough but there are no plans at
this time to change the current designs.
(HP55) - I have been commuting for 27 years. The trains are very uncomfortable and give me
back ache. They are hard and the shape of the seat isn’t good. I catch the 06:55 train from
Eastleigh to London Waterloo. We sit on top of one another and there isn’t enough space,
it’s really poor.
I’m sorry to hear that you don't find our trains to be comfortable. In December 2015 with
the timetable change we responded to feedback by increasing capacity on this service by
140 seats to try to alleviate the long distance overcrowding problem. We have also
strengthened a number of other services on this line to meet the high passenger demand.
We believe that this meets the needs of as many passengers as possible given the finite
number of resources available to us. However we do continue to monitor loadings on our
services to optimise the train plan wherever possible to accommodate the entire networks
needs and will take your concerns into account as we continue to review.
(BJ1) - Seats are Less Comfortable when compared with the SouthernTrains.
One big issue that affects our performance is that of limited track capacity and congestion.
We have to ensure the optimal use of the carriages and the pathway. The seating
arrangements on our trains are made to best fit to meet the high demand for seats on our
trains. We try to strike a balance between comfort and the amount of seats we put in,
taking into account the average person’s height and build. Please be assured that that the
trains were designed and built to all of the legislation and group standards, regarding
seating, that were in place at the time of manufacture.
(RT34) - There is a lot of rubbish on trains and platforms. Does South West Trains recycle as
I’m passionate about the environment?
We do want to do as much as we can to recycle our waste. Some stations already have
separate bins for newspapers and papers, and our intention is to spread this initiative across
out network. We work hard to segregate recyclable materials wherever possible, and only
3% of our waste goes to landfill at present.
(JS6) - Why can't we stand in between carriages? 90% of Guards are ok with it.
You are able to stand in between carriages when the trains are moving, but it is
recommended you stand in the aisles or in the vestibules.
(AM5) - Why are people using phones in Quiet Zones? Can you have better and more
obvious signage? Also Brompton bikes have been around train doors which can prevent
evacuation.
Quiet coaches were set up with feedback from customers, however it’s unfortunately very
difficult to police. Our Guards are encouraged to make frequent announcements regarding
the Quiet Coach asking passengers not to use mobiles or make unnecessary noise. However
the Guard can’t be expected to remain in that coach all the time, and also signage is
displayed in the Quiet Coach. Guards should make regular announcements regarding
keeping aisles and exits clear of for example luggage and we ask customers to move bicycles
to safe areas if they come across it.
(SSB30) - Red trains are very narrow, I prefer white trains.
Thank you for your feedback regarding our different types of trains. We have a few types of
rolling stock that run on different routes that vary in size and design, and our customers
have different preferences to all of these.
(HP35) - Why is there no Wi-Fi on the 455 stock?
Unfortunately these trains aren’t equipped for the introduction of Wi-Fi, and as such we
currently have no plans to introduce Wi-Fi on this stock. We do however have free Wi-Fi on
many of our trains that run across longer distance routes.
(HP61) - The air conditioning on the trains is too low, can this be looked at?
Having tried different temperatures in the past, we have found that this is a very
contentious subject, as everyone has different personal preferences. Therefore one person
may be hot and the person next to them may be cold. The heating system that is used on
our trains isn’t controlled by the guard and so the guard can’t adjust the temperature during
the journey, the temperature is set between 21-23°C during the summer and 23-24°C during
the winter.
(BJ9) - Have you considered installing solar panels on the roofs of air ventilators? It could
reduce pollution and cut CO2 emission.
The air conditioning systems on our electric trains have energy saving functions when they
are not in use during passenger service. For the amount of power the air conditioning
systems use, the cost of solar panels would far outweigh the benefits.
(BJ16) - I notice that the diesel train on platform 10 (at about 0730) was idling for a long
period, causing pollution and wasting diesel fuel. Can this unit not be shut down for a
period?
The diesel trains automatically shut down after a set time. In general, if the train is idling, it
is because it has recently arrived or is preparing to leave.
(RT35) - Last Wednesday 0543 Twickenham to Richmond was disrupted and there were no
announcements. Trains are constantly late with no apology given. Complaint and
compensation process is difficult. There are constant short formations.
Due to an increase in the amount of correspondence we have received recently, we have
been unable to reply as quickly as we normally do to complaints. However, the easiest way
to make a claim is to email our Customer Service Centre, providing contact details, specific
journey details and a copy of your rail ticket. We always aim to provide a high standard of
information and realise that this is even more important to customers when services aren’t
running on time. We continually review how we manage disruption and listen to feedback
we have received from our customers on how we can help them to stay informed. We’re
investing to improve the infrastructure, track and signals, with the aim of providing a more
robust railway. As well as time and the materials to make the improvements, we have also
invested in advanced maintenance equipment to ensure that the right tools are available to
our infrastructure teams whenever needed rather than waiting for machinery to become
available. However there is a large volume of work to be done to bring the network to the
standard we wish, and whilst any safety issue is dealt with immediately, the remaining work
has to be prioritised and pre-planned. We aim to provide an adequate number of seats but
as a “turn up and go” Train Operating Company serving the UK’s largest network, there will
be times when not every customer is able to get a seat. We’ll only short form a service after
every other option has been explored; it’s considered a better option than cancelling the
service in its entirety. We’re in the process of implementing a major investment programme
in the refurbishment and expansion of our fleet.
TVMs (Ticket Vending Machines)
(AM30) - Ticket Machines never accept credit cards but accept debit cards.
The Ticket Machines do accept credit cards, but unfortunately don’t take Diner's Club cards.
(AM30) - Ticket Machines never accept credit cards but accept debit cards.
The Ticket Machines do accept credit cards, but unfortunately do not take Diner's Club
cards.
(SSB23) - Ticket machines do not allow tickets to be bought from another station or a
Boundary Zone. It is very inconvenient to have to go to a staffed ticket office when these are
not open all day. Also I cannot buy Boundary Zone tickets via the internet.
The facility to purchase tickets from anywhere to anywhere is due to be rolled out to all of
our Ticket vending machines within the next month, we have listened to feedback regarding
some of the restrictions with what is possible on the machines and are currently introducing
new functions to address this.
(SSB23) - Ticket machines don’t allow tickets to be bought from another station or a
Boundary Zone. It’s very inconvenient to have to go to a staffed ticket office when these
aren’t open all day. Also I can’t buy Boundary Zone tickets via the internet.
The facility to purchase tickets from anywhere to anywhere is due to be rolled out to all of
our Ticket vending machines within the next month, we have listened to feedback regarding
some of the restrictions with what is possible on the machines and are currently introducing
new functions to address this.
(JS26) - What should passengers do if they cannot buy a ticket from a TVM? (e.g. Starting
from a Boundary Zone)
(VS39) - I am not able to buy extension tickets from Boundary Zone 6 at the ticket vending
machine. I would like Oyster/Contactless extended to Egham and Guildford.
Regarding our ticket vending machines being unable to provide tickets from a boundary
station; modification to the ticket vending machines to allow for purchases of tickets from
boundary zones is something that we would like to do and we know that it would be
popular with some passengers. That said such modification is not a trivial piece of work. It
has potential to impact on the core performance of the ticket vending machines and the
attached communications network all of which need to be assessed fully before the feature
could be implemented. We must ensure that these are not compromised.
In addition as with all commercial endeavours as a company we must be sensitive to the
current financial climate and all decisions requiring substantial investment must be
considered amongst other priorities. We therefore have no immediate plans for these
modifications but will ensure it is kept under consideration for future investment.
You may be interested to know that boundary tickets can be purchased in advance via our
telesales department 0345 6000 650, or over the internet at www.southwesttrains.co.uk
and sent to a ticket machine for collection within two hours of the purchase. This also has
the added advantage of allowing purchase of tickets many days, even weeks in advance and
many customers find this to be a suitable alternative arrangement.
Regarding Oyster extension this is a possibility for our new franchise and we will be sure to
keep you updated on progress.