Avanti and TransPennine Express – poor performance continues to impact passenger experience

02 March 2023

Independent watchdog Transport Focus has spoken to Avanti and TransPennine Express passengers again to understand their experiences following continued disruption to rail services.

Transport Focus spoke to more than 1000 Avanti and TransPennine Express passengers to see if things had improved since our last survey in November 2022.

Significantly around one in five still said they had experienced delays or cancellations on their last journey. Less than half were satisfied with delay information.

David Sidebottom, director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said:

“Despite the promised improvements from the December timetable, Avanti and TransPennine Express passengers have yet to see any significant improvement in their experience.

“Avanti and TransPennine Express passengers deserve better. While industrial relations continue to impact journeys, it’s clear that both operators need to take action to improve communications with passengers and build back trust.”

Avanti passengers reported:

• little improvement in their satisfaction with the journey (80 per cent good) compared to November 2022 (78 per cent).
• the proportion who experienced a timetable change or journey delay is still significant at one in four (25 per cent) compared to 28 per cent in November 2022.
• rating of information provided when trains are changed has improved a little but still only four in ten rate most aspects as good.

TransPennine Express passengers reported:

• little change in overall satisfaction with the journey (79 per cent good) compared to November 2022 (77 per cent).
• the proportion who experienced a timetable change or journey delay is still significant at one in four (25 per cent) compared to 22 per cent in November 2022.
• some improvements seen on how the situation was handled when there were changes to train times.

Further details are available in the Avanti and TransPennine Express reports.