Transport User Voice August 2024 – Around Great Britain

01 August 2024

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West Wales

The team has been out and about in West Wales at Carmarthen and Pembroke stations, testing the service on the route into Pembroke. The new Class 197 trains are now operating on the route, which provide a more comfortable experience for passengers. We engaged with a rail user group on the patch, to listen to their concerns.

We raised a few issues, such as inaccurate on-board screen information and cleanliness on trains and at the shelter at Pembroke. We also pointed out discrepancies between station information on the Transport for Wales (TfW) website and what was available when we visited Carmarthen. We continue to press TfW to secure improvements for passengers.

Upgrades to the Severn Tunnel were also underway during the visit, with our team checking that passenger information including signage was clear and accessible. The team on board provided timely and useful updates for passengers during some disruption, and it was good to see them ensuring they were visible to provide help when needed.

Wales – Cardiff

A new bus interchange has opened in Cardiff, just across from the Central Station. TfW manages both sites, so there are opportunities for working effectively across modes, with live train departure screens next to the bus information. The interchange has 14 bays, each with real-time screens for next bus services.

From engaging with passengers, we found a few key areas where their experiences could be better – such as signage which links the bus and rail sites (particularly for the toilets) and staff being well informed about both rail and bus information. We will be speaking with TfW about these points to help it make improvements.

Greater Manchester

In 2019, we made a recommendation for National Highways to develop a minimum standard for bus stops on its roads. In response, National Highways developed a dashboard mapping every bus stop on its roads and the standard of its features – such as shelter, lighting and access.

National Highways recently used the dashboard to identify and upgrade 24 bus stops in Greater Manchester that were of poor standard. It will continue to use the dashboard to improve the passenger experience while waiting for a bus.

Scotland

We recently engaged with ScotRail about the introduction of a temporary timetable (introduced 10 July). With the possibility of between 150-200 services being cancelled at short notice each day, we felt that a temporary timetable that could be delivered consistently would provide more certainty for passengers.

We recognise that passengers will be disappointed to see their train services reduced, however until a resolution is found, it’s better to deliver a timetable that passengers can rely on, rather than suffering the inconvenience and frustration of short notice cancellations. Passengers will want the impact on their travel minimised by robust delivery of the temporary timetable and a resolution to pay talks.

 

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