Transport User Voice March 2025 – The future of the railway

25 February 2025

What do passengers want? 

Since 2023, Transport Focus has run a customer community initiative on behalf of the Great British Railway Transition Team. The rail users in the community have been providing important customer feedback to help shape the future of the UK’s rail services through collaboration and innovation.   

The GBRTT acts as an independent advisor to develop tools and products that give decision-makers access to the bigger picture including passengers’ views. They have been preparing the ground for Great British Railway, and work the Department for Transport, Network Rail, train operators and other partners to bring the rail sector together. 

The Community was brought together to make sure rail customers’ views are understood, and suggestions for improvement and change are reflected back to the Transition Team. The Community members have explored the multiple challenges that the railway sector faces, including reliability, ticketing and customer service, and how these challenges can be overcome with clear accountability and a focus on user experience.  

Passengers tell us they value being involved in the process 

• “I’ve learned about the future, and it looks brighter. I hope that our input can really help improve trains for everyone in the foreseeable future… thank you.”  

• “I like that I have had a say on what the future of rail could look like. And that my opinion matters and may be taken into account when real decisions are being made.”  

• “I really enjoyed the workshops, …meeting the other people from all over the UK and [hearing] all of the different experiences people had. It was great to meet all of the staff working on this project too.”  

• “I have enjoyed being part of this study. I feel I have been listened to, and my opinions have been taken seriously. I have welcomed the opportunity to highlight issues and share my views …”  

• “It has given me a voice on a matter that has some impact on my lifestyle given train travel is a part of it…”  

• “I was very impressed with the degree of representation and diversity of the participant group and could see that the organisers had really put considerable effort in trying to get as varied a sample group as possible.”  

We’re holding a workshop with our current community in March and we’ll be publishing outputs from online tasks and face-to face events in the next few months. Using passenger and engagement tools like the Community, Transport Focus continues to push for a public transport system and a strategic road network that works for everyone. We remain committed to ensuring that the needs and voices of passengers and users are never overlooked.   

To find out more about the Great British Railway Transition Team: Great British Railways Transition Team 

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