Transport User Voice – September 2018 – Wales and Borders

29 August 2018

Promoting passenger priorities as the new rail operator gets going

On 4 June it was announced that the new operator and delivery partner for the Wales and Borders rail service will be KeolisAmey. This is appointed by Transport for Wales (TfW) – which is also the branding passengers will see for the new rail service.

The new service starts from 14 October and plans are emerging for improvements to services, revised fares and ticketing, investment in stations and new trains over the next 15 years, as well as development of the South Wales Metro.

Transport Focus has worked closely with TfW to inform the procurement process with evidence from our passenger research, notably the National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) and what passengers want from the new service. It is now crucial for plans and timescales to be widely published and explained, so passengers can understand what is being bought on their behalf and how their expectations will be met.

In the run-up to the new service, we are working with KeolisAmey to ensure the new arrangements it is putting in place will benefit passengers. Key points include reviewing the procedure for handling complaints to ensure best practice. Also the Passengers’ Charter, to set out what passengers can expect from the new service and highlight what happens if things go wrong, with compensation measures and a delay repay scheme.

We are also discussing revenue protection proposals – to ensure ticket facilities are fit-for-purpose and passengers are treated fairly with consistent measures to address ticketless travel – and policies for developing stakeholder engagement across Wales and the Borders, so that a framework is put in place to hold service providers to account for delivery.

We will continue to work with Transport for Wales and KeolisAmey to ensure passenger priorities remain at the heart of the new rail service.

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