TransPennine Express and Northern rail franchise consultations – Passenger Focus response

20 August 2014

Passenger Focus welcomes the opportunity to provide a rail passengers’ perspective as the specifications for the next Northern and TransPennine franchises are developed. When the requirements of the new franchises are established it is vital that the needs of the passengers using and paying for the rail services are placed squarely at the heart of the contract.

Our response draws on two rich seams of franchise specific data. It combines knowledge and understanding drawn from passenger reports on their current journeys on Northern and TransPennine services with new information on passengers’ priorities for improvement. Read together these complementary studies provide a unique perspective on passenger needs from the franchises and provide hard evidence to inform the decisions to be made for the future.

We also refer to a qualitative study into the views of Northern and TransPennine passengers undertaken in 2012 and draw on findings from our wider research into a range of issues that are important to passengers.