A new survey carried out by Great British Rail Replacement has found that 92% of rail customers feel that disruption management across the UK’s rail network is either worsening or not getting any better.
The national survey asked over 1,500 UK rail users and non-users for their views on the current landscape of services in the country, with responses showing that disruption remains one of the most defining and damaging pain points for rail customers and inconsistent rail replacement provision stands as a key driver of both frustration and lost trust.
Customers have cited unclear signage, patchy station announcements and limited real-time updates as reasons to believe that disruption management is not up to par across the country’s network.
Research data also highlights sharp gaps in accessibility, safety and fairness, with only 2.8% of passengers with accessibility needs feeling that replacement services are able to fully accommodate their needs and 30% saying disruption left them with no viable alternative.
Women travelling alone also report vulnerability, with 33% relying on others to complete journeys due to safety concerns. Rural passengers have reported feeling disproportionately affected, with 19% cancelling travel plans due to disruption.
Ian Jeffrey, Director, Great British Rail Replacement, says:Incidences of rail disruption are increasing, with customers facing more than 380,000 train cancellations across Great Britain in the past year. Disruption is when customers judge the railway most, and replacement services too often add to the stress.
Great British Railways has a real chance to set a clear national expectation for what good looks like, so rail customers know they will be supported properly wherever they travel. National standards, real-time communication and accessibility built in from the start would turn replacement from a negative experience into one that protects confidence in the railway.
Great British Rail Replacement has published a White Paper that sets out a blueprint for the modernisation of rail replacement as Great British Railways prepares to unify both planning and standards across the network. It calls for a new standard for national rail replacement covering information accessibility, vehicle quality, staff training, performance measures and contingency protocols.
These measures would be backed by investments in real-time passenger communication, faster mobilisation for planned engineering works and short-notice disruption, transparent regional performance reporting and closer partnerships with specialist operators using scalable, technology-enabled models.
