I myself travel using South West Trains very frequently, and in writing this opinion I also draw on the comments of father who daily catches the 0752 from Guildford to Waterloo, using a season ticket which cost him many thousands of pounds.
Trains are frequently delayed, cancelled or short in carriages, causing much disruption, which people who have spent a lot on their ticket do not deserve.
Having finally managed to get on the train, they are overcrowded and as a result there are not enough seats to go round. However, the First Class and smoking compartments are always virtually empty, yet South West Trains still fill their trains with
such carriages, as often longer trains are made up from three smaller ones, all containing a first class and smoking compartment, resulting in a longer train with six carriages that the general public cannot use.
The buffet is a smoking area, and is taken over by smokers, who see it as another smoking compartment. So if you are sensitive to smoke, it is impossible to get a coffee.
The station staff are very rude, and don't encourage you to use their service. They see getting the train as something which is essential, not a business, so customer service is ignored. In the last week, both my father and my boyfriend have brought up in conversation of their own accord how rude they have been treated by South West Trains staff in the station: my boyfriend when he was told that he shouldn't buy a Young Person's Railcard at peak time as they were too busy to serve him, and my father when he was given a dirty look by a member of staff for having to hold open the barrier for him when his hands were full. This is not the sort of treatment you would expect from someone trying to gain your custom.
However, I have to say that I have never had any problems with the staff actually on the trains, they are always good humoured and friendly in my experience.
The standard of the trains is appalling. Although, in fairness to South West Trains, they are gradually replacing the older trains by new, modern, high quality trains, most of the services are still in old and decrepid trains which have bits falling off them.
In terms of dealing with crises, I think that there is room for improvement. One time coming back from London to Guildford on a Friday night late, the train was delayed for two hours at New Malden due to a suicide attempt, resulting in me not returning to Guildford until 3.30 in the morning, and that does not include the time that I then had to wait for a taxi.
I accept that it is not the fault of the train company that such an incident occurred, in fact I have much sympathy for the person involved and was shocked to hear people crying 'Just run him over - I want to get home!'. However, the way in which it was dealt with was unacceptable. Seeing as the train stopped in a station (New Malden), a replacement bus service or taxi service could easily have been provided. In addition, no apologies were given for the delay, and no offers of compensation.
For comparison's sake, I was on a sleeper service from Euston to Glasgow a few years ago, provided by a different service, when there was severe flooding and the train was delayed by 8 hours (meaning we had to spend about 16 hours on this train and couldn't leave it). Again, it was not their fault, but over half of the cost of the ticket was refunded, and compensation given in the form of reductions on future travel.
A final improvement which South West Trains could make is on the frequency of their late night services. I understand that is difficult to find staff who are willing to work late at night, but there is a big market for trains which are more frequent and later, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights. For example, the last train back from Guildford to Woking on a Friday night is at 11.30, which means that clubbing is out of the window for anybody that is travelling by train. And to prove that there is a demand, this final train is always packed and it is difficult to find a seat.
I must say that I find it amusing on the old trains, where instead of saying 'Save Our Time, Save Your Time, Please Shut the Door', people have changed it to say:
Great op, i agree with u totally
thumbs up :) TYOUNG
Gardenex 12.06.2001 22:59
A well balanced and fair op Helen -well done . Just one thing though the roads are not perfect either . Thanks again -Lee
CareBear 29.05.2001 18:06
I have just started using SWT for my daily commute and thus far things haven't been too bad (apart from on strike days). I travel to and from Woking and the timetable is excellent. I note what you sya aboutthe smoking and first class though... I often end up in a smoking carriage just to get a seat
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Cathy_Young 04.07.2001 ·
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Review of South West Trains
May 11th, 2001
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