Northern Rail Passenger Charter Downgrades Customer Service Promise

November 25, 2008

The Northern Rail Passenger charter is a document that outlines the service that Northern Rail will provide and is reviewed ‘on an annual basis in conjunction with Rail Passengers Committees (RPCs) and PTEs’.

Most companies these days are working to continuously improve their performance and it would certainly be expected that companies awarded contracts to run rail networks such as Northern Rail would be no exception.

So I was really suprised when i compared how the Northern Rail Mission statement has changed over time. Below are the 2004 and 2008 mission statement paragraphs from Northern rail’s passenger Charter:

2004 Northern Rail Passenger Charter:

Our mission is to be a reliable, co-operative and customer focussed operator
that will turn a journey into a straightforward, enjoyable and hassle free
experience.

2008 Northern rail Passenger Charter:

Our mission is to deliver local railway services that really work for everyone.

I don’t know if this is just me, but the 2008 statement seems a lot less customer focussed and I’d like to understand how it is that Northern Rail can be allowed to downgrade their commitment in this way.

I’d also like to know why the Rail Passengers Committees (RPCs) and PTEs allowed this to happen - according to this page , the RPCs are:

an independent public body set up by the Government to protect the interests of Britain’s rail passengers. We are funded by the Department for Transport but our independence is guaranteed by an act of Parliament.

Our mission is to get the best deal for Britain’s rail passengers. With a strong emphasis on evidence-based campaigning and research, we ensure that we know what is happening on the ground.

We use our knowledge to influence decisions on behalf of rail passengers and we work with the rail industry, other passenger groups and government to secure journey improvements.

As a regular passenger, it seems to me that on this occasion, the RPC has not got the best deal for me as a rail passenger by allowing Northern Rail to water down their commitment to providing customer service.

If Northern rail were delivering on their original commitment to provide a journey that is a ’straightforward, enjoyable and hassle-free experience’ then there would be no need for this site.

With the recent news that Northern rail plan to increase fares in the New Year by at least 6%, I think it’s right that passengers should be asking what they will be getting in return and to ask Northern Rail to re introduce their commitment to providing hassle free journeys.

If you would like Northern Rail to provide journeys that are a straightforward, enjoyable and hassle-free experience, please add your complaints, however small, to our Northern rail complaints forums - together, we can help improve our rail service!

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