12:17pm Thursday 4th February 2010
By Neil Skinner
London Midland, ordered to improve its performance last year by the government, is the most improved rail operator in the country, according to figures released this morning.
Figures released by the National Passenger Survey today show that 87 per cent of passengers were satisfied with services, a rise of seven per cent in overall satisfaction since Autumn 2008.
The company, which operates trains between Watford Junction and London Euston, also reported a nine per cent rise since Spring 2009, when it experienced a drop in customer satisfaction.
The results comes less than three months after Transport Secretary Lord Adonis ordered the company to improve or face losing its franchise after it cancelled more than 7,500 trains in one year.
The survey, based on the experiences of thousands of customers across the network, does not make entirely positive reading for the company, however.
Some 12 per cent of passengers rated cleanliness standards as poor, and 14 per cent said they were dissatisfied with levels of punctuality.
London Midland managing director Mike Hodson said: “We realise there is still a great deal of work to do and the challenge is to build on this excellent result. We’re pleased that our passengers are noticing the improvements and will continue."
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