South West Trains performance review
Commuters might be interested in recently published performance results from South West Trains.
Highlights include an overall increase in general satisfaction scores from last year, influenced by positive scores in most available categories. Customer survey measures included:
- Availability of staff on train
- Helpfulness/attitude of train staff
- Punctuality/reliability
- Upkeep/repair of train
- Comfort of seating area
- Provision of info during journey
- Personal security on train
- Cleanliness of outside of train
All the above indicators improved over the last year but Cleanliness and How requests were handled at station were lower. On-train and in-station improvements to toilet facilities are mentioned but not for the Teddington line.
One section poses the question “How are local residents views taken into account?” and is answered with “When major works are undertaken or when general maintenance works are implemented such as tree management, leaflets are distributed to residents.” Nearby residents to Teddington station might disagree with this statement but only some works are undertaken by SWT themselves with others carried out by Network Rail.
The recent high-profile u-turn on the station fence issue highlighted how residents were not consulted first. More recently trees have been chopped down without notice – Teddington Society are investigating if this is part of the agreed re-planting plan.
In response to comments concerning overcrowding, SWT replies that “All suburban commuter railway services across Europe have standing passengers at the height of the morning peak although they also mention current negotiations to lengthen services from 8 to 10 carriages that would involve lengthening station platforms.
Recent rumours of the tube line from Richmond being extended to Teddington and Kingston originated from a proposal map created back in 2004 posted online that has resurfaced on various websites. Sadly there are no current plans for this part of the tube network to be extended.
Having worked for the Underground, I can confirm that there are no “legitimate” plans to extend the network to Teddington.