One thing that perhaps ought to be undertaken are surveys of those who chose to drive when they could take the train (or a bus). As a rail passenger I get questionnaires periodically, but I am not aware of any sent generally to those who work, asking them why they choose their preferred mode of transport over others.
I have long nagged Passenger Focus - now Transport Focus - to look beyond the satisfaction levels of only the people who are already satfisfied enough to use the train ... Anthony Smith may be rather tired of the question from me. I am told, though, that some of this research has now been done; I need to chase up its availability and take a detailed. Apparently limited in scope - "very expensive" to do.
Some of my work colleagues don't use trains although they could do so. In one case it is because their local station (Liphook) is badly lit at night, and there have been prowlers in the area (a female colleague), another likes winding down after work listening to Radio 4 in his car rather than taking a train to Cosham, and a third doesn't fancy the walk to his local station at Worplesdon down an unlit lane with no pavement or lights. None of these mention cost or unreliability. Perhaps if this information was gathered and analysed we might find ways of attracting more over.
Agreed. If you have a station at the end of a deserted cul-de-sac at the back of an industrial estate it can feel a bit unsafe at night and put people off in the dark. For a commuter town where evening traffic is mostly inwards, a shuttle bus around the town meeting each train would do wonders ...
Cosham is the station where even some of the trains (
GWR▸ 's) don't call after dark, isn't it? If it scares the trains, it must petrify the people.
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