Train performance data to be displayed at stations

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

From the Grauniad

Transport secretary says figures will be shown on screens in effort to hold operators and government to account

Passengers travelling in England will be shown how often their trains are delayed and cancelled on screens at stations under plans by the transport secretary to hold operators to account.

Louise Haigh promised to increase transparency by publicly displaying punctuality performance of train operating companies, including those run by the government, on screens at most stations.

The government would not provide details on when these would be rolled out, but it is understood that existing screens would display data that would mirror that compiled by the Office of Road and Rail (ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)).

The ORR produces a rail passenger performance report every quarter charting the number of cancellations and percentage of services delayed by each train operating company. This also shows whether operators’ performances have improved compared with the previous quarter.

Haigh told MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament): “We are committed to full transparency, and I can announce today that we will be fully transparent with passengers by displaying performance data at stations to demonstrate how the railway is working and allow the public to hold us to account as we deliver change.”

The comments came as the transport secretary gave an update on the performance of operators since the Labour government came into power.

This included on LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about), which runs between London and Edinburgh on the east coast mainline, where she said performance had improved since a resolution between the government-run operator and the train drivers’ union Aslef after a long-running dispute.

In August, Aslef called off industrial action that would have involved members striking for 22 days from the start of September to late October.

The union’s LNER staff launched the action after members voiced concerns about drivers being asked to work outside rostering agreements. This was resulting in fewer drivers volunteering for rest day shifts and more cancellations because of driver shortages.

Haigh said that since an agreement had been struck between the unions and LNER, there had been zero instances of trains being cancelled because of a lack of drivers, compared with 179 in the month before.

“When I started this job, one of my first actions was bringing an end to rail strikes,” said Haigh.

“These figures clearly show that resetting industrial relations is already having a direct impact for passengers through more reliable services.”

Responding to Haigh, Gareth Bacon, the shadow transport secretary, said: “We know that while in some cases it has been necessary in the short term to bring rail operators into public control, it has not made the difference on performance that the government would have us believe.

“It takes only a cursory glance over passenger rail performance statistics to see some of the rail operators operating under public control have done little, or nothing, to improve cancellations or delays in relation to other operators.”

[eightonedee]

But - they used to do this - I clearly remember posters near the old "town" entrance to Reading Station which I think were updated monthly (and possibly something for SWT^▸ (South West Trains) at Guildford, but not certain!).

When did this stop?

[grahame]

When did this stop?

I remember the stats being on posters. Did the cancellation graph go off the top and there was no room for bigger posters?


There IS much more data online - places like ontimetrains and recenttraintimes and perhaps the printed posters went the same way as GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s printed timetable. Why is it they are no longer available either?

[CyclingSid]

As somebody employed in data and information I am not convinced this idea actually works, any more than it does with management information systems half the time. I see the Health Secretary has a similar idea, I have seen CQC data effectively kill a trust (bad report, get out before it prejudices my CV).

Is this going to be a theme of the government, lots of data/information and no decisions or action?

[ChrisB]

But - they used to do this - I clearly remember posters near the old "town" entrance to Reading Station which I think were updated monthly (and possibly something for SWT^▸ (South West Trains) at Guildford, but not certain!).

When did this stop?

Not sure, but I haven't seen them at all recently.

I think the news is that the figures will now start appearing on screens. I hope that theyt aren't intending to use departure screens though....

[eightonedee]

I think the news is that the figures will now start appearing on screens. I hope that theyt aren't intending to use departure screens though....

No - they need them for all those "Christmas timetable applies from 21 December - check website" and "see it, say it, sorted" messages!

[Sixty3Closure]

I'm sure I use to see the figures at Twyford station when I commuted from there. They were quite selective - only trains between certain times on certain days and arrival at the final destination rather than stations in between which were often dropped from the route.

Not really sure I see the point though as if I'm catching a train I generally don't have an option around alternative providers and all I want to know is will my train turn up and will I get a seat. If the service is improving that should be reflected in my perception of using it rather than stats telling me I was just unlucky there was no crew/power/its Sunday for that particular train.