Yesterday, I enjoyed a trip to sun-drenched Oxford using CrossCountry Trains... services on time, not too crowded, and staff friendly and interacting with the passengers. Even got to fill in the Passenger Focus survey on attitudes to engineering work - wonder if Network Rail will listen?
Of course, not everything was perfect. The CrossCountry priced through fare is £33 BUT splitting the fare at Banbury reduces this to £23. Not that you would be told this when booking unless you asked specifically. WHEN will this rip-off be tackled?
However, in terms of the focus of this blog, my irritation is the mess that is passenger information at Birmingham New Street. Yesterday was a classic case. According to the main concourse departure boards, the 9.33 was running on time and would depart from Platform 9a. Down on the platform, alas, a LondonMidland service to Rugeley - due out at 939 - had apparently tripped the display so that the screens on there were showing this service rather than the preceding CrossCountry...
Of course the Network Rail platform staff had retreated to the platform office so ten minutes of confusion and consternation ensued as passengers milled around wondering what was going on. In the end, the CrossCountry turned up and departed on time. Passenger information is not rocket science BUT time after time I find that the Network Rail-run New Street fails to deliver. Perhaps its about time that the three TOCs got their act together and took over passenger information and platform staffing from Network Rail...
The only positive from the experience was the fact that at least the @LondonMidland twitter team take an interest in such reports and do their best to respond. Just wish the Network Rail station management team were as proactive.
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