Passenger Focus - who next?

radio10

Can anyone suggest who I should contact if the response from Passenger Focus is unacceptable? (re a rail operator complaint)

wealdroam

My undestanding has always been that Passenger Focus would help you with your complaint if you were getting nowhere with the train company.

On that basis, surely you continue the complaint process with the train company, don't you?

Maybe hire another advocate... a solicitor perhaps.
Through the courts... to the House of Lords, I imagine.

They do say on their website...

Whilst we exist to represent passengers’ interests, there may be times when we are unable to achieve the outcome you desire and there may be circumstances where we decide that the train company has acted fairly. Either way, we will attempt to keep you informed throughout and will explain the reasoning behind our decision and offer you information about your rights.

So it looks like they will tell you about your rights.

Livingthedream

You could try;

Office of Rail Regulation
Tel: +44 20 7282 2000
http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/

Under EU Rail Passenger rights, they are the national Enforcement body for the UK and the next level if your not happy with the railway company or station managers response.

Update: Just had a look on the ORR website and by the look of it they will try and 'slope' all complaints off to Passenger focus, but they have a statement;

'We will not normally address complaints where you have not first given the company involved the opportunity to resolve it, and sought assistance from Passenger Focus'

So make sure that you put references to both your problem train company and passenger focus in your complaint letter.

Dr_Cuckoo3

Passenger Focus are a complete and utter useless waste of space


They are in love with the train companies and appear to view their role as "holding the rail passenger's hand" and explaining the complicated rail industry jargon to the lay public


Looking at their 2007/2008 annual report Passenger Focus do not appear to have bothered to categorise complaints , in other words they do not say how many complaints identified a beach of matters within their remit - presumably The National Conditions of Carriage and Rail Industry Guidlines

Page 19 of the 2007/2008 annual report "Passenger satisfaction levels are heavily influenced by the outcome of the passenger’s complaint. However, much of the
time this is outside the direct control of Passenger Focus – while we can negotiate with the rail company that is the subject of the complaint, we cannot force it to resolve a complaint in a certainway unless it has breached its statutory obligations"

So they say they recieved 2493 complaints , but do not say how many they found to breach "statutory obligations" - I doubt that they know - I doubt that they care - they are train company lovers

"This year, 64% of passengers were satisfied with the way we handled their complaint." - thats a very low percentage





The Rail Regulator's "Rail Industry Guidelines" are something most people do not know about

Google Search for "Annex B of the February 2005 rail industry guidelines" you will find it mentioned on some train company websites

Eg "We will pass on any complaints wholly regarding another train operator, and we will tell you which train operator is to reply to your comment and how to contact them should you not receive it.

This is compliant with Annex B of the February 2005 rail industry guidelines. "

Phone them up and ask for a copy of "Rail Industry Guidelines" so you can check that they have complied with all of them - they wont know what you are talking about and they wont even have a copy for their own use


I assume that your complaint is with NXEA - They are the thickest Train Operating Company I have come across and I don't live in their operating area


You can complain to the Rail Regulator


http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.2136


"include copies of any correspondence that you have had with either the business concerned, Passenger Focus or London TravelWatch"




more proof that Passenger Focus are rubbish

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/10595991#Comment_10595991

digitaltoast wrote: »

I first contacted Arriva Cross Country, ATOC and Passenger Focus on 28th April to ask about these tickets price increases of over 100%. Since then, I have also contacted them and my MP in writing (only my MP has replied). Passenger Focus and ATOC couldn't have been less interested.

Last week, I was contacted by Vikki Miller from the Sunday Telegraph, who had heard my podcast and read similar travellers tales of unfair fares. Over the next couple of days, she and I put together a story (I put quite a lot of effort in too!).

Late on Friday evening, I got a phone call to say she had been called back by Arriva Cross Country.

Apparently, they (Arrive Cross Country) had "discovered", on Wednesday 14th May (over 2 weeks after I'd contacted them) an error in the way the tickets had been entered onto the system. (An error...yeah right! Sussed out, more like)

However, despite tens of thousands of people booking tickets with at least a £10 premium on them because of the incorrect fare, there was no way of refunding them apparently! So, Arriva do well to the tune of... £50,000? £100,000? Who knows.

The result is that the story was watered down a bit - I still think it's a shame this angle wasn't covered - I think she missed a trick there. However, I'm guessing her intervention shook them up slightly and hopefully the result will be the proper priced tickets again.

However, I have just checked at 08:40 on Sunday 18th May 2008 and despite them having "discovered" the mistake5 days ago, the incorrect fare is still showing on the National Rail website. So this story may have a little further to run...watch this space!

Here's the story in the Sunday Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1975998/Train-fare-overhaul-triples-certain-prices.html

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/public-transport-trains-tubes/164028-please-help-penalty-fare.html

I wonder how many letters from Passenger Focus contain the following

"I know you will be disappointed with this outcome but trust I have clarified our position on this"



All of them I bet - they are 100% useless train company lovers






EDIT I must have taken an hour composing that as Livingthedream's post wasn't there when I started

moonrakerz

Your MP................

radio10

My thanks to all who have taken the time and trouble to respond with helpful comments and useful information. (Yes Dr Cuckoo3, it is about NXEA)

I shall try ORR next.

Regards to all