TfW Rail Service Quality Report, 2024/25

TfW Rail Service Quality Report, 2024-25

Overview

This report captures Transport for Wales Rail service quality for the financial year 2024/25.

Information and tickets

Indicator	Service Quality
Provision of travel information during the journey	Information in person is available from any of our 42 staffed stations that have booking offices. Written information is available at all stations. Information is prominently displayed on platforms on electronic passenger information system and static poster cases. A public address system announces information at stations and on-board trains. Digital channels, such as X and WhatsApp, are staffed to answer customer queries between: Monday to Friday, 07:00 - 20:00 Saturday, 08:00 - 20:00 Sunday, 11:00 - 20:00 A phone service is available between: Monday to Saturday, 08:00 - 20:00 Sunday, 11:00 - 20:00. Customers can access timetables and find answers to their queries on our website.
How requests for information are handled at the station	Requests can be made in person at our stations (where staffed). Requests can be made via phone, website or social media. There are help points at 119 stations so customers can contact control room staff. We are aiming to ensure all stations have a help point by 20:30. All requests are dealt with as quickly as possible. In most cases, this is immediate.
How information about train schedules, tariffs and platforms is provided	With planned changes, including those for engineering works, timetable changes and ticketing, we use a multi-channel approach to inform customers. This approach includes: website information station posters social media train manager announcements automated on-train and station announcements customer information screens As well as customer-facing channels, we ensure our staff are informed. By having access to smart devices, our station and on-train colleagues can provide information such as train times, fare information and platform changes. Printed timetables are available for local routes with infrequent services. Booking offices can print out booklets upon request and customers can request printed copies via customer services. We are committed to ensuring timetables are available to customers in advance of the significant timetable changes and these typically occur in May and December each year. They are published on our websites four weeks prior to the timetable change date. Timetables can be found here.
Ticket buying facilities	There are several ways in which our customers can pay to travel. These include: Purchasing tickets from booking offices at 42 stations. Purchasing tickets from seven retail agents, six at stations and one Tourist Information centre. Purchasing directly or collecting tickets purchased online from one of our 220 ticket vending machines. Using pay as you go by tapping on a ticket gate or platform validator with a credit card or device at any of the 95 stations in the South East Wales Metro area. The cost of journeys made is calculated post journey. Purchasing tickets or managing customers pay-as-you-go account from the TfW website or mobile phone app. We have 34 cash and card and 186 card only ticket vending machines at 127 of our 248 stations. The availability of ticket machines, ticket gates and platform validators are proactively monitored by the Retail Systems team. They can remotely access each system to triage any problems and to reboot them in the event of an error. The Stations Team replenish ticket stock and empty cash at staffed stations. Where possible, they resolve mechanical faults directly and report those faults which they cannot resolve to the ticket machines, ticket gates or platform validator supplier who repair the machines as part of the maintenance contract. The supplier replenishes ticket stock and maintains the machines at unstaffed locations.
Availability of staff at the station for information provision and ticket sale	At 42 of our stations that have booking offices, colleagues are on hand to help. Colleagues in the booking office, working on the gates or supporting customers with passenger assist are available to support customers with ticket, travel and any other queries. Our five busiest stations (Cardiff Central, Newport, Chester, Shrewsbury and Swansea) have Travel Companions to assist passengers who require it. At unstaffed locations, the train manager on the train will deliver assistance. All booking offices are fitted with induction loops for people who wear hearing aids. Many have at least one low or height-adjustable counter. If possible, timetables, posters and information leaflets will be situated so that wheelchair users and standing passengers can use them. Timetables and useful information posters are displayed at or near the entrance of all stations. Train service information is available from stations that have Help Points. Help Points are stands with a button customers can press to speak to an operator between 06:00 to 22:00. Customers can also contact our Customer Relations team by: Phone: 03333 211 202 Next Generation Text service: 18001 03333 211 202 Email: customer.relations@tfwrail.wales Opening times: 24 hours every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day) Phone (Welsh): 03456 040 500 (open 07:00 to 20:00 7 days a week) National Rail Enquiries give information about train times, fares and ticket types, general advice and help in planning train journeys. Phone (English): 03457 484 950 (open 24 hours every day except Christmas Day.) Textphone: 03456 050 600 (open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00, including bank holidays.) Website: nationalrail.co.uk
How information to disabled people and persons with reduced mobility is provided	Alternative formats (such as large print, Braille or audio versions) of all our documents are free of charge from the Customer Relations team. We provide large-print documents within seven days of request and any other formats as soon as possible. Contact: Customer Relations team on 03333 211 202 or customer.relations@tfwrail.wales Or fill out a feedback form available here. Or write to FREEPOST TFW RAIL CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Punctuality of services for the financial year 2024/25 and general principles to cope with disruption to services

a) Delays

Indicator	Core Valley Lines	Wales Cross Border
Percentage of services arrived on time or delayed less than three minutes	84.7%	74.7%
Percentage of services delayed between three and 59 minutes	15.2%	25.1%
Percentage of services delayed between 60 and 119 minutes	0.0%	0.1%
Percentage of services delayed 120 minutes or more	0.0%	0.0%
Percentage of missed connections with other train services	We currently cannot measure this figure.	We currently cannot measure this figure.

b) Disruptions

Indicator

Service Quality

Existence and short description of contingency plans, crisis management plans

The Operations Service Delivery Plan outlines contingencies in the event of rolling stock shortages, priority services, detailed route by route service and short formation strategies.

Seasonal delivery plans mitigate the potential challenges of weather events. Route contingency plans cover all Network Rail routes which we operate. They detail actions to be taken by all Train Operating Companies providing services in these areas in the event of line closures and other disruptions.

c) Cancellation of services

Indicator	Service Quality
Cancellation of services as part of all services in % per category of service (international, domestic long distance, regional and urban/ suburban)	6.3% of Core Valley Lines services were cancelled. 4.5% of Wales and Cross Borders services were cancelled.

Cleanliness of rolling stock and station facilities (air quality in carriages, hygiene of sanitary facilities, etc.)

Indicator	Service Quality
Cleaning Intervals	Cleaning intervals: Stations At our larger stations, customer facilities such as toilets and waiting rooms are inspected and cleaned every 2 hours. At our smaller, unstaffed stations we complete regular inspections, and the bins are emptied regularly. Cleaning intervals: On train We currently deliver the following activities: Daily clean of all trains that has been in service either within a depot, station or siding at the end of service. Periodic deep clean of trains every 30 days. This is on top of the daily cleaning. Turnaround clean which are undertaken during service where there is sufficient down time before the start of next service. This meets the industry standards where cleaning is undertaken in priority order based on time available. in-transit cleans on many long-distance services to address issues with litter, bins and toilets.
Technical measurement for air quality (e.g. level of CO2 in ppm)	We currently cannot measure this figure. We are working with our suppliers to put in place effective monitors.
Availability of toilets	Our Making Rail Accessible: Helping Older and Disabled Passengers guide explains when and what toilets are available at our stations. We’re introducing new trains. We update our accessibility website with details of the toilets on each type of train and how accessible they are.

Customer satisfaction survey

Service Quality Indicator	Percentage of customers satisfied
Wavelength customer satisfaction	84% (average for 24/25)
Continuous improvement report	The complaint handling continuous improvement report 2024-25 is available on our website here.

Complaint handling refunds and compensation for non-compliance with service quality standards

Indicator	Service Quality
Procedure in place	We have a clear and concise complaint handling process in place. Details can be found here: This procedure is reviewed with the ORR. It is reviewed annually.
Number of complaints and outcome	We received 31,808 complaints. We sign posted 155 cases to the Ombudsman.
Categories for complaints	The most common five complaints were: Punctuality and reliability of our trains Negative staff feedback Sufficient room to sit or stand on our trains The compensation claims process Facilities on board our trains.
Received complaints	31,808
Processed complaints	We processed 100% of complaints received. We resolved 99.5% of complaints and sign posted 0.5% to the Ombudsman.
Average response times	We responded to 88.2% of complaints within 20 working days and responded to 49.4% in 10 working days.
Possible improvement action undertaken	Every period, we review our top three complaint categories and act to improve these. This year, we have continued to clearly communicate the experience customers can expect while travelling with us. We regularly produce content for our website and social media to keep our customers updated. We review our performance weekly, identifying where we can reduce complaints. Our complaints handling process and continuous improvement report can be found here.

Assistance provided to disabled people and people with reduced mobility

Indicator	Service Quality
Accessibility of stations and trains	Our Making Rail Accessible: Helping Older and Disabled Passengers guide lists all our stations and explains what facilities are available, including staffing hours, toilets and information screens. Our station accessibility webpage here, provides information about how we help disabled and older passengers travel on our trains. It includes details about our facilities at stations. It provides useful contact details and information that they may need for planning their journeys. The station accessibility categorisation has been determined by the Rail Delivery Group and explains what level of access can be found at each station. We share information on trains accessibility and where they run.
Assistance provision to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility	Train and station operators are required by their operating licences to establish and comply with an Accessible Travel Plan which must be approved by the ORR. An Accessible Travel Plan sets out the arrangements and assistance that an operator will provide to protect the interests of disabled people using its service and to facilitate such use. More information can be found here. Our Assisted Travel Team can provide advice, book assistance, and arrange tickets for your journey, regardless of train operator. They can be contacted on 03330 050 501 between 08:00 and 20:00 on every day except Christmas Day. The Next Generation Text service number for people with hearing loss and speech difficulties is 18001 03330 050 501.
Assistance procedure in place	Train and station operators are required by their operating licences to establish and comply with an Accessible Travel Plan which must be approved by the ORR. An Accessible Travel Plan sets out the arrangements and assistance that an operator will provide to protect the interests of disabled people using their service and to facilitate such use. More information can be found here.
Number of cases of assistance per category of service (international/domestic long distance, regional and urban/suburban)	There were 39,719 passenger assistance reports completed. We currently cannot measure this figure by category of service.