Damning verdict on rail travel

12:45pm Tuesday 5th June 2007

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Rail passengers have dealt a damning verdict to train company First Great Western.

A survey conducted by watchdog body Passenger Focus revealed that just 72 per cent of FGW customers were satisfied with the service provided.

The score ranked FGW second bottom of all the train operators, and represents a 6 per cent drop on the company's 2006 satisfaction figure - the biggest slump of any train company.

The survey was carried out between January and March this year and 3,030 FGW passengers were surveyed.

The verdict caps a troubled six months for FGW. The company was forced to issue a public apology to its customers in February after timetable cuts, introduced in December 2006, caused delays and over-crowding.

The company did reintroduce some services in January and in March.

Passenger Focus surveyed more than 25,000 rail users nationally.

The national satisfaction rating was 79 per cent.

The group's chief executive Anthony Smith said: "The train operators with the biggest drops in passenger satisfaction need to listen to passengers and take action."