OXFORDSHIRE Rail users are some of the least satisfied in the country, according to the National Passenger Survey.

CrossCountry scored 82 per cent for overall passenger satisfaction and First Great Western (FGW) 83 per cent, putting both in the bottom seven of the 23 train firms surveyed by watchdog Passenger Focus, just ahead of the worst performer, National Express East Anglia, which scored 77 per cent.

Top rating went to Grand Central, which links London with the North East, with 95 per cent. Oxfordshire’s other operator, Chiltern Railways, scored 88 per cent. The national average was 84 per cent.

When it came to dealing with delays, 39 per cent of Chiltern passengers were satisfied with the service they received, compared with 46 per cent on CrossCountry trains and 45 per cent of FGW passengers.

Toilets were also criticised, with more than one in five passengers branding Chiltern facilities on board as poor, and 32 per cent of FGW customers and more than a quarter of CrossCountry passengers also dissatisfied.

Value for money was also a cause for concern, with just over half of passengers using the three operators happy with the cost of fares – 51 per cent of Chiltern Railways passengers, 53 per cent of FGW customers and 52 per cent of CrossCountry’s were satisfied they were paying a fair price to travel.

Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “We know from this research that performance remains the key passenger priority.

“Passengers are still paying above-inflation fare rises and have every right to expect the industry to keep its basic promise to get them there on time.”