Passengers want more station toilets and waiting rooms

Passengers want to see more station toilets, waiting rooms and better information on train arrival-times prioritised in works to improve small and medium-sized stations.

The national passenger watchdog has asked passengers their views on what improvements should be made to small to medium-sized stations as part of planning for the five year National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP).

NSIP has been designed to improve facilities at a minimum of 150 small to medium-sized stations. As part of the programme, Passenger Focus and Network Rail have commissioned research to measure passengers’ perceptions of the stations before and after works are undertaken at 25 stations.

Passenger Focus has now published findings of the ‘before’ research which shows passenger satisfaction is lowest with cycle and car-parking facilities. There were high levels of dissatisfaction with the condition of toilets, station facilities and the availability of waiting rooms.

The facilities and services that passengers considered most important at stations included real-time updates on train times and platforms, staff and toilets.

Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said: “This research backs up what passengers tell us time and time again. Station staff and plenty of information are crucial to passengers as they offer reassurance, security and advice and therefore should be key in planning. Passengers continue to ask for more toilets and better facilities, we want the industry to start listening and act on passengers’ requests.”

Passengers using the 25 stations will be re-surveyed after completion of the works next year. The research will help determine whether the station improvements made have had a positive impact on passenger satisfaction and what areas future investment should focus on, as the programme continues.