THE CONSUMER MUST COME FIRST

This paper discusses the importance of passengers to rail businesses; it is by the Chairman of the Central Rail Users' Consultative Committee, UK. It is often forgotten that there can be no passenger rail business without passengers. Today, there are new opportunities to re-establish a rising market share for rail, but this may be a one-off opportunity. The paper considers the actions needed to refocus public attention on public transport in general and rail in particular. It is a real challenge to rail operators to make rail the first choice for long-distance travellers, considering the apparent ease and attractions of the car. Passenger levels can be increased by making rail more attractive. The pressure of consumerism is increasingly raising the question of individual rights of consumers, and each of the 25 train operating companies (TOCs) in the UK has a Passenger Charter. Passengers first seek trains that will be punctual and run. They also expect seamless journeys by public transport, convenient interchanges between different train services and different modes, through tickets, and improve quality of service and comfort on the trains themselves. Rail offers very high safety, but it does not offer door-to-door transport. The paper finally discusses the gap between passengers' expectations and actual quality of service, and asks TOCs to perceive their needs. For the covering abstract see IRRD E104486.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/070080658X
• Corporate Authors:

  ERA Technology Limited

  Cleeve Road
  Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7SA,   England 
• Authors:
  • BERTRAM, D
• Conference:
  • RAILWAYS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS. RAIL TRAVEL: IMPROVING THE PASSENGER INTERFACE - CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, 17 FEBRUARY 1998, LONDON, UK
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 12 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Carriers; Comfort; Conferences; Consumer preferences; Demand; Door to door service; Intermodal terminals; Marketing; Mode choice; Perception; Public transit; Quality control; Railroad trains; Railroad transportation; Safety; Transfer points; Travel demand
• Uncontrolled Terms: Quality
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 287: Attractiveness (transp); 1243: Car; 9138: Comfort; 8525: Conference; 285: Demand (econ); 1159: Door to door (transp); 277: Marketing; 2229: Perception; 744: Public transport; 9063: Quality; 1173: Rail bound transport; 1665: Safety; 1268: Train; 1185: Transport interchange (passengers); 274: Transport operator; 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Finance; Public Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Terminals and Facilities; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00790313
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-7008-0658-X
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Apr 11 2000 12:00AM