Passenger rail service complaints
Quarterly statistics on the volume and cause of complaints made to train operating companies, infrastructure managers and passenger watchdogs along with statistics on how well train operating companies respond to complaints. This data forms part of ORR's core consumer data requirements from train operating companies; more information can be found at ORR core data
For details on how these statistics are compiled, please see our Passenger rail service complaints and delay compensation claims methodology and quality report and for information on any revisions, please see our Revisions Log.
Data and reports that include previous statistical releases on Passenger rail service complaints can be found on the National Archives.
If you have any questions or feedback on these statistics, please contact rail.stats@orr.gov.uk
Latest statistical release
Passenger rail service complaints 2019-20 Q1
Date published: 24 Oct 2019
Date next published: 09 Jan 2020
Key results
- There were 24.9 complaints per 100,000 journeys for franchised operators in 2019-20 Q1, a decrease of 15.7% compared to 2018-19 Q1.
- Punctuality/reliability of rail services remains the largest category of passenger complaint in 2019-20 Q1. The largest percentage point (pp) increases in 2019-20 Q1 compared with last year were for complaints regarding facilities on board the train (up 3.7 pp)
- Nationally, 98.6% of complaints were closed within 20 working days during 2019-20 Q1. A total of 21 out of 23 train operators met the industry requirement to close 95% or more of their complaints within 20 working days.
- There were 394 appeals closed by passenger watchdogs in 2019-20 Q1, a decrease of 74% compared to last year. The reason for this decrease is due to a number of appeals directed to the new Rail Ombudsman instead of Transport Focus and London TravelWatch.