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Our process for managing complaints is covered under the "If things go wrong" section of our Passenger Charter. Our complaint procedure can be found here.
Please note that where statistics on this page refer to "2022-2023", this is the period running 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023.
We dealt with 55.69% of complaints within 20 days. The target is to deal with 95% of complaints within that time.
| Measure |
Result |
| Number of complaints closed |
2150 |
| Received complaints |
2451 |
| Responded to within 20 working days |
55.69% |
Top complaint categories
| Complaint category |
Count of complaints |
Comments & planned improvements |
| 1. Punctuality/reliability (i.e. the train arriving/departing on time) |
1024 |
|
2022 was a challenging year for several reasons for Grand Central and our punctuality/reliability was mainly impacted throughout the year due to significant fleet issues. This resulted in numerous cancellations during the year. Like other TOC's we were also impacted by extreme weather conditions in the winter and summer months. We also managed services around the industrial action that took place and whilst we were not involved in the action, we were directly impacted due to the restrictions in service the strikes imposed. In 2022 there were numerous occasions where due to vandalism such as cable theft, our punctuality was impacted along with TOCs. A minimum of five separate incidents of overhead wiring being damaged in the south which again had negative consequences for our service. Whilst some of the disruption is beyond our control, the fleet issues are very much within. We have been working closely with a train maintainer to resolve the position through a recovery plan that is being managed at a senior level across Grand Central, Arriva UK Trains and our maintenance supplier. Additionally, to inject some resilience into our operation, we are reviewing some options to obtain additional trains. This process can take some time to implement and we're working both on the recovery plan and additional trains. Longer term, we have a programme team, supported by Arriva UK Trains, reviewing our long term access rights strategy, with a fleet replacement programme as a priority.
|
|
| 2. Facilities on board |
619 |
|
This mainly involves catering services onboard throughout the year. Due to the punctuality issues, First class has been de-classified on services which has meant that our First Class passengers have not enjoyed the service they had paid for. We also had a supplier issue with our ordering system, as the supplier went into administration and were unable to support with system security improvements required by the Banks rendering our card system unavailable for several months whilst we were able to contract a new supplier and new systems were put in place. We did offer a cash only service however for some passengers this was unacceptable. When we have had to use alternative GC service as alts for cancelled services, this has also meant that the train has been full and standing, which in turn resulted in passengers being unable to access the buffet or staff to be able to service First Class.
|
|
| 3. Upkeep and repair of the train |
190 |
Tying in with the fleet issues as the top issue in 2022, is the upkeep and repair of the trains. We have kept in close communication with our engineering team reporting any issues that our passenger highlight to our engineering team. This has involved leaking windows, air -con, heating for example. Our maintenance programme has remained agile throughout the year and we have prioritise the work as required. |
| 4. Sufficient room for all passengers to sit/stand |
183 |
Due to the service cancellations and disruptions, a large portion of alts were with GC services. This resulted in trains being full and standing. Passengers also raised concerns during Industrial action when we were one of the few operators to run services as well as when there was significant network disruption from vandalism. As advised, we have a plan in place to support our fleet issues and improve our overall performance in 2023. |
| 5. Other – miscellaneous |
169 |
These issues have been logged where the case handler has been unable to locate more suitable options. We have a new team in Grand Central with all of the staff case handling having less than 12 months experience in the business. With further support and training, this will be reduced in 2023 to ensure the reasons for the customer complaints are more accurately logged.
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