The
words
used
by
train
operators


when
things
go
wrong
are
sometimes
confusing
passengers
instead
of
guiding
them,
according
to
a
new
report.

Passenger
watchdog
Transport
Focus
asked
passengers
for
their
opinions
of
advice
like
‘do
not
travel’
on
days
when
trains
were
actually
running,
and
their
responses
were
often
critical.

The
reactions
to
problems
like
bad
weather,
infrastructure
failures
(pictured)
and
industrial
action
differed
according
to
how
the
operators
explained
the
situation,
and
passengers
‘struggled’
if
the
railway
was
still
running
trains
but
telling
its
customers
not
to
use
them.

Bad
weather
in
October
2021
prompted
Transport
Focus
to
examine
how
communications
could
be
improved.

Passengers
were
asked
what
they
understood
existing
‘do
not
travel’
messages
to
mean,
and
if
they
provided
the
right
information
to
make
decisions
about
attempting
a
journey.

Some
passengers
will
always
try
to
make
a
journey
even
when
there
is
disruption,
because
they
tend
to
feel
that
their
journey
is
not
‘deferrable’.

The
research
also
includes
railway
users’
reactions
to
potential
improvements,
including
feedback
on
content,
language,
tone
and
the
effect
on
passengers.
It
found
that
the
information
passengers
need
varies
depending
on
where
they
are
in
their
journeys.
Have
they
started
out
or
are
they
still
close
to
home?

Transport
Focus
chief
executive
Anthony
Smith
said:
‘Passengers
can
be
annoyed
when
they
know
trains
are
running
but
are
told
not
to
use
them.
The
railway
should
reflect
carefully
on
when
it
is
right
to
say,
“do
not
travel”.
Passengers
would
rather
be
given
the
facts
so
they
can
make
an
informed
decision.

‘When
there
is
major
disruption,
train
companies
should
steer
clear
of
baffling
jargon
like
“ticket
easement”
and
make
sure
they
communicate
in
ways
passengers
will
immediately
understand.’

Jason
Webb
is
customer
information
director
and
the
Rail
Delivery
Group’s
lead
for
the
‘Smarter
Information,
Smarter
Journeys’
Programme.

He
added:
‘The
SISJ
Programme
was
pleased
to
jointly
commission
this
research
with
Transport
Focus.
The
research
delivered
new
insight
into
how
customers
react
to
information
during
severe
disruption.
Following
the
research,
the
SISJ
Programme
has
worked
with
train
operators
to
develop
and
implement
best
practice
to
be
used
when
communicating
“Do
Not
Travel”
messages.

‘This
includes
recommended
language,
good
practice
messaging
examples
and
communication
principles
which
is
now
being
used
by
train
operators,
so
customers
should
benefit
from
clearer,
more
consistent
information.’