I AIM TO GET TRAIN FIRM TO RAISE ITS GAME
15:00 - 01 November 2007
Do you have a First Great Western story? If so, I'd like to hear it.For the past few months, I have been receiving letters from constituents about their experiences on the Weymouth to Bristol line that passes through Dorchester West and other West Dorset stations. There has been a steady stream of complaints: trains being cancelled without notice, trains passing unexpectedly through the station without stopping, and passengers being treated rather brusquely.
So, in addition to writing to the chief executive about specific incidents, I started a dossier. Then, as luck would have it, I had an experience of my own to add to the dossier.
My wife, children and dog were on their way down by train from Waterloo to Crewkerne. I mention the dog in mitigation of what follows, since this explains why my wife and children had their hands fairly full. No doubt as a result of attending to the dog rather than the luggage, they left my daughter's suitcase on the train.
The train operator in this case was South West Trains which is, of course, wholly blameless. It is not the operator's fault if there are absent-minded or dog-obsessed passengers. Indeed, as subsequent events will show, the company appears to have a very efficient system of sweeping trains for stray suitcases at the end of the journey.
But how did First Great Western get into the act? It transpires that First Great Western runs Exeter St David's station, which is the terminus for the Waterloo-Crewkerne train. So, when we realised the suitcase was missing, we rang the First Great Western customer-service line.
Would it be possible to find out whether the suitcase had been handed in? No.
When would it be possible? On the following Monday evening.
Where would this be possible? At Bristol.
Why Bristol? That is where the case would be taken to, if found.
Could we ring Bristol? No.
But wouldn't the case have been collected at Exeter St David's in the meanwhile? Yes.
So could we ring Exeter to find out whether it had been found, and then pick it up? No. Why not? No phone numbers for stations are given out by First Great Western to members of the general public.
By this time, my wife, who is one of the sweetest natured and most reasonable people on earth, was spitting blood at the so-called customer-service line.
The story, I am glad to say, ends happily. We journeyed from Thorncombe to Exeter on the off-chance that the people at the station would have the suitcase and would yield it up. They did, and they did.
But, as a result of our experience with the ludicrously misnamed "customer-service line", I now have a vivid sense of what my constituents mean when they say that First Great Western does not seem to be providing them with a very customer-friendly service.
So, as I say, if you have a similar story to add, please let me know. The more examples I can provide, the more likely I am to get First Great Western to raise its game
Do you have a First Great Western story? If so, I'd like to hear it.For the past few months, I have been receiving letters from constituents about their experiences on the Weymouth to Bristol line that passes through Dorchester West and other West Dorset stations. There has been a steady stream of complaints: trains being cancelled without notice, trains passing unexpectedly through the station without stopping, and passengers being treated rather brusquely.
So, in addition to writing to the chief executive about specific incidents, I started a dossier. Then, as luck would have it, I had an experience of my own to add to the dossier.
My wife, children and dog were on their way down by train from Waterloo to Crewkerne. I mention the dog in mitigation of what follows, since this explains why my wife and children had their hands fairly full. No doubt as a result of attending to the dog rather than the luggage, they left my daughter's suitcase on the train.
The train operator in this case was South West Trains which is, of course, wholly blameless. It is not the operator's fault if there are absent-minded or dog-obsessed passengers. Indeed, as subsequent events will show, the company appears to have a very efficient system of sweeping trains for stray suitcases at the end of the journey.
But how did First Great Western get into the act? It transpires that First Great Western runs Exeter St David's station, which is the terminus for the Waterloo-Crewkerne train. So, when we realised the suitcase was missing, we rang the First Great Western customer-service line.
Would it be possible to find out whether the suitcase had been handed in? No.
When would it be possible? On the following Monday evening.
Where would this be possible? At Bristol.
Why Bristol? That is where the case would be taken to, if found.
Could we ring Bristol? No.
But wouldn't the case have been collected at Exeter St David's in the meanwhile? Yes.
So could we ring Exeter to find out whether it had been found, and then pick it up? No. Why not? No phone numbers for stations are given out by First Great Western to members of the general public.
By this time, my wife, who is one of the sweetest natured and most reasonable people on earth, was spitting blood at the so-called customer-service line.
The story, I am glad to say, ends happily. We journeyed from Thorncombe to Exeter on the off-chance that the people at the station would have the suitcase and would yield it up. They did, and they did.
But, as a result of our experience with the ludicrously misnamed "customer-service line", I now have a vivid sense of what my constituents mean when they say that First Great Western does not seem to be providing them with a very customer-friendly service.
So, as I say, if you have a similar story to add, please let me know. The more examples I can provide, the more likely I am to get First Great Western to raise its game
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