'Vital role' - Award-winning travel firm praise for South Tyneside commuters
Low-cost train firm Lumo, who operate long distance routes from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, has scored a double success after winning thousands of new customers in the last year.
South Tyneside commuters have been praised by a train firm for keeping it on the right track by helping vote it Britain’s best for value.
Bosses at Lumo, which operates linking London King's Cross, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow, say borough travellers were among the 100,000 people surveyed.
The survey, by independent rail watchdog Transport Focus, awarded Lumo first place in its ‘value for money’ category.
Lumo has also been identified as having the biggest increase in passenger numbers across the entire UK rail industry, up 23 per cent on last year, according to latest official statistics.
Alex Robertson, Chief Executive Transport Focus said: “Passengers across the North East, including those travelling to and from South Tyneside, have played a vital role in the Rail Customer Experience Survey.
“It is the biggest ever study of rail journeys in Britain.
“Their feedback gives a clear, independent picture of what matters most to people on the railway and where improvements are needed.
“The survey shows how important affordable fares are and why the industry must continue to focus on delivering reliable, good‑value journeys that meet passengers’ expectations.”
Stuart Jones, Managing Director of transport operator First Rail Open Access, which runs Lumo, said being ranked number one reflected a commitment to making rail “more accessible and affordable”.
He added: “These results show that it's possible for the railway to get it right, but that this isn't happening consistently enough.
“The gap between the worst and best performing operators is striking.”
The Transport Focus survey runs continuously, meaning passenger views directly inform train operator decisions in real-time, and results are published every six months.