Irish Rail Passenger's Charter

Colm Moore · 04-06-2016, 10:15

http://www.irishrail.ie/travel-infor...ic-rail-travel

This has been revised. Comments welcome.

James Howard · 04-06-2016, 12:24

Is being offered a few drink for a 30 minute delay a new thing? I have never been offered a drink - I've scrounged a couple of cups of coffee over the years but nobody has ever made an announcement to that effect.

Colm Moore · 06-06-2016, 15:05

I was delayed several hours during the snow in 2009 or 2010, with frozen toilets and two changes of train on Dublin-Cork, and was offered a drink and food by the server, no formal announcement.

It seems there may be Customer Charter Audits happening.

What do people thing about the passenger obligations included in the charter? Should they be there?

Do you prefer being called a "customer" or "passenger"?

What do people think of:
* The use of 1850 and similar phone numbers?
* Call centre opening hours of Monday to Friday: 08.30 to 18.00 hrs. excluding public holidays.
* Descriptions used of people who have reduced mobility and services aimed at them?
* How planned disruption is advertised?
* The presence or absence of staff at appropriate times?
* The presentation of staff?
* Measurement of performance and publication of results? Currently 68 days out of date.
* Level of discounts / cash compensation offered for delays / failure to provide service?

Questions:
* Do all non-DART trains have baby changing facilities?
* Do all Cork-Cobh/Midleton stations have validators for Leap Card?

Other charters (Ireland):
https://www.dublinbus.ie/About-Us/Customer-Charter/
http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=374
http://www.translink.co.uk/Corporate...ngers-Charter/
http://www.translink.co.uk/Documents...2020120514.pdf

Colm Moore · 06-06-2016, 15:47

Other charters (UK):
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-ove...er-charter.pdf

http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/dow...enger-charter/

http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/...ssenger_rights

http://www.merseyrail.org/about-mers...r-charter.aspx

http://www.metrolink.co.uk/using-the...r-charter.aspx

James Howard · 06-06-2016, 17:36

The big difference I see is the way refunds to consumers are handled in the case of persistent delays. Irish Rail would almost certainly end up refunding almost every season ticket holder 10% every year if they were held to the same same 90% less than 5 minutes late standard that most UK railways maintain.

* 1850 phone numbers should be banned for customer support. Most people get geographic numbers included in their mobile bundle which is what should be used for support.
* I don't see the main call centre hours as being a problem but since they use the same number for anti-social behaviour notification, this is a serious issue. They should be operating a notify by text mechanism for this as it is far more discreet to be able to text for help rather than having to put yourself at risk by being visible to offenders.
* Absence of staff on some intercity services is absurd due to it enabling anti-social behaviour and fare evasion.
* Most staff are tidy enough - this is something that has improved a lot in recent years, but the uniforms themselves are quite scruffy I think.
* Performance measurement as it currently stands is a complete waste of time. There must be serious massaging of figures going on by claiming temporary timetables since you can go through a month of serious disruption with flooding and leaf slip with trains not running, and massive delays yet the figures barely budge.
* I don't really have an issue with discount levels and compensation for delays. I do have a serious problem with how Irish Rail's planning for disruption. It always seems to be on a wing and a prayer. I've been abandoned in Broombridge, Enfield and in Maynooth several times and left to find my own way home.

Jamie2k9 · 07-06-2016, 17:20

The 30 minute tea/coffee needs to be scrapped as it's not implemented and if it was the train would of arrived at it's destination by the time you complete half a carriage of handing them out.

45 minutes is about right, was on a train over 2 weeks ago and we were delayed in Carlow for around 100 minutes and they just offered both together after around 50-60 minutes. That was a case of slight overheating, before they removed 3 coaches. People were more than happy to wait than get a bus!

Quote:

The use of 1850 and similar phone numbers?

I just use the +353 one beside it on the website. Do IE benefit in terms of revenue from this number?

Quote:

* Call centre opening hours of Monday to Friday: 08.30 to 18.00 hrs. excluding public holidays.

More than generous considering 9-5 is norm.

Quote:

* How planned disruption is advertised?

Generally fine

Quote:

* Measurement of performance and publication of results? Currently 68 days out of date.

Some of the data is questionable, especially in terms of cancellations

Quote:

* Level of discounts / cash compensation offered for delays / failure to provide service?

Generally good
_________

Much more consistent twitter over weekends should be tip priority.

Colm Moore · 08-06-2016, 12:30

Luas Charter: https://www.luas.ie/luas-passenger-charter.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

Do IE benefit in terms of revenue from this number?

I don't think so.

Jamie2k9 · 08-06-2016, 21:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colm Moore

Luas Charter: https://www.luas.ie/luas-passenger-charter.htmlI don't think so.

It's a bit pointless having the number then.

RPI · 08-06-2016, 21:46

I am primarily a cross-border traveler so I have experience of both Irish Rail and NIR. I have to say that NIR tends to be the better operator in terms of customer service and assistance. I think there are a couple of areas of improvement in terms of what Irish Rail could offer within its passenger charter.

1. The call centre hours are quite limited. NIR manages to provide call centre service from 7am to 8pm on weekdays and 8am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. I find it particularly odd that Irish Rail provide a seven-day train service but only five-day customer support.

2. The current special needs section is strange. It seems to combine three different groups under one heading: people with disabilities, people with special needs and parents with young children. They probably should split it to eliminate the risk of confusion or offence.

3. There's a lot of work which still needs to be done regarding staff on Irish Rail. The problem is that the passenger charter is too non-specific.

I have had issues with:
* Staff not being at their posts during advertised hours.
* Staff not being public-facing - train hosts etc. who hide.
* Staff not announcing connections.
* Staff not informing passengers when a problem happens.

The uniforms are quite problematic too - there are issues with Irish Rail staff wearing inappropriate uniforms on services such as the Enterprise. On that service, all NIR conductors and inspectors are neatly turned out in suits etc. while many Irish Rail ones dress like nightclub bouncers in fleeces.

4. There also needs to be some commitment about ensuring that the timetables throughout the system are clear and accurate.

I had a bizarre experience recently when I had to catch the first Enterprise to Belfast from Drogheda. The Translink timetable said that the service left Drogheda at 08.07. The notices at the station said either 08.09 or 08.10 depending on which one you looked at. Which time is correct?

Colm Moore · 09-06-2016, 15:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPI

I had a bizarre experience recently when I had to catch the first Enterprise to Belfast from Drogheda. The Translink timetable said that the service left Drogheda at 08.07. The notices at the station said either 08.09 or 08.10 depending on which one you looked at. Which time is correct?

Part of this is down to (a) which train operator (b) is it an arrival or departure time.

04-06-2016, 10:15	#1
Colm Moore Local Liaison Officer Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,442	Irish Rail Passenger's Charter http://www.irishrail.ie/travel-infor...ic-rail-travel This has been revised. Comments welcome. __________________

06-06-2016, 15:05	#3
Colm Moore Local Liaison Officer Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,442	I was delayed several hours during the snow in 2009 or 2010, with frozen toilets and two changes of train on Dublin-Cork, and was offered a drink and food by the server, no formal announcement. It seems there may be Customer Charter Audits happening. What do people thing about the passenger obligations included in the charter? Should they be there? Do you prefer being called a "customer" or "passenger"? What do people think of: * The use of 1850 and similar phone numbers? * Call centre opening hours of Monday to Friday: 08.30 to 18.00 hrs. excluding public holidays. * Descriptions used of people who have reduced mobility and services aimed at them? * How planned disruption is advertised? * The presence or absence of staff at appropriate times? * The presentation of staff? * Measurement of performance and publication of results? Currently 68 days out of date. * Level of discounts / cash compensation offered for delays / failure to provide service? Questions: * Do all non-DART trains have baby changing facilities? * Do all Cork-Cobh/Midleton stations have validators for Leap Card? Other charters (Ireland): https://www.dublinbus.ie/About-Us/Customer-Charter/ http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=374 http://www.translink.co.uk/Corporate...ngers-Charter/ http://www.translink.co.uk/Documents...2020120514.pdf __________________ Last edited by Colm Moore : 06-06-2016 at 15:52.

06-06-2016, 15:47	#4
Colm Moore Local Liaison Officer Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,442	Other charters (UK): http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-ove...er-charter.pdf http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/dow...enger-charter/ http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/...ssenger_rights http://www.merseyrail.org/about-mers...r-charter.aspx http://www.metrolink.co.uk/using-the...r-charter.aspx __________________ Last edited by Colm Moore : 06-06-2016 at 15:55.

08-06-2016, 21:46	#9
RPI Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 18	I am primarily a cross-border traveler so I have experience of both Irish Rail and NIR. I have to say that NIR tends to be the better operator in terms of customer service and assistance. I think there are a couple of areas of improvement in terms of what Irish Rail could offer within its passenger charter. 1. The call centre hours are quite limited. NIR manages to provide call centre service from 7am to 8pm on weekdays and 8am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. I find it particularly odd that Irish Rail provide a seven-day train service but only five-day customer support. 2. The current special needs section is strange. It seems to combine three different groups under one heading: people with disabilities, people with special needs and parents with young children. They probably should split it to eliminate the risk of confusion or offence. 3. There's a lot of work which still needs to be done regarding staff on Irish Rail. The problem is that the passenger charter is too non-specific. I have had issues with: * Staff not being at their posts during advertised hours. * Staff not being public-facing - train hosts etc. who hide. * Staff not announcing connections. * Staff not informing passengers when a problem happens. The uniforms are quite problematic too - there are issues with Irish Rail staff wearing inappropriate uniforms on services such as the Enterprise. On that service, all NIR conductors and inspectors are neatly turned out in suits etc. while many Irish Rail ones dress like nightclub bouncers in fleeces. 4. There also needs to be some commitment about ensuring that the timetables throughout the system are clear and accurate. I had a bizarre experience recently when I had to catch the first Enterprise to Belfast from Drogheda. The Translink timetable said that the service left Drogheda at 08.07. The notices at the station said either 08.09 or 08.10 depending on which one you looked at. Which time is correct? Last edited by RPI : 08-06-2016 at 21:48.

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04-06-2016, 12:24	#2
James Howard Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sligo Line Posts: 1,115	Is being offered a few drink for a 30 minute delay a new thing? I have never been offered a drink - I've scrounged a couple of cups of coffee over the years but nobody has ever made an announcement to that effect.

06-06-2016, 17:36	#5
James Howard Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sligo Line Posts: 1,115	The big difference I see is the way refunds to consumers are handled in the case of persistent delays. Irish Rail would almost certainly end up refunding almost every season ticket holder 10% every year if they were held to the same same 90% less than 5 minutes late standard that most UK railways maintain. * 1850 phone numbers should be banned for customer support. Most people get geographic numbers included in their mobile bundle which is what should be used for support. * I don't see the main call centre hours as being a problem but since they use the same number for anti-social behaviour notification, this is a serious issue. They should be operating a notify by text mechanism for this as it is far more discreet to be able to text for help rather than having to put yourself at risk by being visible to offenders. * Absence of staff on some intercity services is absurd due to it enabling anti-social behaviour and fare evasion. * Most staff are tidy enough - this is something that has improved a lot in recent years, but the uniforms themselves are quite scruffy I think. * Performance measurement as it currently stands is a complete waste of time. There must be serious massaging of figures going on by claiming temporary timetables since you can go through a month of serious disruption with flooding and leaf slip with trains not running, and massive delays yet the figures barely budge. * I don't really have an issue with discount levels and compensation for delays. I do have a serious problem with how Irish Rail's planning for disruption. It always seems to be on a wing and a prayer. I've been abandoned in Broombridge, Enfield and in Maynooth several times and left to find my own way home.