Published on: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Last updated: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Greater Anglia has completed a review of how it responds when train services are disrupted on its West Anglia route, using feedback from customers.
Coming into effect in early 2019, the train operator has reviewed current contingency plans and updated them all as part of an ongoing programme of improvements focused on managing disruption.
The updated plans will help manage disruption more consistently, provide better information and improved alternative arrangements for passengers using the rail lines from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge, Broxbourne, Hertford East and Stansted Airport.
Existing plans have been reviewed by station teams, customer service frontline and management teams, control room staff and train service managers, based on feedback from customers about their experiences during disruption and put into a clearer format that is much easier for staff to use and communicate.
David Hillhouse, Greater Anglia’s Customer Experience Route Strategy Manager, West & South said, “The new plans are being briefed out to staff in a much more accessible format.
“This means that during disruption staff will know what kind of service will be running and the steps they need to take to get people to their destinations with minimum fuss.
“As a result, communication to passengers should be much clearer too, providing all important reassurance of what is happening.”
“Whilst we do everything we can to operate a punctual and reliable service, we are very sorry when things go wrong.
“These new plans will help us to get the service running normally and passengers on their way again as quickly as possible.”
Contingency plans are activated when there is significant disruption to the rail line – for example, a full or partial line blockage.
In such situations Greater Anglia is only able to run a limited service and the contingency plans make it clear what level of service that will be so that everyone in the business knows what is happening, can implement it quickly and communicate accurately to passengers.
The next stage of the review will be to focus on the Great Eastern area in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, followed by a review of the South area which includes Southend.
The full set of new contingency plans for the entire network is expected to be in place during Spring next year.