Rail company on track with passengers

THE rail firm which took over the running of the east coast mainline has seen its levels of passenger satisfaction rise, according to an independent report.

National Express East Coast's rating has climbed from 82 to 86 per cent since taking over the business.

The spring 2008 national passenger survey from Passenger Focus, the industry watchdog, also rated National Express East Coast as the top long-distance train operator in the UK.

The survey was undertaken between January and March, only three months after the firm started services.

National Express East Coast scored above the national average for train operators on all of the 32 areas measured, including availability of staff, attitudes and helpfulness of staff, and value for money for the price of a ticket.

However, some areas requiring attention were identified, such as facilities for car parking and toilets on trains.