This is where we publish details of the main issues raised by passengers at each 'Meet the Managers' session, together with our answers. You can find questions and answers from previous events at the bottom of the page.
These are the main points from our event in Birmingham on 22 Deecmber 2011
Our stations
What is 'the key'?
The key is an electronic, reusable smartcard we’re introducing on the Snow Hill lines to make buying and using your season ticket easier, simpler and more secure. Instead of having a paper ticket, your season ticket is stored electronically on your plastic smartcard, so it’s difficult to damage, and easy to cancel if you lose it. When your ticket runs out, you simply renew it online, so there’s no more queuing either.
The key will enable you to:
- purchase online and collect at stations in a one-touch transaction
- purchase ticket products at self-service machines quicker and much more easily than today
- enjoy added security, as tickets can quickly cancelled if lost or stolen
- save time at the station, going automatically through ticket gates
- load multiple tickets on one card
- in future, benefit from new products and integrated transport opportunities
Our trains
Why do you no longer provide a catering service on your trains?
Over the past 3 years we have trialled catering on a number of routes - Birmingham to Liverpool, Birmingham to London, and Crewe to London - and recently increased the number of services with catering facilities to assess demand at different times of day. Whilst a small proportion of passengers appreciate the option to buy on the train, the greater range of products at station outlets means that the majority choose to purchase food and drink before boarding. On this basis we regret that we can no longer providing on-train catering due to the high costs involved.
Many of our stations already have excellent food and drink outlets and if you are travelling on our Crewe to Euston route, many of our trains stop for around 10 minutes at both Stafford and Northampton, where there are a number of catering outlets. Several Birmingham to Euston trains also have extended stops at Northampton.
Getting a seat
The 1648 service from London Euston to Birmingham New Street is exceptionally busy, can anything be done to help alleviate crowding on this train?
We have recently provided additional carriages to many services leaving London during the evening peak period however, we have a limited amount of carriages available to us. We are aware that this service can be very busy and, as such, will continue to monitor the amount of people travelling on each train and distribute carriages as effectively as possible.
Keeping you informed
Can you reinstate the timetable booklet for the Wolverhampton - Birmingham - Northampton route? The new mini-guides split this route into two sections, which is less user-friendly from those making cross-city journeys.
We have our timetables split between origin and termination stations, not across several routes. However, we do have the facility on our website to "create your own timetable" so this feature would be ideal for these types of journeys.
Details from previous sessions
Summary of issues and answers: September to December 2010
Summary of issues and answers: January to April 2011
Summary of issues and answers: May 2011
Summary of isses and answers: October 2011
Summary of issues and answers: December 2011
