Sam Newman

Said the following about Regional Team (North West):

“In 2022, Northern saw the biggest improvement in customer service satisfaction in the rail industry - with a third consecutive rise in customer scores according to national industry body, The Institute of Customer

Service.

Northern scored 72.4 out of 100 in January 2022 compared to 68.6 (in July 2021) and 62.5 (in January 2021). That rise of 9.9 points compared to a 5.2-point rise across the rail industry at large.

As well as topping the rail industry’s ‘most improved’ chart, Northern was named the sixth most improved organisation in the UK from any sector.

Building on these successes, everyone at Northern has worked incredibly hard to continue to deliver for our customers.

This year (2023), Northern can proudly report year on year improvements to CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Scores), scoring consistently well for cleanliness, the provision of information, staff and security.

The backdrop of industrial action has inevitably proved to be a challenge for both Northern and other TOCs (train operating companies), however, despite industrial action by ASLEF forcing other services to be cancelled, Northern operated a ‘Eurovision Express’ service from Manchester Airport to Liverpool Lime Street. The hourly service was chosen to help international visitors arriving at Manchester Airport get to the event in Liverpool.

The people of Liverpool were so proud to have been chosen to host the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine. Many were disappointed to see the return of industrial action and the disruption that it brings coinciding with this. Northern wanted to ensure that international visitors could still get to Liverpool for the Grand Final, recognising that international events of this calibre are a real boost to the region.

In addition to running the ‘Eurovision Express’, Northern recruited several internal volunteers to assist customers throughout Eurovision between the hours of 1700 and 0100. The volunteers helped to enhance customer experience by maintaining safe passenger flows, by providing general information (such as train times and platform locations), as well as helping everyone to get into the Eurovision spirit.

Northern’s Customer Panel of ‘Northerneers’ (https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/about-us/customerpanel) has given customers a real voice about services, stations and things that matter most to our communities. Through surveys and enhanced customer feedback, Northern is working to consistently provide a better service for customers.

By understanding the areas in which we are doing well - and those where we could improve - we can put customer feedback into action and develop a railway that everyone in the north of England can be proud

of.“