Transport UK Group operators honoured at National Rail Awards
Greater Anglia named Passenger Operator of the Year
West Midlands Trains won Medium Station of the Year for their services at University (Birmingham) station
East Midlands Railway awarded Customer Service Excellence for ‘Skegness summer service’
Transport UK’s train operating companies (TOC) took home five National Rail Awards following a ceremony last Thursday, September 12. Greater Anglia was awarded the honour of the night, Passenger Operator of the Year, for its exceptional customer service, driven by its trains arriving within three minutes of their scheduled arrival over 94% of the time.
All four Transport UK TOCs were nominated across multiple categories. They came away with five wins between them, including:
· Greater Anglia for Passenger Operator of the Year;
· Greater Anglia for Fleet Achievement of The Year for ‘fleet transformation’;
· East Midlands Railway for Customer Service Excellence for ‘Skegness summer service’;
· Greater Anglia for Large Station of the Year for their operations at Cambridge station; and,
· West Midlands Trains for Medium Station of the Year for their services at University (Birmingham) station.
TUK operators have also been honoured with three ‘highly commended’ nominations, including:
· Greater Anglia for Customer Service Excellence for We're All Ears campaign;
· Greater Anglia and Stadler for Customer Service Excellence for Class 745/755 trains; and,
· East Midlands Railway for Medium Station of the Year for their services at Market Harborough.
The awards, organised by RAIL, recognise and reward people, companies, government entities and initiatives which demonstrate innovation and excellence across the UK’s rail sector. They showcase how both public and private players are key to providing an excellent service for passengers. These awards were held following the third reading of the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill by Parliament and ahead of the first reading in the House of Lords, which is scheduled for October 7th.
Dominic Booth, Chief Operating Officer of Transport UK, commented:
“This evening showcased the incredible services being delivered across the country. Our dedicated employees, partners, and stakeholders who have made our first year as Transport UK a resounding success have our full gratitude. Two of the country’s best performing operators, Greater Anglia and West Midlands Trains, have been awarded some of the highest accolades at the National Rail Awards and that is truly impressive.
“With nationalisation on the horizon for 2027, Transport UK is keen to play a full role in supporting the Government with its transition. We agree there is an urgent need to improve standards across the UK’s rail sector and welcome the Secretary of State’s intention to deal quickly with the problems rail passengers face. We are hopeful that when the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill becomes law this autumn, the Government will exercise its discretion to target areas and communities that are affected by the worst performing operators, some of which are already under remedial measures. By using their discretion, rather than a timetable dictated by when contracts expire, the Government will ensure the worst affected passengers receive the urgent support they need first.”