Greater Anglia is working on a new way of helping passengers when the region’s rail service faces problems.

East Anglian Daily Times: More Greater Anglia staff should be available to help passengers when there are delays. Picture: GREATER ANGLIAMore Greater Anglia staff should be available to help passengers when there are delays. Picture: GREATER ANGLIA (Image: Archant)

The company is introducing new ways of communicating with passengers when things go wrong – and trying to ensure passengers know what is happening when there are delays.

Average punctuality currently stands at around 90% but the company hopes the new initiative will boost this figure.

During the initial months of the new initiative Greater Anglia saw an increase in customer satisfaction with how it handles delays jump by an unprecedented 10%.

The train company is improving communications channels across the business by creating “hub stations” which will receive information direct from the Control Room, which they can then quickly relay to the small group of stations in their area.

Stations can also contact their hub for information, which is easier than getting through to the control room whose lines can often be busy during delays.

It is also improving information on the company’s internal electronic “whiteboard,” which provides staff on trains and stations with updated train running information direct from the control room – allowing them to give more accurate and up-to-date advice to travellers when problems arise.

Customers are also receiving clearer and more detailed information on the company’s app, twitter account and website.

Other improvements include:

Giving power to station staff to order rail replacement buses more quickly;

Updating recovery plans and ensuring that they are shared across all departments;

Putting in place new weekly and monthly “disruption review” conference calls to look at incidents in detail, assess the response and learn lessons for the future.

Greater Anglia managing director Jamie Burles said, “We’re constantly improving the way we react when things go wrong. We know this is a top priority for our passengers and care about making their lives easier.”

The majority of delays for Greater Anglia passengers are caused by Network Rail faults, but it is the rail operator that is responsible for ensuring they are able to continue their journey when problems occur on the line.