NXEA & BTP Crackdown On Anti-Social Behaviour

British Transport Police (BTP) and National Express East Anglia (NXEA) have relaunched their joint initiative known as Safer Travel to combat anti-social behaviour on trains and stations in the Colchester, Clacton and Ipswich areas.

Staff have been enforcing railway bylaws to crackdown on unacceptable behaviour such as: Abuse or harassment of staff; illegal smoking; feet on seats; playing loud music; being drunk or under the influence of drugs and not having a valid ticket.

The campaign by BTP and NXEA is designed to send out a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

Unreliable Wi-Fi?

A quick reminder to those experiencing problems with the Wi-Fi connectivity on London - Norwich services.  The Wi-Fi is specifically designed not to work in the Quiet Carriage(s) for obvious reasons.

'Meet The Manager'

A note for the diary.  There will be a 'Meet The Manager' session at Manningtree station on 17th May.  This is an opportunity for passengers to meet with senior managers from National Express East Anglia.  Exact times to be confirmed nearer the date.

Reports of Unreliable Wi-Fi on NXEA Inter City Services

Some passengers are reporting that the much publicised Wi-Fi service introduced by National Express East Anglia on its Inter City services last week is proving to be at best unreliable with it occasionally not working at all.  What is your experience of the service? Let us know at info@mrua.org

Trains 'On Time' Record Challenged

Passenger Focus, the rail passengers' watchdog, has called on train companies to review the way they report punctuality after a study found that passengers' experience of delays was different to official records.  As has been pointed out by many passengers on the Great Eastern mainline, trains may be late at stations along a route but make up sufficient time to arrive at the end of the journey according to the timetable - the train is therefore reported as having been 'on time'.  Most passengers commuting home in the evening leave the train before it reaches its final destination and can be late although the train goes on to reach its final destination on time.

Passenger Focus said the findings of a study it conducted among passengers on National Express East Anglia (along with Northern Rail and CrossCountry) had prompted it to call on the rail industry as a whole to review how it records train times, including punctuality along the route.

This is particularly relevant to NXEA passengers, some of whom have been in dispute with the company when making Delay Repay claims only to be told that the train arrived at its final destination on time and was therefore not delayed.  A train can be delayed only ten minutes along its route to ensure a connection is missed leading to far longer overall delays to passengers' journeys.

WiFi Facilities Now Available On NXEA Inter City Services

WiFi is now available on National Express East Anglia Services between Norwich and London. Jointly funded by the East Of England Development Agency and Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils to the tune of £346,000 the service will be free to first class passengers.  There will be a charge of £2.95 per session for Standard Class passengers with monthly and annual discounts available.

Channel 4 Dispatches - Update

Further to the earlier post about the Channel 4 programme Dispatches looking for contributions from passengers highlighting the much publicised complaints about late or cancelled services, overcrowding, filthy trains etc.  more information can be found at http://www.channel4.com/trains