Passengers' Panel

I may not speak for everyone, but I know I’m not alone in feeling irritated every time I hear the “Thank you for travelling with South West Trains” announcement. For some regulars, especially those using overcrowded peak services, the choice is very much Hobson’s.

I have discussed this issue with Stella Morris, our Head of Guards. We think we should thank people for travelling with us, and recently spoke to many passengers about the quality of announcements generally. This issue was not raised. We believe thanking is good manners, and we are genuinely keen and grateful that people by travel by train. Also, our research shows that most passengers have access to one or more cars and could have used one for their journey. They choose to go by train because it is cheaper, quicker or more convenient. Thank you for raising the issue. We will be reviewing our announcement scripts before the year’s end and will consult with the Passengers’ Panel on their content.

Peter Owen, Head of Marketing