Lumo's poor service in general

[JulienD]

Lumo's service on both East and especially the West Coast is pretty poor. Trains arriving late, no toilets, delays, and the social media team on Twitter blocking accounts of people that complain. What can be done to improve Lumo's service?

 

[styles]

Yet, in the latest Transport Focus survey, Lumo rank 11th out of 28 operators for overall satisfaction. They rank the highest for value. They rank 8th for punctuality satisfaction.

According to the ORR's latest data, they have a better punctuality rating than their main competitor (LNER). They have a lower cancellation rate than LNER also.

So, objectively speaking, they're actually doing alright to be honest.

I agree with the toilets complaint, though I haven't actually experienced it myself. I haven't really looked at their social media much but some X/Twitter and Facebook users are antagonistic and unnecessarily aggressive; it wouldn't surprise me if they took a liberal approach to blocking people. Do you have examples?

Hull trains does beat them on pretty much every measure, but they only really complete on London-Stevenage.

The stats from TF and ORR don't include the Lumo west coast service yet, but for reference, Lumo east coast has a better track record than Avanti and CrossCountry in the latest stats. I guess we'll see.

 

[gordonthemoron]

In the past week, Lumo Stirling have suffered from:

Lack of train crew
Toilets out of use
Trains in reverse formation
Trains cancelled, for which you have to use specific Avanti or TransPenine services
Trains seriously delayed
Trains starting/ending short at Motherwell/Preston, is Motherwell where they really wanted to terminate?

 

[styles]

In the past week, Lumo Stirling have suffered from:

Lack of train crew

What's the actual impact on passengers been?

Toilets out of use

Yeah I think this is poor form.

Trains in reverse formation

Probably not that important.

Trains cancelled, for which you have to use specific Avanti or TransPenine services

So an alternative has been arranged, nice.

Trains seriously delayed

I've spot-checked the morning and lunchtime services for the past week and bar one service arriving into Euston 39 minutes late, most appear to be arriving somewhere between early and about 12 minutes late, which doesn't seem wild for a 6 hour service. Certainly not much worse than Avanti or CrossCountry?

Trains starting/ending short at Motherwell/Preston, is Motherwell where they really wanted to terminate?

Owing to signalling, which is out of Lumo's control. That's an issue to take up with Network Rail.

They are also a new operator, so teething problems are to be expected probably.

 

[JonathanH]

Trains starting/ending short at Motherwell/Preston, is Motherwell where they really wanted to terminate?

I suspect that Manchester would be more lucrative finishing point than Motherwell (or Stirling).

One thing I did note about my journey from Stirling to London is that the train filled up as it went south, and that there is a chance that booking engines selling split tickets may actually drive demand for Manchester to London passengers to travel with Lumo between Crewe and Euston.

Whether they can build up the demand (and in turn prices and revenue) from the east side of Glasgow is a key point. Edinburgh seems a different market entirely.

 

[A S Leib]

Hull trains does beat them on pretty much every measure, but they only really complete on London-Stevenage.

Not even there, as Lumo's pick-up / set-down only at Stevenage. The only routes where multiple open-access options right now are King's Cross – Doncaster and, depending on willingness to take a longer journey and possibly have an extra change, Newcastle / Sunderland

(I don't think Lumo's competing against itself, and if they make more money from a King's Cross – Newcastle and a Newcastle – Glasgow Queen Street passenger than from a King's Cross – Glasgow one, I suspect they'd prefer London – Glasgow passengers to stick to Motherwell.)

Short train lengths is another issue, but there's enough five-car IETs out of Paddington that that's not an issue unique to them, and it's one which is expected by passengers and shouldn't be an issue to them if, as the overwhelming majority on Lumo likely do, have a seat reservation.

 

[Kite159]

In the past week, Lumo Stirling have suffered from:


Trains in reverse formation

How can a train which is standard class only be running in reverse formation?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How can a train which is standard class only be running in reverse formation?

Carriage letters the wrong way round, perhaps? So, coach 'A' at the front, when it should perhaps be at the back. Or vice-versa.

 

[Zomboid]

Carriage letters the wrong way round, perhaps? So, coach 'A' at the front, when it should perhaps be at the back. Or vice-versa.

And therefore every forward facing seat reservation is now backwards facing.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I have used them a few times now on the Preston-London route. Because of the value for money I will keep using them for now -but yes the niggly issues are frustrating.

 

[Some guy]

I have used them a few times now on the Preston-London route. Because of the value for money I will keep using them for now -but yes the niggly issues are frustrating.

The main issue seems to be the reliability of the 222s. Now all 5 trains are in service should hopefully mean they can correct the poor condition EMR handed them over in

 

[JonathanH]

The main issue seems to be the reliability of the 222s. Now all 5 trains are in service should hopefully mean they can correct the poor condition EMR handed them over in

With the timetable requiring four units in service, and a need for routine maintenance, finding time to also correct the poor condition is going to be challenging.