As required by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the government department responsible for the economic and safety regulation of Britain’s railways, Trenitalia c2c has today (31 May 2025) published a summary of the customer complaints received during 2024-25.
Only complaints received via c2c’s official customer channels – emails, letters and telephone calls to customer services – from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 are included in this data/
The top five most common areas for complaint in 2024-25 were:
- Punctuality/reliability – 544 complaints
- Ticketing and refunds policy – 456
- How request to station staff was handled – 271
- Ticket buying facilities – online+other – 249
- Smartcards – 192
In total, c2c received 3,151 complaints during 2024-25, down 18% on the previous year.
- Percentage of complaints responded to within 10 working days: mean average for the year 46.03%
- Percentage of complaints responded to within 20 working days: mean average for the year 96.82%
- Average response times for responding to complaints. – The mean average response time for complaints during 2024- 25 was 13 working days.
| Number | Complaint category level | Volume of complaints | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Punctuality/reliability |
544 |
23/24 volumes: 563 c2c has observed a reduction in customer complaints regarding punctuality and reliability. In 2024/25, the primary cause of punctuality failures (delays) for c2c was due to external incidents, which accounted for 43% of our complaints. The second highest reason was cancellations, constituting 29% of our complaints. We regularly hold "lessons learned" working groups that include numerous colleagues from across the business to identify areas for improvement and acknowledge successful efforts. Targeted maintenance and upgrades are being prioritised based on data from incidents and failures to ensure we attempt to reduce the number of incidents throughout the year. Network Rail has introduced several schemes, including a new tool in our joint signaling and control centre, aimed at improving incident management and implementing targeted maintenance schemes to reduce signaling, track, and overhead line incidents. c2c and Network Rail collaborate to develop plans for responding to weather events. |
| 2 | Ticketing and refunds policy |
456 |
23/24 volumes: 161 Whenever we experience disruption across our route customers' travel plans understandably change leading to an increase in complaints and naturally requests for refunds. We are continuously reviewing ways to enhance our refund process. Some improvements include streamlining our internal procedures to simplify the refund process, which has led to fewer complaints from a station handling perspective in the latter part of the Rail year. We have also put a lot of effort into updating our refunds page, making it easier for customers to find the information they need. |
| 3 | How request to station staff was handled |
271 |
23/24 volumes: 171 Over the past year, we have implemented several initiatives to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our front-line operations. We have introduced training sessions for all staff members and provided mobile phones to facilitate more accurate customer assistance. Additionally, we have begun sharing data with our station teams to enable more precise trend analysis which will enable us to target areas that may need more focus. Our internal processes have been streamlined to improve the handling of customer requests. Streamlining this process has allowed our staff to be more flexible when resolving customer queries. |
| 4 | Ticket buying facilities – online+other |
249 |
23/24 volumes: 420 During 24/25, many of the complaints received were related to the ticket purchasing page on the app, where customers experienced time-outs while attempting to buy a ticket. After reviewing the issues, a change was implemented to enhance the app timeout feature, allowing it to refresh in the background without displaying a timeout message to our customers. This adjustment has led to an improvement in user experience and a reduction in the number of complaints submitted. We also improved our digital channels in the following areas. Android users were given the opportunity to add e-tickets to their Google Wallet, aligning with the similar and already existing iOS feature. Car park occupancy data was made available on the app, aligning with the website. |
| 5 | Smartcards |
192 |
23/24 volumes: 562 We have collaborated with industry colleagues to enhance customer service by making travel smoother, faster, and more reliable. We have centralised some of our digital platforms, facilitating the deployment of new ticketing features. This upgrade provides quicker service updates and improvements, better ticket tracking, reduced fraud, more reliable processing of smart tickets, and support for mobile ticketing and future technologies. The new system is energy-efficient and adjusts automatically to manage peak travel times, ensuring smooth operations during busy periods. |
| 6 | Station Quality |
185 |
23/24 volumes: 224 Ensuring a clean and functional station is essential for providing customers with an optimal experience. We are implementing a scheme to enhance these efforts, which includes collaborating with our cleaning team to maintain station cleanliness by utilising real-time feedback from customers regarding any untidy areas. Additionally, we have raised awareness about the importance of keeping our trains and stations tidy. We are in the process of incorporating QR codes on our trains and at stations so that customers can report any unclean toilets or areas directly to us. |
| Complaint | Commentary |
|---|---|
1) Station Facilities: Passengers reported issues with lifts, and tactile wayfinding paving, making it difficult for those with mobility impairments to navigate stations. |
We are collaborating with Network Rail to implement an improvement plan for lift availability at c2c stations. This plan prioritises resolving lift issues with improved SLAs. We have enhanced our lift reporting processes and receive daily reports from Network Rail, allowing us to identify and address regular faults and outages effectively. |
2) Staff Training: Passengers have complained that some staff members lack adequate training in disability awareness and inclusive customer service, leading to inconsistent support |
We will provide refresher training in Disability Awareness and Providing Assistance for our customers. Around 80% of our assistances are provided by a third-party company whom we use for providing security and passenger assistance. It is a requirement of them to complete the initial Disability Awareness mandatory training followed by refresher training every 2 years. |
3) Accessibility of Digital Platforms: Issues with the website and mobile app not being fully accessible, such as poor screen reader compatibility and complex navigation. |
We have improved access to Accessibility and Passenger Assistance information by adding an Accessibility button to the top menu of our website. Additionally, the Recite Me accessibility toolbar allows users to customise the site’s content with features like text to speech, translation into over 100 languages, and adjustable fonts and colors, ensuring our website is accessible to everyone. |
4) Limited Feedback Channels: Passengers have expressed frustration with the limited ways to provide feedback on accessibility issues, making it harder to report and address concerns. |
We are developing an accessibility and post-journey experience survey to gather feedback from passengers who received assistance. This survey aims to improve the travel experience by focusing on customer satisfaction and identifying areas for improvement. Additionally, we investigate all accessibility complaints and arrange face-to-face meetings for significant issues to prevent recurrence. To support customers with disabilities who face communication challenges, c2c covers small costs for those relying on others to communicate on their behalf, demonstrating their commitment to inclusivity and support for all passengers. New Accessibility Panel: c2c is recruiting members for a new Accessibility Panel, inviting individuals with visible and non-visible disabilities to provide consultation on policies and initiatives. The panel will meet quarterly to ensure services are inclusive and responsive to customer needs. The first meeting will be held in May 2025. Accessibility Improvement Meeting: We have established regular Accessibility Improvement Meetings with key stakeholders to review performance and address accessibility issues. Insights from these meetings are integrated into the broader Customer Experience Strategy. |