The annual NET Customer Satisfaction Survey – held for 2009 in the autumn – has shown that passengers continue to be extremely satisfied with tram travel in Nottingham. There has also been an increase in the number of people who support proposals to add new tram routes to the network.
Approximately 1300 people responded to the independent survey via on tram questionnaires taking place between 0700 and 1900 over a week in the autumn.
The overall satisfaction with the tram service has increased by 2% from 2008 to 94% whilst satisfaction levels with the experience on board the trams and the tram stops both increased to previous years as well as satisfaction with the NET website.
Improved scores in this years survey were seen for tram reliability, journey times and staff friendliness. Passengers also thought that the information about the tram has improved with better timetables, at stop information and an improved website.
There was an improvement the accesibility score of 6%, this rising to 68%, apparently indicating that NET is ideal for a family trip.
Extensions to the NET system also proved to be popular with the respondents with 89% in support of new lines for reasons including:
* ease of use and convenience
* congestion and the reduction of cars on the roads
* other environmental and wider benefits to be enjoyed in the city.
* Respondents definitely view the Tram as a socially responsible and efficient solution to these issues
Cllr Jane Urquhart, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Area Working at Nottingham City Council, said: “Customer satisfaction with the tram has remained incredibly high since Line One opened over five years ago. People really do appreciate and enjoy using quick, reliable and clean public transport. That’s why it makes complete sense to extend the tram network by adding two more lines so that even more people can benefit from using our very popular tram.”
David Thornhill, Chairman of Notts Campaign for Better Transport, said: “"The tram has been consistently a high performer and is continuing to even improve on that. People are voting with their feet and catching the tram. The drop in satisfaction at the price and range of tickets is a real mystery. I think it is pretty good. They froze their prices and for anyone who gets a network ticket, that covers buses and the tram. And satisfaction with journey times has increased. Yet there has been no change in actual journey times. It does suggest a lot of this is just people's perceptions the instant they are interviewed."
* The full report can be read here and a summary here.
Source: Nottingham Express Transit & This is Nottingham