Adelaide Metro customers are generally content with their city’s rail service, with a significant drop in the number of complaints about overcrowding in the last year. However, passengers remain concerned about safety and anti-social behaviour on the network.
Canstar Blue’s 2016 city trains report has seen Adelaide Metro maintain solid satisfaction ratings from last year, earning four stars out of five in every research category, including service reliability, journey comfort and ticket price. It has also seen an improvement in regards to its timetable and scheduling, going from three to four stars.
But despite maintaining a four-star rating for overall safety, and the number of passengers who feel safe traveling during the day increasing in the last 12 months, the number who feel safe on the network at night has gone down. In addition, the number of customers who say they often witness anti-social behaviour has increased, as has the number who would like to see extra police or security staff on the network, as the following survey results show.
|
Statement |
2015 |
2016 |
|---|---|---|
|
I often experience delays |
34% |
33% |
| I often experience overcrowding |
50% |
36% |
| I often witness anti-social behaviour |
49% |
51% |
| I feel safe catching the train during the day |
86% |
90% |
| I feel safe catching the train at night |
45% |
42% |
| I would like to see extra police or security staff on trains and stations |
73% |
77% |
Adelaide Metro ratings
Despite some concerns, Adelaide Metro customers continue to rate their train service higher than rail passengers in some other major cities, particularly in the case of its ticketing system and the cost of travel.
This year, Canstar Blue surveyed a total of 6,000 adults across Australia to form its 2016 customer ratings for city trains. For the fifth year in a row, TransPerth was rated highest overall with five stars, while Adelaide Metro was joined by Sydney Trains and Queensland Rail on four stars overall. Melbourne’s Metro Trains scored just three stars overall.
Cost of travel
Adelaide Metro customers, who use the train network to get to and from work every day, spend an average of $38 per week. Commuters in Brisbane spend the most at $46, followed by those in Sydney ($43). In Melbourne the average cost is $35, with commuters in Perth spending just $33.
Just over two-thirds of Adelaide commuters (67%) said taking the train is the most convenient way of getting to work, with 64% also declaring it cheaper than driving. In both cases, these are the highest percentages in the country. Commuters in Brisbane (43%) and Perth (42%) are least likely to say taking the train works out cheaper than driving to work, followed by Sydney (47%) and Melbourne (55%).
Just 13% of survey respondents in Adelaide said they use the trains because they have no other choice. This compares to 35% in Sydney, 27% in Melbourne, 25% in Brisbane and 17% in Perth.
Delays
While the number of Adelaide Metro customers who say they often experience delays has dropped slightly, from 34% to 33%, this is still higher than in Perth (15%) and Brisbane (26%). It is, however, a better result than in the two biggest cities, as 53% of passengers in Melbourne, and 40% in Sydney, report frequent delays.
Overcrowding
The number of Adelaide Metro customers who report regular overcrowding on trains has dropped significantly in the last year, from 50% to just 36%. This is now the lowest percentage in the country. In Brisbane the number is 45%, Perth 51%, Sydney 62% and Melbourne 70%.
Anti-social behaviour
Adelaide Metro customers are now the most likely to say they often witness anti-social behaviour on the train network (51%). This is narrowly ahead of Melbourne (50%) and Sydney (47%), with Brisbane at 44% and Perth at 43%.
Safety
There is little difference between the cities when it comes to the number of passengers who feel safe travelling during the day. Brisbane leads the way at 91%, just ahead of Adelaide and Perth (90%). The percentage drops slightly to 89% in Sydney and 88% in Melbourne.
However, just 42% of survey respondents in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne feel safe travelling at night. This compares to 43% in Brisbane and 46% in Sydney.
There is also little difference when it comes to the number of passengers who would like to see extra police or security staff on trains and at stations. Sydney leads the way with 78%, followed by Adelaide and Melbourne (77%), Brisbane (76%) and Perth (74%).
Threat of terrorism
The number of Adelaide Metro customers who say the threat of terrorism has made them more nervous about catching the train has increased from 15% to 18% over the last year. However, along with Perth (18%), this is significantly lower than the number in Sydney (29%), Melbourne (25%) and Brisbane (25%), which has seen the biggest increase.
Pet hates of rail travel
Aside from issues already reported, such as delays and overcrowding, Adelaide rail passengers were also asked about their other ‘pet hates’ of traveling on the network.
Top of the list was ‘other passengers having loud personal conversations’ (55%), ‘other passengers being rude’ (55%) and ‘smelly passengers’ (55%), followed by:
- Other passengers sneezing or coughing: 52%
- Children being loud or misbehaving: 49%
- Other passengers playing music loudly: 46%
- Other passengers taking up too much room (e.g. with laptops or newspapers): 23%
- Other passengers pushing past to find a seat or leave the train: 23%
- Other passengers standing too close: 22%
- Other passengers trying to make conversation: 13%
- Parents with prams/strollers taking up space: 11%
For more information on this year’s report, or to speak with a Canstar Blue spokesperson, click here for contact details.
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