The Response I Recieved From a Complaint Sent To London Midland Trains...Your Thoughts?

russ9898

russ9898

russ9898

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Thought I would share this incident I recently encountered on a London Midland train and the response from London Midland after I contacted them in disgust. I was diplomatic in my email to LM however I would suggest the family involved were "Irish travellers".

Those eating as they read this might want to read the post later if you have a light stomach! :)

My initial email sent 04/05/15:
I am writing to you to inform you of the absolutely disgusting situation which I found myself in whilst travelling on today’s (Monday 4th May) 11:46 London Euston to Stoke-on-Trent (Crewe) service. On-board the train there was a family consisting of I believe two sisters and their five children, the children were allowed to run free up and down the carriage unsupervised by their parents for the duration of the journey. The children were causing a nuisance to several passengers on-board not just in terms of noise levels but climbing on chairs, tables, as well as making many passengers uncomfortable when the children were placing hands on peoples legs whilst trying to talk to them. I appreciate that children are children and at times are difficult to control nor are you able to predict the behaviour of your customers. After enduring this for in the region of two hours the final straw came when one of the children realised he had an accident for want of a better word, removed his nappy and threw it at a passenger on-board the train as we came into Stone Station. I was planning on remaining on the train until I arrived in Stoke-on-Trent station where I had left my vehicle overnight however following this incident felt I had no choice but to disembark at Stone Station and call a taxi to take me home and a further taxi this afternoon to collect my vehicle from Stoke.
As I mentioned previously, I appreciate that you operate a public transport service and as a result have no control over the persons using your service. I am however extremely disappointed that during the journey the ticket conductor passed through the train several times (at least once after each station) to ensure all passengers tickets had been checked yet failed to ask the family to control their children on the journey. I believe that if he had done so the nappy incident may have been prevented. I can’t even begin to imagine how the unfortunate passenger must have felt following what happened. Whilst I’m confident no one could have predicted that the child would have removed their nappy I do feel that the ticket conductor had a duty to under the Health and Safety at Work act to ensure as best as possible to the safety of the passengers on board including the children who could have easily been injured whilst climbing on tables etc. who could have fallen and injured themselves when the train was cornering or changing speed.
In your employee’s defence, he was working alone and the family were for want of a better word “rough” and I suspect may have been Irish travellers but even so if he felt it inappropriate to deal with the situation alone should have contacted his line manager to arrange for support to meet him at one of the stations en-route.
I can hand on heart say that the journey has been one of the worst I have experienced in my life and will not be one I am forgetting in a hurry.
Regards,

Russell Sims
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London Midlands response received today 21/05/15:
Dear Mr Sims

Thank you for your e-mail.

I was so sorry to hear what happened to you and your fellow passengers when travelling on Monday 4 May with London Midland.

Unfortunately, we do encounter anti-social behaviour on our trains from time to time and an individual or one group can spoil the journey for all those around them.

Concerning the lack of intervention form the senior conductor, his/her prime responsibility is to open and shut the automatic doors and ensure people get on and off the train safely. They will also issue tickets and be responsible for the well-being of those on board the train. Passengers may call for assistance from the conductor if they feel a situation needs attending to. Often the emphasis will be on trying to contain or defuse a situation rather than inflame it. If the conductor perceives that a serious incident has arisen, he/she can call for assistance from the British Transport Police, who will then meet the train at the next main station.

You can also report anti-social behaviour yourself directly to the BTP, either by calling 0800 40 50 40 or by texting 61016; in an emergency, please dial 999. Further information is available on the BTP website http://www.btp.police.uk/61016_text_service1.aspx

Unpleasant as these circumstances were, fortunately they are comparatively rare and the vast majority of passenger journeys are relaxing and without incident.

In closing, I would like to apologise again for the difficulties you related. I do hope you will continue to travel with London Midland despite this recent experience.

Yours sincerely,

Mitchell Collier
Customer Relations Advisor
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I think what infuriates me is that if I, as an adult caused a nuisance on a train I would ultimately be greeted by the Police at a stop enroute. As it was a child of a traveller family it was deemed easier to let it slide by the conductor. I appreciate they are paid pittance but in my opinion he should have contacted the authorities after the incident on the train.

FYI - The child had a number 2 when I say he had an accident. Eugh lol.

I'm interested to hear everyone else's thoughts? Or am I wrong in thinking LM's response is even more pathetic than their lack of action on the journey itself?

Russ
 
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Thoughts? You encountered some bad passengers, didn't say anything at the time, expected the ticket collector to sort it, waited until you were home before complaining that he didn't and they've subsequently apologised for happening to have bad passengers, so now everyone involved can move on with their lives.
 
A pair of ****ed poles got on the bus once and sat in the row behind my mums partner. One proceeded to start ****ing on the floor behind him so he had to whip his bag off the floor. As he jumped up and spun round, so did the ****ing pole, so he hit him as hard as he could, which caused his mate to jump up as well, who then got punched in the face as well. He then ended up slapping two poles about, one pole with his pole still out, until the bus driver pulled over and let my mums partner off the bus just before Musgrave street police station, where the driver pulled in, obviously to get the cops. Mum's partner walked into Belfast and disappeared into the crowd.
 
***** shield of immunity!

Works every time!

Had you complained at the time you would have, no doubt, been subsequently invited to attend a "Diversity Awareness Course" at your local political re-education facility!
 
Kenai said:
Thoughts? You encountered some bad passengers, didn't say anything at the time, expected the ticket collector to sort it, waited until you were home before complaining that he didn't and they've subsequently apologised for happening to have bad passengers, so now everyone involved can move on with their lives.
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This tbh. You didn't say anything so why should a ticket collector. He works for them collecting tickets, he isn't the bad parent police.

Stop being so namby pamby.
 
I personally think their reply was perfectly acceptable.

There was nothing to stop you having a word with the family yourself, the reason you didnt is because you didnt want to escalate things with a person you believed to be a "traveller" (on a train lol) .

The conductor had probably come to the same conclusion himself.

Im not sure what you expect from them. Are you looking for a free train ticket?

You didnt need to get off at a different stop. It was something you chose to do.

You could have probably maneuvered your way through the carriages to stand elsewhere.
 
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