Northern Trains survey on fare evasion

[WesternLancer]

Apols if this is elsewhere - if so please move this post - but interesting to note Northern are currently doing a short on line survey about fare evasion - from an e-mail sent to me:

SEE LINK IN POST #5

This survey will remain open until 1600 on Wednesday 2nd November 2022.

Fare evasion is a rail industry issue that affects all train operators. Northern undertakes on-going revenue enforcement activity to tackle this problem and publicises the results of that activity in the media. We are keen to understand your thoughts on our media coverage.

This survey should take approximately 12 minutes to complete and, to show our thanks, you’ll have the opportunity to be entered into our prize draw. There are 1 x £50, 2 x £25 Love2shop vouchers up for grabs.

One question relates to the case of naming and shaming children at schools with frequent fare evasion issues, that I recall was mentioned on this forum not so long ago.

 

[skyhigh]

That's a unique link sent to you, so it won't work for anyone else to access the survey.

 

[WesternLancer]

That's a unique link sent to you, so it won't work for anyone else to access the survey.

ah, that's a shame. I guess you need to sign up to Northern's surveys or other on line info to get it perhaps.

 

[Watershed]

It's full of leading questions designed to make you agree with Northern's preconceived attitude that anyone without a valid ticket must be a 'fare dodger'. No different to most other surveys, then!

 

[ServerHoster]

Try this link? I removed the bit at the end that was the "unique bit" https://surveys.northernrailway.co.uk/jfe/form/SV_eya9Uoy5aXRWZBI

Edit: It seems like the "unique bit" of the link may be how you get entered into the prize draw, so if you want the voucher it won't work.

 

[WesternLancer]

Try this link? I removed the bit at the end that was the "unique bit" https://surveys.northernrailway.co.uk/jfe/form/SV_eya9Uoy5aXRWZBI

Thanks! Have now edited my original post.

 

[trover]

One of the questions “What are your feelings towards people who ‘fare dodge’ on Northern services?”

Makes me think: What are your feelings towards Northern who ‘DR dodge’ with the 10pm PTotD excuse?

 

[kermit]

One of the questions “What are your feelings towards people who ‘fare dodge’ on Northern services?”

Makes me think: What are your feelings towards Northern who ‘DR dodge’ with the 10pm PTotD excuse?

Is it possible to undertake the survey and use that very perceptive answer, to get a point across to Northern?

 

[trover]

Is it possible to undertake the survey and use that very perceptive answer, to get a point across to Northern?

They won’t care. The whole point of the ‘survey’ is to back their ads/posters/campaigns by claiming xx% of the customers support them to combat fare evasion, and perhaps quote some of the passengers’ responses to show how outrageous, unfair and disgusting they think fare evasion is.

 

[WesternLancer]

Is it possible to undertake the survey and use that very perceptive answer, to get a point across to Northern?

There is a free text box at the end where you can make any other comments.

 

[kermit]

There is a free text box at the end where you can make any other comments.

Thanks - I've now used that facility. The whole survey is a shameful example of the genre, in terms of slanting the questions to get the answers they want.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks - I've now used that facility. The whole survey is a shameful example of the genre, in terms of slanting the questions to get the answers they want.

Yes, often the case tho - just a way to legitimise an approach I guess. I think Transport Focus do proper survey based research.

 

[Kite159]

There is a free text box at the end where you can make any other comments.

Which will no doubt get ignored when they pull the results together

 

[Tetchytyke]

There is a free text box at the end where you can make any other comments.

Free text boxes are ignored.

I've had fun ticking "strongly oppose" to everything.

 

[Starmill]

Free text boxes are ignored.

They're certainly not ignored when it's a statutory consultation!

However, this is not one of those, so Northern are free to completely ignore the whole thing if they so wish. They also don't have to disclose what the results are and what they've done with them (unless you're able to access something like that via Freedom of Information, which is doubtful).

Northern's preconceived attitude that anyone without a valid ticket must be a 'fare dodger'.

The survey and the press releases Northern put out are just so revealing of the attitudes at senior levels in the company towards their customers. A business which wants to be taken seriously just can't go around saying things like "Doncaster Dodgers".

 

[tspaul26]

They're certainly not ignored when it's a statutory consultation!

However, this is not one of those, so Northern are free to completely ignore the whole thing if they so wish. They also don't have to disclose what the results are and what they've done with them (unless you're able to access something like that via Freedom of Information, which is doubtful).

Since Northern is now under public control, I do wonder if the Gunning principles (relating to the conduct of consultations, including non-statutory consultations) could be applied to them as a public body.

An interesting little problem to be sure - which may well get an answer in a couple of years if something I’m working on for a client at the moment ends up being challenged in the High Court.