London Overground performance

Information and tickets

Provision of information during the journey

We provide a range of customer information at our stations, including timetable posters, rail and Tube maps, station services posters, fares information and information about planned closures.

Our stations have a combination of customer information screens and public announcement systems to provide accurate, clear and consistent audio-visual information.

Our trains have public address systems and customer information screens for audio announcements and visual displays. This ensures customers have enough time to prepare to leave the train at their destination. Automated announcements and visual displays advising the next station are made after departure from the previous station and again before the arrival.

Ticket buying facilities

While most of our customers travel with Oyster and contactless cards, our ticket office staff can offer advice on and sell the most appropriate ticket for the journey, including discounted fares.

We have self-service ticket vending machines (TVMs) at all stations. These comply with the Department for Transport Code of Practice (Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations, March 2015, section N2. Ticket sales points - ticket vending machines) and can issue tickets at a reduced rate to holders of a Disabled Persons Railcard and to the holder's companion.

The TfL customer contact centre can provide information about London Overground services including timetables and information on fares.

Staff

Staff are available at all stations from first to last train if further assistance or information is required. They're issued with smart devices and can access a wide range of information to help with any queries, including fares and journey planning.

Our staff are regularly audited through a mystery shopper regime and are assessed on their ability to provide a welcoming, approachable, proactive and knowledgeable presence.

Customers also have access to various journey planning tools, and live information to check their journey before travel - see the Travel tools page.

Information to disabled people and persons with reduced mobility

All stations offer information through the PA system and on screens, as well as Help Points with Hearing Loops linked to a 24/7 Customer Information team. This ensures that service information is always available, especially during times of disruption.

In addition to the PA systems and information screens on our trains, there is also an intercom to connect with the driver at the designated accessible space.

Our drivers are trained to speak slowly and distinctly in a clear, concise, and confident manner and they will announce any unscheduled station stops. They will also make a brief announcement when a train has been delayed for two minutes providing reassurance and the reason (if known) will be given.

Our staff undergo regular disability awareness training and are happy to help provide a range of information including directions, how to make connections with other modes of transport as well as onward connection information and local maps of our stations and provide assistance in times of disruption.

Information on accessibility, access conditions and availability of onboard facilities for disabled people and people with reduced mobility is available from TfL contact centres and on the Transport accessibility web page. This information is also available in large-print and audio formats - see the Access guides page. They're also available on request from the contact centre.

Punctuality of services and general principles to cope with disruptions

We run a high-frequency, urban metro service, so it's important that our trains run on time. We make every effort to ensure we maintain high standards of punctuality.

Punctuality performance for 2022/23

  • 91.1% of trains arrival within 3 minutes
  • 94.1% of trains arrival within 5 minutes
  • 0.0002% of trains delayed by under than 60 minutes
  • 0% of trains delayed by more than 60 minutes
  • 6% trains cancelled

There are occasions, usually outside of our control, where trains may be delayed or disrupted. When this is the case, we will do everything we can to ensure that, wherever possible, customers are able to continue their journey.

Our thresholds for disruption are based on our delay matrix, which has been agreed with TfL and uses the line statuses that are common with other TfL modes.

Line status Definition
Good service Trains are running normally
Minor delays Trains are running but with short delays
Severe delays Trains are running but with longer delays. Overcrowding and short notice changes are likely
Part-suspended Trains are running but not to all stations. Overcrowding and short notice changes are likely
Suspended Trains are not running

Operational contingency plans

We have operational contingency plans which are designed to reduce inconvenience caused to customers during disruption. Our key contingency plans are:

  • Operational contingency plans: individual plans for each of our lines of route, agreed with Network Rail and/or other train operators. These provide clear guidance to our Control team on the services we can operate when access to infrastructure is restricted
  • Stranded trains procedure: this provides guidance to our Control team on the process to be adopted if a train is stranded as well as information for the support teams which may be asked to attend the incident
  • Defective on-train equipment procedure: these plans provide guidance on managing defects to equipment on our fleet
  • Incident response procedure: these plans provide guidance on how to respond to various types of incidents which may affect our network, helping to minimise disruption
  • Key route strategy: these plans, which include emergency timetables, provide clarity about the services we will operate during extreme weather conditions when access to infrastructure may be limited

The decision to implement these contingency plans is taken by our control team in conjunction with the relevant Network Rail Control.

When our services are disrupted, our control team will:

  • Issue a disruption message within 10 minutes of known or likely delays
  • Issue updates every 20 minutes
  • Display and update customer information screens
  • Broadcast information over PA system every 5 minutes
  • Ensure accurate information is provided to National Rail and TfL
  • Arrange for ticket acceptance

Our station teams will:

  • Be visible and available to proactively assist
  • Ensure information about the delays/disruption is fully visible to customers entering the station
  • Consider closing the station if disruption is severe or service suspended
  • Make regular announcements ensuring customers are kept fully aware
  • Assist customers by providing alternative routes to their destination
  • Look out for any customers with disabilities or reduced mobility and provide additional assistance, arranging for alternative transport as necessary
  • Encourage customers to claim a service delay refund if eligible

Each of our stations has a 'Disruption Kit', an easily accessible box of useful tools for staff to deliver the service to our customers during service disruption. The kits contain items such as our alternative route plans, local bus route maps, barrier tape, loudhailers and high visibility clothing.

We're working on a series of projects designed to improve and enhance the customer experience during disruption and have appointed a Head of Customer Information to take these forward and focus on improvement for all customers.

On the train we will:

  • Make an announcement as soon as possible following a prolonged station stop
  • Provide an update every 2-5 minutes, reducing to 10 minutes if the delay continues
  • Give an update on the delay and arrival times once on the move

Last train policy

We aim to ensure customers whose last train is cancelled or who will miss their last connecting services due to disruption are not stranded with no alternative options. In such circumstances, we will arrange for alternative transport to be provided.

Delay compensation policy

Service delay refunds are available to customers who are delayed by more than 30 minutes on London Overground for reasons within our control.

Claims must be made via the TfL website - see the London Overground and Elizabeth line delays page.

Cleanliness

Train cleaning

Our trains are cleaned at one end of each turnaround journey during the hours of operation. They are also cleaned overnight, have a weekly clean and a deep clean every month.

There are no accessible toilets on board any of our trains, but many of our stations have free access to toilets if required. For more information on where toilets are located on the London Overground route, see the Tube toilet map on the Accessibility guides page.

Performance: on board cleaning

We are surveyed quarterly as part of our contract with TfL. This survey measures overall satisfaction with the journey along with a number of different measures reflecting customer touchpoints.

Our Customer Satisfaction Survey results for cleanliness on the train showed 70.4% of customers were satisfied.

The National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) has been suspended since 2020.

Air flow

50% of the air that gets circulated through the trains is fresh air, not recycled or conditioned.

Measurements of airflow taken are:

  • Fresh air flow rates in normal and emergency ventilation
  • Velocities at the supply air diffusers
  • Velocities in the area of standing and seated passengers in the saloon

Stations

We operate on a strict Key Performance Indicator regime to ensure the station environment is clean and comfortable and all station assets are in good working order.

Cleaners are present at our stations for most of the day to keep the station environment as clean, safe and clear of litter as possible. We also have a programme of regular deep cleans.

In 2021/22, TfL Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSS) results for cleanliness at stations showed 69.7% of customers were satisfied.

Customer satisfaction

We continuously monitor customer satisfaction through our contracted TfL metrics, namely the CSS and Staff Information Survey. We also use our customer complaints as a guide to how we can improve our levels of satisfaction.

We use this feedback across the business to direct long-term strategy, and tactically by customer-facing teams to help improve customer service.

Satisfaction results 2022/23

Measure CSS
Overall satisfaction with London Overground 76.3%
Information at station 74.1%
Availability of staff 65.6%
Personal safety at the station 74.2%
Wait time for trains 71.5%
Helpfulness and general attitude of staff 68.5%
Information on the train 74.0%
Personal safety on the train 74.3%
Driver announcements 71.1%

Complaints and compensation

All customer correspondence is handled by the TfL customer contact centre. The team is available to speak to customers over the phone and to reply to any queries and complaints via email and web form. This team also responds in cases where customers praise our service, requests for compensation due to delays and compensation requests on a case by case basis.

Once received, complaints and commendations are forwarded to our TfL liaison manager who will pass the complaint or commendation to the relevant manager for investigation. We work to strict timelines to ensure the contact centre team can respond to correspondence as quickly as possible.

We take all customer complaints seriously and use them to inform our customer experience improvement strategies together with our customer metrics.

The contact centre team will use the customer's preferred contact method when responding to a complaint. Information on how to submit a complaint about our services is available on the TfL Help & contact page.

Complaints data 2022/23

  • Cases received: 709
  • Cases closed: 715
  • Cases closed within 10 working days: 89.0%
  • Cases closed within 20 working days: 98.8%

Types of complaint - top 5

  • Train service performance
  • Attitude and helpfulness of staff
  • Your personal security at station
  • Upkeep/repair of station buildings/platforms
  • Upkeep/repair of trains

Improvement action

Train service performance

Over the past year we have introduced various initiatives to improve our performance.

We have set up joint performance groups representing specific lines to identify root causes and to work in collaboration with other rail companies, Network Rail, TfL and Alstom to look at best practice. This allows to then identify mitigations that help in the short-term as well as long-term plans.

This year has seen multiple closures on the Watford-Euston line which, through collaboration with both Network Rail and LUL were completed in a timely manner. These works have enabled track renewals giving a smoother ride, new cabling providing an upgraded power supply and new sleepers. We are taking the same collaborative approach to the Euston upgrade in conjunction with HS2. Working well with our partners and stakeholders will be key to future success on improving our performance and capacity.

We have already seen the benefit of our head office move to Palestra, now working alongside the British Transport Police, London Underground, and at Upminster, working directly alongside the signallers which helps the liaison between passenger and freight services.

The new structure in our operations and customer experience management teams have created a greater collaboration between the two departments looking at impacts of decision making, especially in disruption, for both performance and customers.

We have also introduced new technology called IVU. This revolutionary "all in one" product enables the logging, tracking and managing of disruption more accurately with up-to-date information. It also assists with train planning with rolling stock availability and locations, rostering and competencies of drivers.

In addition, we have carried out customer education campaigns, highlighting the importance of taking care with the platform/train interface ensuring customer safety and the prompt departure of services.

Attitude and helpfulness of staff

We have seen a reduction in staff complaints over this past year and is an area us we remain focused on with further initiatives already earmarked to proceed.

We have introduced many training packages for our customer facing staff such as, good to great, conflict avoidance, EDI/Hidden disability awareness and Zero Tolerance towards sexual harassment.

We're committed to clear communication, especially during disruptions. To keep you informed, we've appointed a Head of Customer Information and a Stations Operational Manager to streamline information flow from control to frontline teams and ultimately, to you.

We're piloting "push-to-talk" technology, allowing central control to instantly broadcast updates about disruptions, crowding, and delays to a wider range of station staff. This ensures faster, more accurate information reaches you.

Our new PIDD (Passenger Information During Disruption) program is designed to keep you informed. Developed through collaborative workshops, PIDD will continue to evolve based on your feedback and needs.

We have refocused our station and agency management teams from transactional management to transformational management to enhance leadership and drive changes to staff behaviour at stations. The station delivery managers (SDMs) have been tasked with providing action plans specific to their individual stations. Alongside this, the SDMs are conducting staff information surveys every week to identify any weaknesses and take remedial action in the form of coaching/training/feedback.

We have enhanced engagement with our frontline staff teams by involving participants in focus groups ensuring frontline voice is heard when planning workstream initiatives, such as improvement of our mystery shopper scores We have many staff well-being programmes to aid in their service on the frontline and place a big emphasis on reward and recognition of good service to help motivate and inspire.

Some positive outcomes of the hard work in this area were recognised in the most recent National Rail Awards. We won the great place to work category, we came highly commended for station of the year with Hatch End and we received Outstanding personal contribution for our Lead manager for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.

Your personal security at station

The safety and security of all is paramount and at the forefront of all our decision making. We have made huge inroads this year which are highlighted below, specifically aimed at personal security whilst at our stations.

We have increased the number of dedicated BTP officers and increased revenue protection officers. Alongside these we have also gained 15 Travel Safe Enforcement officers (TSEs). The TSEs are employed to provide reassurance to our customers providing a presence to help reduce fear and perception of crime. They deal with antisocial behaviour, enforcing bylaws though engagement and enforcement, highlighting root causes and support frontline teams.

We have rolled out a reporting app/system which gives live updates of incidents enabling deployment of resources. It also enables data to be analysed to identify regular issues so that action can be taken, and specific areas can be targeted. We have introduced Body Worn Cameras to all our revenue/protection team and are part of the national BWC forum.

As mentioned previously, our staff have undertaken training and workshops covering EDI/Hidden disabilities and dealing with sexual harassment as well as suicide prevention with the Samaritans. This has proved invaluable this year as several successful positive interactions and interventions were made. We have also introduced recognition for our staff when they effectively deal with incidents pertaining to safety/security tasks at their stations in the form of security champion badges and certificates.

We have carried out dynamic risk-assessments at our stations and identified those with high slips/trips incidents which has enabled a more targeted approach to mitigate these for the future. We have completed a full review of our first aid boxes at all stations and introduced calling the police contact cards to enable correct reporting of incidents/requests.

We have improved lighting and signage at stations and introduced a security newsletter for our staff. We have also engaged with our customers with station security/safety events during the summer and had effective talks with problems schools to inhibit antisocial behaviours from their pupils on our services We have also initiated safety campaigns at stations and on social media, specifically around slips/trips and falls and platform/train interface incidents. Included in this area we identified that loading indicators at our stations would enable customers to board our stations more safely. A pilot was carried out at Shepherds Bush station and there are plans to roll this out across the network in the future.

We are part of the trespass working group with BTP/NR and through this have proactively initiated end of platform mitigations to aid in reducing trespass incidents and are part of the station security committee, alongside BTP, DfT, and other Rail companies. This enables strategic management of safety/security at a national level.

Upkeep/repair of station buildings/platforms

The upkeep/repair of our stations is vital in ensuring our customers feel confident and safe travelling to/from them. We have a full KPI regime that focuses on station lighting, gateline operation, lifts, public toilets, information screens and trackside cleaning. We have introduced a new reporting app for our staff to use to report incidents of failure enabling our facility management team to rectify issues promptly.

We are also part of a Network Rail project looking to make live lift status available to all which will assist with our accessibility programme. We have been working on a project to upgrade out ticket machines and have another ongoing project looking at improving signage at some of our stations.

We have delivered many station improvement projects this year including a brand-new station at Barking Riverside and upgrades at Hackney Wick, Imperial Wharf and Hackney Central and new shelters at various locations.

We have also improved many stations along the Watford to Euston line with new roof/canopies repairs, tactile paving and resurfacing platforms. We have also repurposed unused buildings at Chingford and Highams Park stations and transformed them community hubs. Other stations teams have created gardens to create a more welcome environment and include engagement with our staff and communities and are part of our new bi-annual Overground in Bloom.

Upkeep/repair of train

The appearance of our trains is just as important as stations in that it provides our customers the confidence and reassurance that they are travelling on a safe/well-maintained service.

A key initiative has been the introduction of a new smart device to our train care team that enables better communication and reporting ability for unsafe/damaged items, near misses, graffiti, vandalism, etc.

We have also launched a new digital process which highlights how/when trains cleaned, photo evidence and ability to resolve issues sooner. There has also been a new train care structure put in place that enhances leadership/supervision dynamics.

We have also added a heavy cleaning delivery regime and a train preparation project to aid in the upkeep of our trains. New wayside software allows remote CCTV access download on our 710 fleet. This enable investigations and subsequent solutions to be enacted in a more timely fashion.

Assistance

Assigned wheelchair spaces and clearly marked priority seats are on all our trains for the use of disabled passengers or those less able to stand. While seats cannot be reserved, we make every effort to provide a suitable seat when required. There are two options for people needing assistance:

Turn Up and Go (TUAG)

London Overground operates a predominately Turn up and Go service. This means customers do not have to book in advance. We have staff at all our London Overground stations during train operating hours. If a customer needs assistance, they can simply speak to a member of staff who will be happy to help. They will also ensure that staff at the destination station is ready to provide assistance on arrival.

We do ask that customers requiring assistance arrive at least 10 minutes before the service they want to travel on. This will ensure all the necessary checks are made to ensure staff are available to assist at the destination station.

Pre-booked assistance

Customers can also pre-book assistance if preferred. London Overground participates in and fully supports the Passenger Assist system to ensure assistance can be booked for the entire journey, regardless of which Train Operating Company runs the other train services or the stations involved.

For journeys continuing beyond the London Overground network, assistance can be booked at least 2 hours in advance. These commitments apply to all Train Operating Companies as terms of their licences.

There is no minimum notice period for pre-booking assistance if you are travelling on London Overground services only.

Assistance can be booked either through:

TfL contact centre

08:00-20:00 Monday-Sunday (excluding Christmas Day)
Phone: 0343 222 1234 (TfL call charges)
Text direct: (18001) 0343 222 1234 (for people with hearing impairments)

Or

National Rail enquiries

24 hours a day on: 0800 0223720

Types of assistance

London Overground is committed to helping you travel more easily. Staff at all London Overground-managed stations can help with:

  • Planning your journey
  • Getting on and off the train
  • Boarding with wheelchairs, scooters or other mobility aids
  • Transferring between trains or other modes of onwards transport at our stations
  • Buying tickets
  • Obtaining priority seats and dedicated wheelchairs spaces
  • Seat reservations on other train operators
  • Knowledge of services and facilities available on all stations and trains
  • Luggage

Our staff are regularly trained and are willing to assist passengers with both visible and non-physical impairments. They are available to help while trains are running.

Contact centre details

The customer service contact centre team is available for you to find out more about London Overground services and stations or provide feedback on the services and facilities that we provide. You can contact them by:

Post: TfL customer services, 4th Floor, 14 Pier Walk, London, SE10 0ES

Telephone: 0343 222 1234 (TfL call charges), 08:00-20:00 Monday-Sunday (excluding Christmas Day)

Textphone: 08001 123 456