`Spies' to pose as travellers to test rail inquiries

The information handed out by train companies on the national telephone inquiry service could face a new inquiry into its accuracy and impartiality, under plans being considered by the rail regulator.

The investigation, which could be launched next month, is being floated because the first inquiry has been hampered by the train companies' complaints that the "service has improved".

The new investigation could see hundreds of investigators posing as passengers to see whether the National Rail Inquiry Service provides accurate information about fares and train times.

The results of the first investigation, which was completed earlier this year, are currently being considered by the regulator's office. The problem for officials is that many train companies say that the results are now completely out of date.

"The data will be so out of date that, frankly, it will not be worth publishing," said one railway manager. This attitude has, unsurprisingly, found little favour with the regulator who recently complained that he had been given the wrong information by a telephone operator.

When John Swift QC, the rail regulator, recently raised the issue of the poor performance of some operators he was told that "things have improved greatly". This was not borne out by the Independent's inquiries yesterday which found that despite the fact telephone operators were able to answer calls promptly they were not able to provide accurate information.

The news comes a day after train companies were given a month to answer more passenger calls or face hefty fines. Mr Swift has warned the 25 companies that they would face action if things did not improve. He said today that he had decided to make what is called a "final order" because services provided by the service had not got better. The order can only be lifted by Mr Swift which means that the train companies could be fined every week that the telephone services fails to meet the regulator's targets.

Mr Swift told the Today programme that in June and July the rail companies had plans to boost the proportion of calls answered to 90 per cent. "They haven't made it. They're stuck at about 81 per cent. My view is that there will come a time when I will decide that I can't wait forever until I see these improvements."

He said British Telecom would monitor over the next four weeks, starting on Sunday, the number of incoming calls to the service and the proportion of those which were answered.

In June, almost half of callers to the inquiry service were not getting through. Under the regulator's performance standards, only one in 10 calls should go unanswered.

The fines could reach millions of pounds. For every percentage point of calls not answered between 85 per cent and 90 per cent, train companies will be docked pounds 50,000. Companies will face a pounds 100,000 fine for every percentage point between 75 per cent and 85 per cent, while for every point below 75 per cent there will be fined at pounds 200,000.

Experts say that the operators have resorted to hiring cheap labour to man the telephone centres. Barry Doe, a timetable and fares expert, said: "The staff running the system are being employed to deal with a very complicated system. Telephone operators cannot replace train railway staff."