JUST two of British Rail's 43 telephone inquiry lines gave accurate travel information during an official survey, a leaked report has disclosed.
A confidential BR memorandum says some of the inquiry bureaux, which together receive 30 million calls a year, are "consistently appalling " in the service they offer to passengers.
A similar survey in 1993 found 18 bureaux gave accurate information.
The report, to be published next week, will add to concerns over timetable information now enveloping rail privatisation.
The bureaux, which are now run by the 25 passenger train companies, were also reluctant togive information for journeys involving travel on "another railway".
Martin Shrubsole, director of product quality for BR, said the survey, carried out by the Central Rail Users' Consultative Committee, the statutory passengers' watchdog, was "very disappointing" and it was "difficult to see" any excuse.
Details of engineering works affecting the Midland main line were sent to all bureaux before the survey.These warned that Loughborough station would be closed on one Sunday in July.
The survey team then spent three days ringing the bureaux requesting details of journeys between Loughborough and stations in their immediate vicinity.
Only two of the bureaux gave correct information without prompting. Among the findings were: The Bletchley office advised a caller "we are all different businesses" and suggested they ring Euston.
The Colchester office would give information only on Great Eastern train company services.
London Waterloo said it did not cover Loughborough.
Norwich claimed to give information only about Anglia Train services.
In its assessment, the users' committee said: "The survey is a devastating indictment of the appalling quality of information available to passengers."
Michael Meacher, the shadow transport secretary, said: "The telephone performance is hardly surprising when staff have to grapple with inaccurate timetables, hopeless fares manuals and are about to be bombarded with a 5,000-page book on which routes will be 'permitted' after privatisation."
Sir George Young, the Transport Secretary, said the quality of service from the bureaux had for years "lagged behind" similar systems in the private sector for air or ferry travel.
British Rail yesterday admitted to glaring omissions from a fares guide. The BR guide, in use from Sunday, leaves out all fares from the west of England to East Anglia and omits fares from towns including Colchester and Luton, a spokesman said.
