FIRST Great Western, the train company which runs services through Oxfordshire, has been given one of the lowest ratings for customer satisfaction, a new survey reveals.

The company, which runs trains along the Great Western main line, was given a customer satisfaction score of only 45 per cent by Which? magazine.

Only three of the UK’s other train companies got a lower score: First Capital Connect, Greater Anglia and Southeastern.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: “It’s disappointing to see some train companies consistently falling down on the basics of customer service, with dirty and overcrowded carriages and toilets that don’t work.

“Seven rail franchises end in the next two years and we want to see passengers’ experiences put right at the heart of the tender process so companies respond to consumer expectations and can be held to account if they don’t.”

James Davis, a spokesman for First Great Western, said: “We recognise the need to improve the service we offer customers, particularly around punctuality and available seats on our trains.’’