1,000 People sought for rail virtual passenger panel

A spokesperson for Southern said:

"We know our passengers have something to say and we want to hear it. We are looking for 1,000 passengers to become more involved in shaping the way we provide our services by becoming members of our new virtual Passenger Panel."

The purpose of the panel is to test drive ideas and to find out passengers' views on future plans and proposals. It could be anything from timetable changes to tannoy announcements, from catering to customer service.

Alex Foulds, Southern's Development Director said:

"We're looking to create a panel that reflects the communities we serve. This can include college students, commuters, business travellers, leisure travellers and bargain hunters, in short, anyone who travels on our trains.

"We want young, not so young, regular travellers and occasional day-trippers, for evenings out or weekend jaunts. Everyone's views are important to us."

The new panel will be managed through the Southern website and by email; members will need to have access to both in order to participate.

So that Southern can tailor Passenger Panel activity as much as possible, members will be asked to provide information about themselves and their typical journey on Southern.

Consultations are expected to take place no more than once a month, depending on the typical journey and the plans and issues that need to be discussed.

Passengers who would like to join the panel can apply by completing the form on-line at: