Customer always wrong for Connex

Commuters may not believe this. Connex, the much-criticised London passenger train company which admits to weeks of "dreadful" service, has actually done something right.

It has discovered the fundamental law of commuting - passengers absolutely hate to be called customers. Now, in letters of apology handed out to thousands of frustrated travellers, Connex commercial director Glen Charles says the company is trying to do better.

The letters are addressed "Dear Passenger" and headed "Sorry Is Not Enough". They state: "After our dreadful performance it is difficult to know how to address you. 'Dear Customer' is, I realise, only likely to increase your outrage. But I hope you allow me to offer not just our apologies but also some explanation for the worsening performance over recent weeks.

"Believe it or not, our performance had begun to improve and we had high hopes as we came in to the autumn." He says he is "frustrated that in recent weeks things have deteriorated" and goes on to blame leaves on the line. He says that despite the "best efforts", the leaves remain a problem. The leaves, signal and track failures and "slight teething problems" with new £12 million trains have "over the last two weeks led to perhaps the worst peak periods in recent memory".

Commuter Tanya Reed, who travels from Bromley South to Victoria, said: "Mr Charles is right about the service. It has been diabolical. I also hate being called a customer. I, like everyone else, only commute in these appalling conditions because I have to and there is no practical alternative."