RAIL companies were today warned to take better care of passengers if they want to stay in business.The government's Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is drawing up new conditions for franchises, including offering better customer service.

RAIL companies were today warned to take better care of passengers if they want to stay in business.

The government's Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is drawing up new conditions for franchises, including offering better customer service.

Alterations were announced by the SRA, which said it was making its new franchise policy "passenger focused".

SRA chairman Richard Bowker said: "Passengers will know that there are clear and acceptable performance measures, while operators will know that their innovation and creativity will be encouraged and rewarded within a stable operating environment.'

The SRA said that getting train companies to focus on meeting passenger needs was at the centre of the its franchise policy statement today.

The policy sets out the shape of key performance indicators to be included in future contracts, specifying the quality of services to be delivered by train operating companies to their customers.

These indicators may include train cleanliness, station cleanliness, passenger information systems, ticketing systems and personal passenger security.