Rail passengers say fares in Oxfordshire fail to provide good value for money, although most were satisfied with their overall experience of train travel.

The National Passenger Survey, carried out by the rail passenger watchdog Passenger Focus, found that only 41 per cent of passengers thought they were getting value for money for the price of their ticket four per cent fewer than in the previous survey last autumn 2005.

The value for money ratings for the local operators were: *First Great Western: 42 per cent for its long-distance services; 39 per cent on local services in the Thames Valley and Cotswolds.

*Chiltern Railways: 47 per cent *Virgin CrossCountry: 58 per cent.

There was better news for Chiltern and Virgin when it came to overall satisfaction, with Chiltern scoring 88 per cent (up four per cent since last autumn), and Virgin 84 per cent (up one per cent). The national average was 80 per cent.

FGW fared less well, with a satisfaction score on long-haul routes of 77 per cent, a six per cent fall, and 76 per cent on local routes, down three per cent.

The operator was also poorly rated for its handling of delays, with only 32 per cent of local passengers satisfied, but long-distance routes scored 45 per cent. Chiltern scored 40 per cent and Virgin 47 per cent.

Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: "Value for money is becoming the Achilles' heel of the rail industry. Our concern is that longer-distance passengers are perplexed by a complicated system."

A spokesman from Chiltern Railways said the company provided good value for money, with lower fares than rivals to London.

An FGW spokesman called the results disappointing, but added the firm was investing £200m.

Virgin Trains chief executive Tony Collins said they couldn't be satisfied until customers were 100 per cent happy.