Less than half of passengers are satisfied with south-west London’s train operators, according to a new survey.

First Capital Connect (FCC), which runs services via Sutton to central London and Bedfordshire via the Wimbledon Loop, came bottom of a rail satisfaction survey by consumer lobbying group Which.

FCC scored 40 per cent, while South West Trains and Southern also scored below 50 per cent.

Top of the satisfaction table, compiled from responses from 7,500 regular train users, was West Coast main line operator Virgin Trains with 67 per cent.

London Overground, which last year installed a new service from Clapham Junction to West Croydon, was second with 65 per cent.

Which executive director Richard Lloyd said: “With 1.5 billion train journeys made every year and eight of the 17 UK rail franchises up for grabs in the next two years, customer service should be top of the agenda for every train operating company.

“It is good to see some are performing well on service, but customers clearly feel others need to do better.”

“Passengers tell us they are fed up with trains that are delayed, overcrowded and dirty.

"This is especially disappointing as many commuters can’t shop around or change the company they travel with.”

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT transport union, said: "It is about time these basket-case private train companies like First Capital Connect were booted off Britain's railways for good and their franchises returned to public ownership.

“This current tolerance of these private rail spivs by the Government is reward for total and abject failure on an epic scale."

The shadow transport secretary, Maria Eagle (Labour), said: "While taxpayers continue to fund the rail industry to the tune of £3.5 billion every year, rail companies must do better and the Government needs to hold them to account on behalf of passengers and taxpayers.

"This Government are also approving the closure of many station ticket offices to cut costs, but as this survey shows where people have to rely on machines, they often can't get the best ticket. David Cameron broke his promise to commuters to cap fare rises at 1 per cent above inflation, with some passengers facing fare rises of up to 9.2 per cent."

Which? survey rail satisfaction 2013 for London (and 2012 scores) out of 100
Virgin Trains 67 (64)
East Coast 58 (57)
Southern 48 (44)
South West Trains 47 (47)
London Midland 45 (55)
First Great Western 43 (48)
South Eastern 43 (40)
First Capital Connect 40 (43)