‘Be forgiving’ at rail delays, says minister
A MINISTER has urged the public to be forgiving about widespread rail closures over the festive period, as a survey shows record numbers of people will be on the move today.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said engineering works that have closed most lines are vital to expand and improve services.
He said: “There are a whole lot of people giving up their Christmases to improve the railways. I just ask people not to forget them.”
In an analogy to make his point, he added: “I appreciate that it is real disruption for people over the holidays but you can’t have a bigger road without roadworks.”
Nevertheless, he said claims that customers were not offered the full range of cheaper advance tickets before Christmas, and late announcements of cancellations, showed rail companies were not always “thinking about the customer first”.
He said: “There has always been a danger – and it goes back to the days of British Rail – that the railways are sometimes run by people as a train set rather than as a customer service business.”
A Department for spokesman said: “Train Transport services do not, generally, operate on Boxing Day in England and Wales due to lack of demand.
“This allows valuable maintenance and improvement work to improve services for passengers.”
Network Rail is engaged in the biggest-ever programme of Christmas works as the Government invests in what it says is part of the greatest rail modernisation since Victorian times.
Bidders for franchises must offer a minimum service and recent tender competitions have required the winners to consult the public on Boxing Day demand.
Most train operators are running no service today. Chiltern, Merseyrail and Scotrail have reduced services.
A survey for phone app DisneyLife found a record three in 10 of Britain’s population – 19.7 million people – plan to take to the roads today to visit loved ones.
It will be the busiest travelling day of the Christmas break.
Over the festive period, Britons will spend 19 hours and 42 minutes travelling to visit family, with 93 per cent making at least one journey.