THE TRAIN NOT APPROACHING PLATFORM 1...
Rail firms in worst ever performance
RAIL passengers last year suffered the worst train delays and cancellations since records began, a watchdog has found.
Commuters lost almost four million hours to significantly delayed train journeys in 2018 – equivalent to 8.1 million passenger journeys.
Around 80 trains a day were significantly delayed and cancellations averaged 660 per day (241,934 in total) – also the highest number since comparable records began in 2011.
Which? said its survey shows urgent action is needed to improve punctuality, reliability and compensation when things go wrong.
It comes as the rail industry rolls out its latest summer timetable, which aims to introduce 1,000 extra services per week across the country today. Last year’s disastrous new timetable chaos left thousands stranded by delayed or cancelled trains. Neena Bhati, of Which?, said: “Passengers have faced a torrid time on the trains since the beginning of last year, where the rail industry has fundamentally failed on punctuality and reliability.”
Ms Bhati called for “automatic compensation for delays and cancellations so passengers don’t have to fight to get the money they are owed”.
Of 14 franchises analysed by Which?, Govia Thameslink Railway and TransPennine Express accounted for more than a third (37%) of all cancelled trains in 2018.
Northern accounted for 12% of all significantly late trains and 14% of all cancellations in 2018.
Paul Plummer, of industry body the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Introducing 1,000 more services a week... on a congested network poses a significant challenge.
“But we are working to ensure improvements are introduced with the absolute minimum of disruption.”