Half of Britain’s trains are late
ALMOST half of trains arrive late with only one of 28 rail operators running more than two-thirds of services on time.
As passengers face the biggest fare rises in five years tomorrow, track operator Network Rail said 15 firms suffered delays on over 50 per cent of journeys.
The study of seven million trips in the five weeks before Christmas revealed that, overall, 48 per cent of services ran late.
The worst-performing train firm, according to the research, was First Hull Trains with 72 per cent of services delayed or cancelled.
Almost 70 per cent of services on Virgin Trains were delayed or cancelled. And TransPennine Express, which is putting up prices by 4.6 per cent, delayed or cancelled more than 68 per cent of services.
Only C2C, which runs between London and Southend, ran more than two-thirds of services on time.
Stations in some of the biggest cities, including London and Birmingham, were hardest hit with 72 per cent of all trains into Birmingham New Street and London Victoria running late or cancelled.
It comes as passengers tomorrow face the biggest fare increases in five years, with prices set to rise by an average of 3.4 per cent.
Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Our railway performs very well compared to many other countries but there is more we can do. Our reliability measures provide improved focus on ensuring trains meet the timetable while we introduce more trains with seats.”
Britain’s trains are the oldest since records began, records reveal. Passengers are travelling in carriages which were typically built in the mid-1990s, Office Of Rail And Road statistics show.
The average age of 21.1 years is older than at any point in publicly available records and 60 per cent older than in 2006.
The ORR said older trains can result in worse reliability and poorer performance than the more modern trains.
IT’S what those who commute or travel regularly by train have long suspected: almost half of the UK’s trains are late. The worst-performing train company in the five weeks before Christmas was First Hull Trains where 72.5 per cent of services were delayed or cancelled. Coming a close second is Virgin Trains which delayed or cancelled 69 per cent.
Yesterday saw rail strikes further adding to the misery. What’s more, Britain’s trains, when they deign to show up, are the oldest since records began. Passengers make their journeys on carriages which are on average more than 20 years old. Older trains result in worse reliability and less comfort.
Yet despite this shamefully inadequate service the long-suffering passengers (who must often count themselves lucky if they get a seat) are tomorrow facing a fare rise of on average 3.4 per cent. It is the biggest increase in five years. And of course passengers pay twice: both as rail users and as taxpayers. No less than £4.2billion of public money went into the rail industry in the period 2016/2017.
In an advanced and prosperous country a train service like this is a disgrace and these new figures on the chronic problem of delays and cancellations are intolerable.
Stephen Joseph, of the Campaign for Better Transport, says: “With acute overcrowding and ever increasing fares the very least passengers expect is to arrive at their destination on time.”
Unfortunately jaded travellers don’t even expect that any longer.