Anger and frustration
Fast train services cut
MPs have raised their concerns about train services with the rail minister in Parliament this week.
Maidenhead MP Theresa May and Slough MP Tan Dhesi spoke in a debate on the future of the Great Western Main Line on Tuesday.
Mrs May had called an urgent meeting with Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network
Rail before Christmas about the repeated service issues, while Mr Dhesi recently met GWR managing director Mark Hopwood about the reduction in fast trains to and from Slough.
He said many Slough constituents were ‘angered and frustrated’ by the reduction and added: “Given that
Slough is a huge business hub, does the honourable member agree that it is incumbent on the Government and GWR to ensure, for the benefit of the local, regional and national economy, that we have a large number of fast trains so that commuters can go to and fro?
“Does he agree that it is about time the Government built the Western Rail Link to Heathrow, having committed to it more than a decade ago and given that it is the number one infrastructure priority for the whole Thames Valley region?”
In the debate, Mrs May also set out each of the disruptions to train services in the past month including 15 incidents between December 7 and January 9, not including the four-day line closure between December 24 and 27.
Mrs May, who represents the Thames Valley on the GWR stakeholder advisory board said: “Everybody understands the issues, but the question – and what I will look for from the Minister (Huw Merriman) – is whether we can ensure that we will get sufficient
support from Network Rail to resolve these problems such that my constituents can continue to have the service they expect and deserve.”
Mr Merriman later said the ‘major transformation’ of rail and the full rollout of Elizabeth line services has created ‘significant pressure’ on the Thames Valley network.
He added: “Performance on the Great Western main line has not been good enough in recent times. Too often, passengers are unable to complete their journey as planned.
“Mrs May asked whether there will be Government support. That will be the case, and that will also be the case with regard to Network Rail.”
The Minister said he was ‘committed to improving performance in the western region’ and was meeting Mrs May and members of the
Great Western Railway stakeholder advisory board on Wednesday (January 10).
The Office of Rail and Road launched an investigation into poor train punctuality and reliability in the Network Rail Wales and western region, focusing on the Thames Valley area and GWR services between London and Reading, on November 29.
The Minister said Network Rail has committed to work with the Office of Rail and Road to identify causes and take steps to address them and the investigation will assess whether Network Rail is complying with its licence obligations in the Wales and western region.