Rail companies use loophole to ‘massage’ cancellation figures

TRAIN companies have been accused of “massaging” performance figures by using a loophole that obscures the true number of cancellations.

Commuter campaign groups have called for greater transparency from train companies over the number of times they are “P-coding” services.

P-coding is where train companies cancel trains before 10pm the night before. As they have been registered before that deadline, they do not show in Office of Road and Rail statistics, meaning figures are artificially low.

It also means travellers can miss out on compensation through the “delay repay” scheme.

Norman Baker, director of external affairs at Campaign for Better Transport, said proper reporting was needed.

He said: “Calling a cancellation at 9.59 the night before not a cancellation is simply not true.”

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “Services are sometimes cancelled at short notice for a variety of reasons, such as staff absences due to illness and extreme weather events.

“We have worked tirelessly to recruit and train staff and improve resilience.”