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Rise in on-time trains but Virgin complains of delay

* Dan Milmo
* guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 26 May 2009 23.32 BST


Network Rail's announcement of record punctuality figures was overshadowed yesterday by an official complaint from Virgin Trains about continued delays on the west coast mainline. Nine out of 10 trains ran on time last year, the best performance since records began in 1992. However, Virgin slammed the owner of Britain's rail infrastructure after it came last on a table of the most punctual franchises. A Virgin spokesman said it had lodged a complaint with the Office of Rail Regulation over the standard and punctuality of engineering work on the London-to-Glasgow route.

More in the same vein:

Record number of trains run on time

From The Times
May 27, 2009
Alexi Mostrous

More trains are running on time now than at any time since punctuality records began, Network Rail said yesterday.

In contrast to anecdotal evidence from commuters left stranded on platforms across Britain, figures for the year ending in March showed that 90.6 per cent of trains ran on time.

It is the first time that annual train punctuality has risen above 90 per cent since statistics were first collected in 1992.

Robin Gisby, Network Rail’s operations director, said: “Passengers are today experiencing the most punctual train service ever provided on Britain’s railways.”

The improvements have come at a high price, however, with commuters paying twice as much as those in all other leading European countries to travel the same distance. Annual season tickets for journeys of between 11 and 25 miles cost an average of £1,860 in Britain, compared with £990 in France, £944 in Germany and £788 in Spain. Italy has the cheapest season tickets at £444.

Punctuality also falls far below services such as France’s TGV and Japan’s bullet train, both of which arrive on time more than 95 per cent of the time. “It’s a step in the right direction but a lot more needs to be done,” said Bruce Williamson, a spokesman for the action group Railfuture. “We continue to lag behind Europe in terms of both cost of tickets and punctuality because of the ongoing lack of investment in rail.”

Ashwin Kumar, director of Passenger Focus, the independent rail consumer watchdog, said: “Punctual trains are a top priority for passengers and the industry has done well to improve the number of trains which run on time. However, one in ten trains still runs with delays, which means there is still room for improvement.”

When Network Rail took over responsibility for rail infrastructure from Railtrack in 2002, punctuality was less than 79 per cent. It dipped sharply at the beginning of the decade when speed restrictions were brought in after the Hatfield rail crash in October 2000. The company cut costs successfully but has also benefited from increased government funding, with the proportion of rail costs funded by the taxpayer rising from 30 per cent in the second half of the 1990s to 40 to 50 per cent since 2000.

Network Rail consumed three times as much subsidy last year as British Rail did.

According to Network Rail, the best-performing company last year was the Southend operator c2c, with 95.3 per cent of trains arriving and departing on time. Chiltern and Merseyrail also reached 95 per cent.

Two companies — Virgin Trains and London Midland — recorded significantly worse punctuality figures after their networks suffered serious disruption from the £9 billion West Coast Main Line upgrade, which was completed in December. Only 80 per cent of Virgin trains were on time, down from 86.2 per cent last year. London Midland slipped from 88.9 per cent last year to 86.5 per cent in the latest results.

The biggest year-on-year improvement was made by First Great Western, whose punctuality rose from 83.1 per cent in 2007-08 to 90.5 per cent in 2008-09.


Record number of trains 'on time'

BBC
Page last updated at 11:56 GMT, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 12:56 UK

Nine out of 10 trains ran on time over the last year - the highest proportion since records began in 1992, Network Rail has said.

A total of 90.6% of trains were on time in the year to March 2009, and April saw a monthly record of 93.5%.

In 2002, when Network Rail took over responsibility for rail infrastructure, punctuality was less than 79%.

The TSSA union called the figures "spin", saying they had been better under a nationalised rail service.

According to Network Rail, the best performing train company was C2C, operating on the London to Tilbury and Southend lines, which ran 95.3% of its trains on time.

Chiltern and Merseyrail also reached the 95% mark.

Virgin Trains and London Midland performed worse in 2008/9 than in the previous year due to disruption caused by the West Coast Main Line upgrade.

Only eight out of 10 Virgin trains were punctual in 2008/9, compared with 86.2% the previous year.

London Midland slipped from 88.9% to 86.5%.

'Even higher levels'

A train is considered to have arrived on time if it reaches its destination within five minutes of the timetabled arrival time for commuter services and within 10 minutes for long-distance services.

Network Rail said this measure was used throughout Europe.

Network Rail's operations and customer service director, Robin Gisby, said passengers were experiencing the most punctual train service ever provided on Britain's railways.

"But we are far from complacent and realise that passengers still experience some delays, albeit less often than in times past.

"Our focus in the years ahead will be to drive performance to even higher levels with particular attention given to reducing the number of very late services."

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said: "Passengers will welcome today's news of improvements to punctuality.

"However, Network Rail still has a long way to go. While punctuality has improved, we need to see action taken to improve capacity and give rail passengers better value for money."

Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker said: "Any improvement in punctuality is to be welcomed but passengers mustn't be hoodwinked by these results.

"It's not good enough to simply record that half a million trains were within five minutes of their schedule. On time should mean on time."

The Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc) said the achievement was significant as it was running one million more timetabled trains last year than British Rail did just before privatisation.

Alec McTavish, Atoc's director of policy and operations, said the priority now was to narrow the differences in performance across different services.

Gerry Doherty, leader of TSSA, said: "These figures are just spin and poppycock.

"They do not begin to compare with the old British Rail (BR) figures before privatisation in 1996," he added.

"The old InterCity services regularly reported punctuality figures of 92% and the biggest part of BR, Southern, regularly reported figures of 95% during the early 1990s."

Ashwin Kumar, director of the transport users watchdog, Passenger Focus, said one in 10 trains runs with delays, meaning there was still room for improvement.

He added that the industry must get better at providing passengers with information and telling passengers about the compensation owed.

COMPANY BREAKDOWN

c2c Rail - 95.3%
Chiltern - 95.2%
Merseyrail - 95%
Arriva Trains Wales - 93.1%
South West Trains - 93.1%
London Overground - 92.3%
First Capital Connect - 91.1%
First Scotrail - 90.6%
National Express East Anglia - 90.5%
First Great Western - 90.5%
First Transpennine Express - 90.3%
CrossCountry - 90.1%
Southeastern - 90%
Northern Rail - 89.8%
Southern - 89.5%
East Midlands Trains - 89.3%
National Express East Coast - 86.9%
London Midland - 86.5%
Virgin Trains - 80%

And then the bad news:


Rail passengers face increase in delays after funding shortfall

Train passengers face an increase in delays and disruptions because of a funding row between Network Rail and a Government quango.


By David Millward, Transport Editor
Telegraph
Last Updated: 7:15AM BST 27 May 2009

Network Rail, in charge of railway infrastructure, has shelved more than a quarter of its track renewal programme after being ordered to make cost savings of just under £3 billion by the Office of Rail Regulation.

The postponements could lead to an increase in unscheduled delays and cancellations, as the decaying infrastructure will be more vulnerable.

In addition, putting off the work means piecemeal repairs will drag on for longer.

According to the RMT rail union, at least 200 miles of track renewals have been put on hold as part of Network Rail's decision to defer 28 per cent of its programme.

Other cuts taken in this financial year are understood to include signal maintenance and inspections.

Further disruption is certain to anger passengers already unhappy at paying the highest fares in Europe as well as train operators who have to bear the brunt of their frustration.

"It is a bit like putting up some polythene when you have a roof which has sprung a leak and hoping that you can get away with it," a senior railway industry executive said.

The decision to delay some of the renewal spending follows months of haggling between Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) over the railway budget for the next five years.

The union claimed that the cuts could be putting passengers at risk. "Railways are the safest form of travel, but we need to keep it that way," said Bob Crow, the union's general secretary.

"No amount of spin can disguise the hard reality that Network Rail is under a huge financial squeeze and has shelved nearly a third of the track renewals projects it had already scheduled for this year."

One industry expert, not normally sympathetic to left wing union leaders, accused Network Rail of giving Bob Crow an "open goal", while another said: "If you cut spending in this area by 30 per cent there is bound to be some risk to the integrity of the infrastructure."

Theresa Villiers, the Conservatives' transport spokesman, said: "Yet again passengers are paying the price for ministers' failure to get a grip on the costs of the rail industry.

"Network Rail's costs are spiralling out of control and this is rebounding on the quality of service the passenger is getting."

Network Rail has faced criticism for its stewardship of track infrastructure in recent years, especially in the West Country where its performance came under attack from the rail regulator.

However a spokesman defended the decision to shelve a slice of its maintenance programme, insisting the majority would still go ahead as planned and the company was seeking other savings.

"These renewals will bring £4bn of improvements to the railway. Network Rail has a duty to its funders to secure best value and so we have challenged our contractors to provide us with more value for money also."

Last year Network Rail was fined £14 million by the ORR for the fiasco which engulfed the network when it failed to complete engineering works on the West Coast Main Line, Glasgow and at the entrance to Liverpool Street station on time. The fiasco disrupted the return to work of more than quarter of a million passengers at the turn of last year.

Despite further high-profile problems this January, the company cites improved punctuality statistics as evidence of its overall performance.

Iain Coucher, Network Rail's chief executive, has tried to defuse the latest row by promising to use fewer replacement buses in future, relying on diversions to ensure that passengers can make their journey by train.

The company has also promised to build alternative track alongside that which is being worked upon in order to minimise disruption.

However, the moves come against a backgroup of above-inflation fare rises. In January commuters, whose ticket prices are capped by the Government, were hit with increases of some six per cent.

Other fares have risen by far more in recent months. National Express, for example imposed some 11 per cent rises as well as announcing a £2.50 seat reservation charge.

A recent survey of passenger opinion showed that they give considerable importance to reliability and punctuality of their train service and there are fears that recent improvements could now be put at risk.

The latest figures showed more than nine out of 10 trains arriving on time over the past year, the best since the industry started collating punctuality statistics in 1992.