RENDEL DEMANDS ACTION ON RAIL DELAYS

6.13.59pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 31st Mar 2005

David Rendel MP has written to the Managing Director of First Great Western to raise local people's concerns about the increase in delays, and deterioration in the timetable.

New figures reveal a shocking decline in the punctuality of West Berkshire's rail services.

19.5% of First Great Western and 16.8% of First Great Western Link (formerly Thames) trains were delayed in 2004 (the equivalent figures in 1996-97 were 9.6% and 6.3% respectively)

In 1996-97 the national average was 8.9%. In 2004 it was 16%.

Commenting, David Rendel MP said:

"A number of local people have contacted me to complain about local rail services. It is completely unacceptable that nearly a fifth of First Great Western's trains are delayed - well above the national average. Meanwhile, many passengers (especially around Kintbury and Hungerford) have found that the new timetable is much less convenient."

A survey by local commuter, Ms Lucy Crawford, among her fellow passengers has shown just how bad the delays have become.

Nationally, passengers have effectively lost a total of over 12,000 years on delayed trains since Labour came to office at a cost of £1 billion to the nation's economy.

ENDS.

Note: The figures quoted above are taken from the 1996-1997 Opraf Annual Report (Strategic Rail Authority) and the SRA's National Rail Trends Report.