First Great Western was slightly better than average |
A third of trains are running late – rising to more than half among the worst performers - when judged against tougher Government-backed ‘real time’ punctuality targets, damning new figures reveal.
More than half Virgin Trains and Cross Country services fail to arrive on time when allowed just 59 seconds leeway from the timetabled schedule to qualify as being punctual.
This strict ‘right time’ measures contrasts with what ministers say is the more ‘dishonest’ measure favoured by the rail industry. This classes short-distance services as being ‘on time’ if they arrive within five minutes of the scheduled time. Long-distance services are officially on time if they arrive within 10 minutes.
Nationally, under the stricter 59-second rule, nearly three out of ten trains (27.7 per cent) ran late with just over seven out of ten (72.3per cent) on time from April 1 to 27.
More than four out of ten (42 per cent) long-distance services were late with only six out of ten (58per) cent on time in April.
In London and south-east England more than a quarter of services (27.3 per cent) of services were late with nearly three-quarters (72.7%) on time.
For regional services including Scotland a quarter (25.3 per cent) were late with three quarters (74.7per cent) on time.
Network Rail’s 59-second figures also revealed punctuality for each train company for the 12-month period ending on April 27.
Cross Country and East Coast are poor performers |
First ScotRail (59.8per cent) and state-run East Coast (60.9per cent).