TRAIN operator One is celebrating its best period of performance on punctuality since it won its franchise to run a large share of East Anglian services in 2004.

TRAIN operator One is celebrating its best period of performance on punctuality since it won its franchise to run a large share of East Anglian services in 2004.

More than 90% of its trains were on time for the eighth successive period in the four weeks ending October 13, making it one of the best periods for performance in the past 15 years.

Official figures show that Metro service from Southend/Shenfield to London were 90.6% punctual. However, mainline services from Norwich, Ipswich, Harwich, Clacton, Colchester, Braintree and Chelmsford to London were on time 84.9% of the time.

The Stansted to London route enjoyed a 91.9% record on punctuality, while the rural services, covering Ipswich to Cambridge, Peterborough, Lowestoft and Felixstowe, were on time 90.1% of the time.

The company, owned by the National Express Group, said while general trends remained positive, mainline services experienced a less consistent month than usual, due largely to a mix of infrastructure problems, engineering work over-runs and suicides and incidents outside the industry's control, including the eight-hour closure of the route on October 5 due to a fire on the A12.

Extra efforts were being focused on restoring the mainline punctuality levels up to the higher standards usually achieved in recent months, the company said.

“We're glad to be able to record an eighth successive period of punctuality over 90% and a moving annual average up to 88.82%, maintaining the most sustained period of good performance for over seven years,” said One managing director Andrew Chivers.

“Our priority is to maintain these positive trends and ensure that the mainline punctuality results immediately return to the higher levels we have been delivering for most of this year.”