Train punctuality reaches record high

LEAD

EAST Anglia's two main rail operators saw punctuality improve over the past year as the number of trains arriving on time in Britain's railways reached a record annual high.

In the year to 30 May 2009, 90.8% of services across Britain arrived punctually, the highest level of train punctuality since comparable records began almost 20 years ago

Network Rail published its second monthly report on train performance, a regular four weekly round-up of how trains across all the franchises on Britain's railways are performing.

Period 2, May 3 to 30 2009, saw 93.4% (91.7% last year) of services across the country arrive on time with 16 of the 19 train operators seeing improvement compared to the same period last year.

The two main operators in East Anglia both saw punctuality improve, with National Express East Anglia jumping two full percentage points to 94.3% (92.3% last year) whilst c2c recorded one of the best months ever for any operator with 97% of trains arriving on time (96.7% last year).

East Midlands Trains, which operates services from Norwich to Liverpool, saw the biggest rise of any train operator up 6.3% to 93.5% (87.2% last year).

Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail Anglia route director, said: "Passengers across the network are reaping the real benefits of a high performing, punctual railway. As we continue to invest in the railway in Anglia ahead of the Olympic Games in 2012 and beyond we will continue to work closely with the train operators to find ways to improve punctuality further still.”

Over a million more trains per year run on the rail network today compared to the days of Railtrack and British Rail, Network Rail said.

Only three operators saw performance dip, and all still delivered significantly above average performance. First Scotrail to 92.4% from 93.7%, First Capital Connect to 92.3% from 93% and Merseyrail to 96.9% from 97%.