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GRIM NEWS FOR TRAIN OPERATOR
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12:00 - 27 September 2005
New figures have revealed that train operator First Great Western has one of the poorest punctuality rates in the country.
The figures, from Network Rail, show that the company ran more than 20 per cent of its services late for the period from July 24 to August 20.
Nationally, companies averaged 87.8 per cent of their services on time but First Great Western managed only 79.4 per cent.
Today the company, which runs services out of Plymouth including the line to London Paddington, defended its record, saying it had been affected by factors for which it was not responsible.
A spokesman said: "This report covers a period when services were disrupted by a number of events outside First Great Western's direct control, including infrastructure problems, a bridge strike and speed restrictions. These all had a negative impact on our performance.
"We've reduced the delays for which we're directly responsible by a third in the last four year, so it's extremely frustrating that our hard work is not reflected in these figures."
He said there were a number of plans to help improve the service's punctuality.
"We are working closely with industry partners to prioritise and resolve performance issues as part of a Joint Performance Improvement Plan," he said.
"Also, we will soon launch an Integrated Control Centre with Network Rail to oversee performance in the region.
"Other actions we've taken include piloting a new High Speed Train engine, the recruitment of additional station and on-train staff and the funding of a civil engineer to assess bridges across the network to reduce the effect of road vehicles striking rail bridges."
The national average for punctuality improved last month and overall 87.8 per cent of trains were on time - up from 81.4 per cent last year. Best-performing companies were London-to-Essex coast operator c2c and Chiltern Railways, which both managed a figure of 95.3 per cent.
Network Rail chief executive John Armitt said: "August's performance has been good and builds on the momentum of the past two years that has seen steady and consistent improvement.
Grim news for train operator
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have some understanding
Dont want to be a kill joy, but one has to have some understanding for FGW. I mean they are in a similar situation to you and i trying to plan a journey along our wonderful road network. You plan it in the utmost detail and then find that some fool has put cones all over the road, then somebody elses transport has broken down and blocked your way. Then you have two screaming kids in the back driving you mad, one itrate wife telling you to go steady, but make sure you get ther on time.
Come on have some understanding, the FGW train leaves BTM, gets to bath, track repairs, moaning wives, moaning husbands, screaming kids, gets to Hungerford, EWS freight broken down, Screaming wives, raging husbands, uncontrolable kids, coming into paddington, signal failure, A riot on board. Have some sympathy would you want to be driving that along, one wife, one husband, two kids is enough, hundreds of them!!
Yes i have sympathy for FGW, who do i blame, the government that fragmented a perfectly good railway system.
The operators must be struggling. O.K. they are not perfect, but before you critisise, tell me is you car in 100% perfect condition, do you check every thing before you start, have you never had a breakdown.
I am not trying to defend anybody here, just trying to point out that the system at the moment is crazy. Its the old expression 'To many cooks spoil the broth'
Come on have some understanding, the FGW train leaves BTM, gets to bath, track repairs, moaning wives, moaning husbands, screaming kids, gets to Hungerford, EWS freight broken down, Screaming wives, raging husbands, uncontrolable kids, coming into paddington, signal failure, A riot on board. Have some sympathy would you want to be driving that along, one wife, one husband, two kids is enough, hundreds of them!!
Yes i have sympathy for FGW, who do i blame, the government that fragmented a perfectly good railway system.
The operators must be struggling. O.K. they are not perfect, but before you critisise, tell me is you car in 100% perfect condition, do you check every thing before you start, have you never had a breakdown.
I am not trying to defend anybody here, just trying to point out that the system at the moment is crazy. Its the old expression 'To many cooks spoil the broth'
I've never had any real problems apart from a few delays caused by signal failures or suicides, and that is nothing to do with FGW!
What pisses most people off is the lack of information...all you have is a computer saying "I am very sorry for the delay to this service", which is infuriating! If people were told it was a suicide then they'd be a lot more understanding, and even if it's a signal or track failure then they'd know it wasn't FGW's fault.
Am I right in assuming Chiltern and C2C are smaller operations running on less crowded lines?
What pisses most people off is the lack of information...all you have is a computer saying "I am very sorry for the delay to this service", which is infuriating! If people were told it was a suicide then they'd be a lot more understanding, and even if it's a signal or track failure then they'd know it wasn't FGW's fault.
Am I right in assuming Chiltern and C2C are smaller operations running on less crowded lines?