Merseyrail service is best in UK

Nov 26 2009 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

MERSEYRAIL has been named as the most punctual train service in the country – at least this autumn – with nearly 97% of trains running on time.

Network Rail have revealed figures that show 90.2% of all trains nationally ran on time in the period October 18 to November 14 – the first time a 90% figure has been recorded during an autumnal four-week period, and comparing with 87.6% for the same period in 2008.

And the best performer this autumn was Merseyrail, which ran 96.4% of trains on time, while First TransPennine Express had the biggest improvement, jumping more than 8% to 91.3%.

The worst-performing company was west coast main line operator Virgin Trains.

London commuter train company First Capital Connect (FCC), which has had to introduce a reduced timetable, due to driver shortages in recent weeks, was one of only two companies where punctuality fell this autumn.

FCC ran 86.8% of trains on time from October 18 to November 14 compared with 88% in the same period last year. Punctuality also declined on London Overground.

Merseyrail spokesman Rudi Boersma said: “We’re very happy to be top of the league, but we’re really keen to extend that punctuality across the whole year’s performance.

“We always strive to get better with everything we do – and trains running on time is a basic requirement of that.”