Baker: Passengers mustn’t be hoodwinked by Network Rail figures

Tue, 26 May 2009

Reaction to the Network Rail’s announcement that 90% of trains were ‘punctual’ in the last year, Norman Baker warned passengers not to be hoodwinked.

Reaction to the Network Rail's announcement that 90% of trains were ‘punctual' in the last year, Norman Baker warned passengers not to be hoodwinked.

"Any improvement in punctuality is to be welcomed but passengers mustn't be hoodwinked by these results."

Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary "The industry considers that anything up to five minutes late, and in some cases even 10 minutes, is still on time. Many passengers will have a different view."

Figures released to the Liberal Democrats earlier this year by the Association of Train Operating Companies showed that between January 2008 and January 2009:

• More than 21,000 trains were more than half an hour late
• Almost 3,000 trains were more than one hour late
• 144,000 trains were either completely or partially cancelled
• In total trains were delayed for almost 100,000 hours

Norman concluded, "It's not good enough to simply record that half a million trains were within five minutes of their schedule. On time should mean on time."