09.12.13
‘Huge disparities’ in UK rail networks
Welsh rail services are performing less well than the national average, new research suggests.
The Campaign for Better Transport report, Benchmarking Rail Services Across Great Britain, was conducted by consultants Credo and compares networks based on growth and usage, quality of service and network accessibility.
While London, the North West and West Midlands were found to be performing well, the East of England and the North East networks were described as “relatively sparse”, meaning services remain inaccessible to many.
The Welsh railway also performed significantly less well in usage, accessibility and passenger satisfaction.
The report calls for each region to develop a plan for their rail links; considering strategies for governance, passenger satisfaction, growth, integration and investment.
Stephen Joseph, chief executive, Campaign for Better Transport said: “The research exposes the huge disparities in the quality of train services across the country.
“Importantly, it suggests the answer is to give local administrations more control over their rail networks. By devolving more decision making we can make full use of local knowledge and target investment where it will bring the biggest benefits.”
Peter Wilkinson, director of franchising, Department for Transport said: “Credo's study raises important issues about the relative performance of the rail industry across the UK. There are challenges for all regions in improving the performance of our railways. We, the industry and local government must consider how we best work together to tackle the issues this report raises.”
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