14.03.17
Two in five TOCs record significant delays on over 5% of services
Almost 40% of operators in England and Wales have recorded significant delays of over half an hour, or cancellation altogether, on 5% or more of their services in the latest period, Network Rail figures have shown.
Statistics for period 12, which spans from 5 February to 4 March, revealed that eight of the 21 operators have seen a substantial amount of their rail services plagued by cancellation and significant lateness (CaSL). This figure is recorded when a train is cancelled either at origin or en route, the originating station is changed, it fails to make a stop or is over half an hour late to its termination station.
Some operators, such as Govia Thameslink, Virgin Trains West Coast and First Hull, recorded a CaSL figure over 7% – with the latter being as high as 7.9%.
These also proved to be considerable jumps from their performance last year: in period 12 during 2015-16, First Hull saw 4.7% of its services delayed or cancelled, whilst Govia saw 5.5% (compared to 7.2% this year) and Virgin Trains West Coast saw a mere 3.5% (compared to 7.4% this year).
Other operators that recorded CaSL figures of 5% or more included CrossCountry (6%), TransPennine Express (6.1%), Grand Central (6.7%), London Midland (5%) and Virgin Trains East Coast (5.8%).
Overall, the 21 operators saw an average of 4% of services delayed or cancelled, compared to 3.2% in period 12 last year. The best performing TOC was Heathrow Express, with a CaSL of just 0.9% – a welcome drop from last year’s 2.4%.
Separately, this period’s public performance measure (PPM) figure for all operators, this time including Scottish TOCs, was of 88.8%, a slight dip from last year’s 89.1%. This was, however, an improvement from the PPM figure in period 11, during which operators averaged out at 87.9%.
Once again, the worst-performing TOC – and the only company with a PPM of under 80% – was Govia Thameslink, standing at 78.5%.
(Top image c. Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)