Tackling West Coast punctuality
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Despite travelling on our modern trains, customers are too often subject to delays.
The Office of Rail Regulation has strongly criticised Network Rail for failing to meet punctuality targets. For performance failures on long-distance routes Network Rail is facing fines of up to £75 million. We are keen that fines of this kind should be spent on initiatives that bring direct benefit to customers rather than being removed from the rail environment by being paid to the Treasury.
In addition, Virgin Rail Group (the owning group of Virgin Trains) is preparing enforcement action specific to the West Coast Mainline. This action is a result of the sustained poor performance by Network Rail on the West Coast, which VRG believes is a breach of contract and has deterred some customers from travelling, and damaged our business.
Punctuality in context| Network Rail has missed targets agreed with Virgin Trains over the last two years, and punctuality stands at 85.7 percent in the most recent four-weekly period ending 25 May, against a target of 88 percent. More than 70 percent of delays are a result of Network Rail infrastructure issues, with fewer than 15 percent caused by Virgin Trains problems. The remaining delays are caused by other freight and passenger operators. |
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