Transport: Rail inquiries answered at last

Passengers have finally managed to get through to the train companies' much-criticised national telephone inquiry service, according to figures released by the rail regulator.

A total of 97.2 per cent of calls were answered by the inquiry service in the four weeks to 6 December, said John Swift QC, the regulator.

This meant that the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc), which has to meet a target of answering 90 per cent of calls, escaped a hefty fine. Atoc, representing all 25 passenger services, had been forced to pay penalties of pounds 250,000 and pounds 100,000 earlier this year.

A spokesman for Mr Swift's office said: "We are pleased the improvement has been maintained and now look to the service performing well over the Christmas period." Last April, only 51 per cent of calls were being answered by the bureaux. The telephone system has problems with dealing with more than 1m calls a week.