Most train companies getting worse

The majority of train companies ran fewer services on time last month than in January 2010 despite milder conditions at the start of this year, according to latest figures.

Only eight of the 19 companies improved their punctuality in January 2011, with East Coast - now being run in the public sector - having a trains-on-time figure 8.8% poorer than in snow-hit January 2010.

Overall, the companies ran 90.3% of trains on time last month - an improvement on the January 2010 figure of 89.5% and well up on the December 2010 performance, which was badly affected by this winter's early-season snowfall.

The figures, from Network Rail (NR), covered the period from January 9 to February 5 this year.

East Coast - being run on behalf of the Department for Transport before a return to the private sector - was the worst-performing company in this period, operating only 80.9% of trains on time.

The best-performing company last month was the Transport for London-managed London Overground which achieved a trains-on-time figure of 96.4%.

The company improving most was Virgin Trains with a punctuality figure on its West Coast services of 86.9% - a 9% rise on its January 2010 performance.

NR operations and customer services director Robin Gisby said: "It is good to see train performance bounce back and start to recover to the high levels passengers, and our customers, have come to expect.

"While this is good news, our focus remains on bringing all train operators up to the level of the very best performers and we are re-focusing our efforts, in partnership with the train operators, to improve the level of service experienced on the East Coast Main Line."