Southeastern cancels over 20 services one day after being named UK's worst rail franchise

The rail service has called their customer satisfaction ratings a 'two-year high'

Passengers experienced up to two hour delays trying to get into London on Southeastern (Getty)

The train service named one of the worst in the country left passengers furious after more than 20 trains were delayed or cancelled just a day after being rated poorly.

Southeastern railway, which - along with Thameslink and Southern railways - has scored lowest for UK customer satisfaction, delayed trains into London for about an hour and a half during the Thursday morning rush hour.

Engineering works which had overrun between Ashford International and the capital left lines without power and caused some passengers to wait for two hours for their commuter carriages, according to the Evening Standard.

Commuters face overcrowding on trains, said the shadow transport minister (MARTIN KING)

The scenario came as services run by Go Ahead, the company which owns Southeastern, saw some of the lowest customer satisfaction ratings in the UK - despite a pay package rise to £2.1 million for its chief excutive, David Brown, and reported profits rising 30.5 per cent.

Southeastern railways said on its website that satisfaction rates between 73 and 78 per cent were a "two year high" which showed that "passengers value the improvements we have been making."

Yet scores of 75 per cent customer satisfaction for Southeastern, 78 per cent for Southern and 73 per cent for Thameslink placed the group at the bottom of rail franchises across the country.

Shadow transport secretary Lilian Greenwood said the "viability" of the franchise needed scrutinising.

"It's outrageous that the train operator is reporting rising profits and awarding huge bonuses while services are deteriorating," she said according to the Evening Standard.

"Commuters are enduring appalling delays and overcrowding and serious questions now need to be asked over the viability of these franchises."

David Statham, managing director of Southeastern rail, said he wanted to work with Network rail to improve the punctuality of trains.

"We realise there is a great deal more work to do to improve our scores," he said in a press statement. He said that £70 million had been invested in better services.

"Our focus is on continuing to make improvements that benefit all our passnegers and working closely with Network Rail to improve the punctuality of our trains."