2019 looks to be another difficult year for both passengers and the rail industry, with further significant timetable changes planned, increased amounts of maintenance work and large improvement projects rolling out.
The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee is predicting a repeat of 2018 which saw the failed introduction of a new timetable in May resulted in Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern not running 780 trains on average each day, equivalent to one in ten trains, and other services being significantly delayed and overcrowded.
The Committee says that The Department for Transport’s management of this franchise and the railway continues to be characterised by cost overruns, project delays and disruption.
There is not enough transparency about the service improvements that passengers can expect and the levels of profit that rail companies can make.
The Department still has a way to go to achieve the joint working needed between Network Rail and train operating companies to ensure that infrastructure works are properly planned and scheduled and disruption is minimised.
Passengers with disabilities continue to be let down by the Department and the rail industry. It is not good enough that the Department does not know if passengers with disabilities are getting the support they need.
Meg Hillier, the Labour Chair of the Commitee said:
2018 was a year from hell for many rail users and unless the Government gets a grip there is every chance that passengers will suffer in 2019 as well. The ‘root and branch’ review will report later in 2019 and must then be implemented, so passengers have some time to wait for any improvements arising from its recommendations.
“Crucially, the Department for Transport did not ensure that those responsible for the railway were clear about their roles and were working together effectively. The result has been misery for passengers, who in many cases have had no viable alternative but to endure repeatedly delayed and cancelled services.
“The Department for Transport must set out clear governance and accountability structures for the rail system, and move swiftly to provide other important information.
“For example, poor performance on the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise has been well-documented. Yet still we don’t know what level of profit the operator, GTR, can expect to earn – nor what tangible benefits passengers can expect to see from the £15 million GTR must spend on improvements.
“The Department must provide clarity on this, and similarly on when passengers will see the improvements they were promised from the failed East Coast franchise.
“We also expect the Department to explain how it will improve its monitoring of train and station operators to ensure the railway is made more accessible for all.”
