Worst train companies to be named and shamed

[styles]

Worst train stations for cancellations named and shamed for first time

Millions of passengers will be able to see cancellation and delay data in train stations.

www.bbc.co.uk

Millions of passengers will see train cancellation and delay data published prominently at over 1,700 railway stations in England from Thursday.

The data will update every 28 days showing statistics for the most recent month in a bid to increase transparency and to hold operators to account.

Between 1 July and 30 September 2024, 4.2% of train services were cancelled and only 67.7% of services were on time, according to the latest data from the rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

The government says performance information will appear on large digital display boards, with smaller stations displaying QR codes for passengers to scan on smartphones.

Close up image of a display board in a train station. The board says cancelled, cancelled, delayed and on time.
Image source,PA
Image caption,
4.2% of train services were cancelled between 1 July and 30 September, latest data from the ORR shows

The BBC understands that the data will not be announced audibly for people with print disabilities but the government says online data will be posted on a new portal which has been made accessible to screen reader users such as those who are blind and visually-impaired.

The concept of publishing train reliability data is not new. The ORR publishes performance statistics which detail the percentage of services that are delayed or cancelled.

However this is the first time that potentially embarrassing information will be proactively presented to millions of English train passengers each day.

It's a move welcomed by the independent passenger watchdog, Transport Focus.

The group's director, Natasha Grice, told the BBC the railway needs to rebuild trust, and transparency around cancellations was part of that.

"Previously, performance information has tended to be available by route or a group of routes. This initiative makes the data more relevant to an individual passenger by showing the numbers for their station," she said.

Jacqueline Starr, chair and chief executive of Rail Delivery Group said the move shows how serious the industry is about putting things right for customers frustrated by cancellations and delays.

The Department for Transport is hailing this as a new era for accountability.

The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander said: "These displays are a step towards rebuilding trust with passengers using our railways, as we continue to tackle the root causes of frustrating delays and cancellations."

This also forms part of a wider overhaul of the country's railways under the government's planned return to nationalisation under Great British Railways.

"Through fundamental rail reform, we're sweeping away decades of dysfunctionality," Ms Alexander said.

The government says the industry has set out a framework with "clear areas of focus", "timetable resilience", and staffing to "recover performance to acceptable levels".

The rail minister will be meeting with all train operators to "address concerns and demand immediate action".

Not really sure what the goal is here. They say more transparency, but that's a means to an end really. Passenger satisfaction is hardly likely to improve based on being reminded about poor reliability. Eequally, the operators aren't exactly causing delays and cancellations on purpose. I also wonder if they'll split out where the fault was attributed - e.g. Network Rail vs the operator (not that it makes much difference to most passengers).

 

[TUC]

I often see cancellation and punctuality statistics at stations. Isn't this already published?

 

[styles]

I often see cancellation and punctuality statistics at stations. Isn't this already published?

I assume it's voluntary at the moment. The article also states that currently performance stats are usually by route, whereas this would be by station.

 

[Snow1964]

DfT version which is headlined

New era of rail accountability for passengers as performance data goes live at stations​

Transport minister to visit Reading today to launch the displays

Passengers across England can now see how reliable their local train services are, as performance data goes live at over 1,700 stations from today (6 March 2025).

The data, broken down by operator, shows the percentage of trains cancelled and how punctual trains are at each station, marking the first time that station-level data has been available in the history of the railway. It is now live at major stations through digital screens, where possible, and at most smaller stations, passengers will be able to scan a QR code to see the data online.

This fulfils a commitment made by the department to be fully transparent with passengers, demonstrating how the railways are working and allowing the public to hold train operators to account as we bring services into public ownership.

As well as delivering more reliable, better-quality services, these reforms will catalyse economic growth through improved connectivity, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change. By holding operators to account, they will be encouraged to drive up efficiency and productivity – providing better value for money for passengers and driving forward the government’s growth mission by delivering better connectivity.

The government is determined to drive up performance, and the Rail Minister is meeting with all train operators to address concerns and demand immediate action. In response, the industry has set out a framework with clear areas of focus, including timetable resilience and staffing, to recover performance to acceptable levels.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, will visit Reading station today to mark the launch of the displays.

New era of rail accountability for passengers as performance data goes live at stations

Display screens at stations will help rebuild trust with passengers as we tackle root causes of rail delays and cancellations.

www.gov.uk

 

[RGM654]

Are not a lot of the delays and cancellations due to shortages of personnel or rolling stock, and are not those in turn partly caused by DfT? I wonder also what the intended purpose is. Is it to discourage passengers from using the railway?

 

[74A]

Before we had delay repay we had the passenger charter. Season ticket holders would get a discount if punctuality and reliability fell below a certain level.

Monthly performance statistics would be prominently displayed at every station. 5% or 10% discount on renewal of your season ticket if train performance fell below a certain level.

Since delay repay for individual journeys this has no longer been shown. So the government want this information to be displayed as before.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The new performance screens/posters appear to apply just to England.
Though two stations in the ORR top ten for cancellations in January (listed in the BBC item) are in Wales.
The top station for cancellations (22.8%) is Ince & Elton (between Ellesmere Port and Helsby), whose few trains are run by government-run Northern.

 

[SirAlf]

How about statistics on overcrowding as well? That’s you, Cross Country, that I’m looking at

 

[1D54]

Another pointless exercise but at least it will give the punters something to read as they await their delayed service for the umpteenth time this year. All it will do is lead to more buck passing and achieve nothing.

 

[GatwickDepress]

I'm sure the electronic display manufacturers are thrilled with this. Not sure anyone else will care.

 

[BlueLeanie]

If you want to manage performance, punish the TOC by forcing a 20% fare reduction for 90 days and ban bonuses for the leadership for 12 months.

 

[Harpo]

Maybe the DfT could extend it’s desire for transparency by showing which of these companies issues stem from DfT micromanagement?

Thought not.

 

[Tw99]

Maybe the DfT could extend it’s desire for transparency by showing which of these companies issues stem from DfT micromanagement?

Thought not.

Quite.

 

[43066]

Worst train stations for cancellations named and shamed for first time

Millions of passengers will be able to see cancellation and delay data in train stations.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not really sure what the goal is here. They say more transparency, but that's a means to an end really. Passenger satisfaction is hardly likely to improve based on being reminded about poor reliability. Eequally, the operators aren't exactly causing delays and cancellations on purpose. I also wonder if they'll split out where the fault was attributed - e.g. Network Rail vs the operator (not that it makes much difference to most passengers).

Presumably to tackle a perception of unaccountability/lack of transparency that they believe exists. I’m not sure how useful stats by station as opposed to by route are, though.

If you want to manage performance, punish the TOC by forcing a 20% fare reduction for 90 days and ban bonuses for the leadership for 12 months.

It has been pointed out many times that, as TOCs don’t take revenue risk, this wouldn't punish them at all. However it would punish the taxpayer, who would have to make up the shortfall in revenue.

 

[Snow1964]

ORR data now published this morning
covers Oct - Dec

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/p41ee2qs/performance_stats_release_2024-25_q3.pdf

just 62.1% on time (got worse)
5.1% cancelled (over 1 in 20 trains)

table 4.2 has punctuality by operator, Avanti is worst at feeble 35.6%

table 4.3 Cross Country worst for cancellations at 10.1%
table 4.5 (including p-code) Northern worst for canx 11.5%

statistically therefore anyone using these operators for 5 return journeys will have at least one train cancelled which can be interpreted as only an idiot should commute by rail with them as hopelessly unreliable.

table 4.3 is headed reliability improved for most operators (which is only true if include open access), but excluding open access is 9 improved, 10 worse.
.

 

[ThirteenArches]

The BBC report concentrates on the "naming and shaming" of stations. I wonder how many trains were cancelled by the stations? Ince & Elton appears to be 2 platforms, each with an open- fronted shelter, a tiny car park and unstaffed, there's no one there to cancel a train. Logically, one would have thought that if it gets trains cancelled, all the other stations on that route (where it's a single operator) should have the same figure.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The aim is probably to roll the pitch for "underperforming" private operators to be "nationalised".
Blaming the TOCs hides the problems Network Rail faces with its infrastructure, often the underlying causes of delay and cancellation, and also hides DfT decisions on resourcing the TOCs.

Peter Hendy has recently said one serious problem is the national shortage of drivers.
That won't be fixed in a hurry.

 

[Halwynd]

Blimey, it's a new low for the railway when the rail minister launches an advertising initiative to remind passengers just how bad their service is.

If something is poor or broken you want to give your customers a positive message by telling them what you are doing, or going to do, to put it right.

 

[MikeWM]

I often see cancellation and punctuality statistics at stations. Isn't this already published?

A lot of the posters - that actually had this information written down for anyone to read - seem to have been replaced fairly recently with posters saying 'scan this QR code to find out this information' which (a) quite a number of people can't do, and (b) most people probably aren't going to do. Which is a big step backwards from just being able to read the poster while waiting for a train.

 

[ollyexe2808]

Blimey, it's a new low for the railway when the rail minister launches an advertising initiative to remind passengers just how bad their service is.

If something is poor or broken you want to give your customers a positive message by telling them what you are doing, or going to do, to put it right.

If I understand from the press release, this is being done:
"The screens also display a short commentary on work underway by the operators and Network Rail to improve performance, informing and assuring passengers of the ongoing work across their area to improve the reliability and efficiency of services."

Although, as others have suggested, I am not really sure what this is trying to achieve. A better use of resources would be to pivot away from generalised statistics to local statistics that look at current delays or changes to routes on the day like those done for TfL services (major/minor delays to routes, timing updates etc).

 

[REO Nate]

It would be nice if they reflected on whether the cancellations were caused by the train company, or an external factor such as infrastructure failures. Its no use naming and shaming if the responsibility isn't the train companies fault.

 

[12LDA28C]

If you want to manage performance, punish the TOC by forcing a 20% fare reduction for 90 days and ban bonuses for the leadership for 12 months.

Great idea. How would that be fair, if the vast majority of delays were caused by infrastructure failure, or other circumstances beyond the TOC's control for example?

 

[Ivor]

Are not a lot of the delays and cancellations due to shortages of personnel or rolling stock, and are not those in turn partly caused by DoT? I wonder also what the intended purpose is. Is it to discourage passengers from using the railway?

There have been ongoing issues re cancellations/delays for some years now on the Sussex routes to London because of signalling issues especially around the Gatwick area that never seem to get fully resolved.

 

[Oxfordblues]

If it's to be proportionate we must be careful with the statistics. So if there's a 15-minute frequency a cancellation might be a minor irritation but if the Stockport-Stalybridge is cancelled that's 100% cancellations all week!

 

[styles]

The aim is probably to roll the pitch for "underperforming" private operators to be "nationalised".
Blaming the TOCs hides the problems Network Rail faces with its infrastructure, often the underlying causes of delay and cancellation, and also hides DfT decisions on resourcing the TOCs.

Aren't they all (except open access operators) being nationalised anyway? Admittedly when their contract runs out, but the government has nationalised underperforming operators enough in thepast few years that I doubt they'd need to be publicising reliability stats to passengers at stations in order to justify it.

 

[GordonT]

The BBC report concentrates on the "naming and shaming" of stations. I wonder how many trains were cancelled by the stations? Ince & Elton appears to be 2 platforms, each with an open- fronted shelter, a tiny car park and unstaffed, there's no one there to cancel a train. Logically, one would have thought that if it gets trains cancelled, all the other stations on that route (where it's a single operator) should have the same figure.

Ludicrous to attribute cancellations to individual stations together with the insinuation that cancellations affecting Ince & Elton have equal impact as each cancellation at (say) London Waterloo.

 

[12LDA28C]

Aren't they all (except open access operators) being nationalised anyway? Admittedly when their contract runs out, but the government has nationalised underperforming operators enough in thepast few years that I doubt they'd need to be publicising reliability stats to passengers at stations in order to justify it.

And yet so-called 'nationalisation' is being pushed as some sort of miracle cure for all the railway's failings which anyone with an ounce of insight can see is clearly nonsense.

 

[styles]

And yet so-called 'nationalisation' is being pushed as some sort of miracle cure for all the railway's failings which anyone with an ounce of insight can see is clearly nonsense.

I don't disagree. I don't believe this new policy has anything to do with nationalisation though.

 

[Wandering Shee]

The new performance screens/posters appear to apply just to England.
Though two stations in the ORR top ten for cancellations in January (listed in the BBC item) are in Wales.
The top station for cancellations (22.8%) is Ince & Elton (between Ellesmere Port and Helsby), whose few trains are run by government-run Northern.

Actually three stations in the ORR top ten for cancellations are in Wales - Birchgrove, Rhiwbina and Whitchurch (Cardiff), all on the Coryton line in Cardiff.

That line was dire when I used it - or tried to use it - to get to work 20-odd years ago. Trains were only every half an hour (as they still are), so cancellations, late trains and non-stop running to Coryton on the way up often meant lengthy delays. Indeed the line, and the bus services that ran anywhere near my work, were so bad that it was actually quicker for me to walk the 4 miles there and the 4 miles back.

It doesn't sound as though it's much better now.

 

[styles]

Actually three stations in the ORR top ten for cancellations are in Wales - Birchgrove, Rhiwbina and Whitchurch (Cardiff), all on the Coryton line in Cardiff.

That line was dire when I used it - or tried to use it - to get to work 20-odd years ago. Trains were only every half an hour (as they still are), so cancellations, late trains and non-stop running to Coryton on the way up often meant lengthy delays. Indeed the line, and the bus services that ran anywhere near my work, were so bad that it was actually quicker for me to walk the 4 miles there and the 4 miles back.

It doesn't sound as though it's much better now.

I think the screens/posters themselves are specific to England, rather than the statistics. According to the DfT press release anyway. Not sure why.