Published Article

HeadlineTrain services have gone from bad to worse, Labour says

Short Headline A passenger train is cancelled every 90 seconds, Labour claims

StandfirstTransport minister Huw Merriman replied “I just do not agree with that assertion”

Labour accused the Government of not fulfilling their plans to reform the railways, saying it’s the worst statistics on record.

Shadow transport minister Stephen Morgan says “in the five years since the Government first admitted that reform of our railways was needed, passenger services have gone from bad to worse.’

With the Transport Secretary openly admitting that any reforms this side of an election are unlikely, does the minister understand why passengers have given up on this Government doing anything to improve their rail experience?”

But the government has accused the Opposition of pursuing a “failed old policy” of nationalisation.

Transport minister Huw Merriman replied: “I just do not agree with that assertion” before arguing that passenger numbers have doubled post-privatisation, adding: “We’ve seen £100 billion invested in the railways by this Government since 2010.”

He highlights that in March “70% of trains were running on time, 2.9% cancellations.”