Whitton Trains saved

12.28.10pm GMT Thu 19th Feb 2004

A threat to cut peak hour train services at Whitton Station has been averted. South West trains had planned to replace 455 sliding door trains by newer 458 trains for two peak hour services and, because the platforms are slightly two short for the 458 trains it was intended that the services would have to be cut. After representations to SW trains though the London Transport Users Committee the decision was rescinded and there is no longer a threat to the service.

Vincent Cable MP said that he was "delighted that passenger pressure had worked. Whitton commuters have to put up with a low quality station and a poor off peak and weekend service, these cuts would have been intolerable."

The annual report of the London Transport Users Committee also shows that last year SW trains had the worst punctuality performance of any London suburban operator with 26.6% of trains more then five minutes late (the London and South East average is 19.4%).

Vince Cable said "local commuters know only too well that the train services are very erratic. One in four fails to arrive on time. This is worse than before the Hatfield crash. The problem I have in holding the rail company to account is that it is never clear where the fault lies with the operating

company- because of rolling stock problems or train crew shortages- or Network Rail. We are still living with the confusion of muddled lines of accountability, created by a botched privatisation a decade ago.