State-run trains outperform private sector (embarassment for gov!) [View All]

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/story.jsp?story=594086

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Most embarrassing for the Government, however, is the performance of the state-run South Eastern Trains (SET) franchise, which ministers are determined to re-privatise in the new year. The routes, which run mainly from Kent into London and were taken over by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) from the French group Connex in 2003, have recorded above-average improvements in punctuality for London commuter operators in two successive quarters.

Bob Crow, leader of the RMT rail union, yesterday said it would be "absolute lunacy" to sell it off to the private sector. Punctuality currently stands at 85.1 per cent, up from 79.6 per cent in the same period last year.

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The company with the worst record this summer was Virgin West Coast with a punctuality figure of 71.9 per cent, although this was an improvement on the 65.3 per cent achieved in the same period last year. Virgin had to contend with engineering works associated with a major line upgrade.

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