Arriva Trains Wales has announced that they have been awarded the most reliable right time train operator in the UK for 2017.
This is after 13,000 more Arriva Trains Wales trains arrived on time.
The latest figures from Network Rail have shown that Arriva Trains Wales achieved an annual ‘Right Time' average of 82.8% in 2017.
2016 saw Arriva Trains Wales served 259,812 right time services. 2017 has seen the train operator deliver 272,926 right time services, an increase of around 5%.
Arriva Trains Wales now operates more than 1,000 train services a day across Wales and the borders. This is the highest level of services since the 1960s.
Punctuality is currently measured on the “Public Performance Measure” (PPM) and “Right Time”. PPM measures the arrival at a destination within 5 minutes of the advertised time or 10 minutes for longer journeys. Using this measure, Arriva Trains Wales finished 7th with a 92.4% average for the year. Right Time measuring means reaching the train's destination within 59 seconds of the advertised time.
What did the officials say?
Arriva Trains Wales Managing Director Tom Joyner said “We're delighted to finish the year as the best right time operator in the UK which is thanks to the tireless efforts of our people and those of our close partners in Network Rail. Customers and communities are at the heart of the service we provide in Wales and the borders, so to give them as efficient and reliable a service as possible is an absolute priority. This year has seen a lot of challenges and changes for Wales, from being battered by multiple storms to hosting one of the biggest sporting events in the world, with the UEFA Champions League Final coming to Cardiff.
He added “Our engineers are real heroes too, with the age of our rolling stock being a constant challenge for them in order to maintain our comparatively high standards of punctuality. There has been some major investment in infrastructure by Network Rail including the £300 million CASR project. We also saw a major timetable change in May, helping us run more services daily than ever before. But despite these challenges and changes, we've delivered consistently good right time performance throughout the year compared to the rest of the UK rail industry and there is a lot more to come in 2018.”
Andy Thomas, route managing director for Network Rail in Wales and Borders, said: “We are delighted to have supported Arriva Trains Wales in being the best ‘Right Time' train operator in 2017. Enhancements completed last year as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan –such as the major improvement to signaling equipment in Cardiff and the new platform 8 – and the current North Wales Railway Upgrade project, improve the resilience and reliability of the railway, better connecting people, businesses, and communities. We will continue working closely in partnership with train operating companies so as to deliver safe, reliable, affordable and a growing railway for passengers across Wales and Borders.”
- Visit the Arriva Trains Wales Website
For more information
You must be joking!! I’m getting truly fed up of the Birmingham to Aberystwyth train running late…. and then, as if somehow they’re doing the passengers a favour, they advise us that because we’re running late the train is terminating at Machynlleth and they’re putting on a replacement bus service. Happened on Monday this week and the conductor can’t guarantee it won’t be happening again this evening. Roll on the new operator – can’t be any worse than this.
And c2c are the best train operator in South Essex. Congratulations Arriva Trains Wales.