Media Centre

National Express train operator ‘one’ railway achieves moving annual average punctuality of 90% for the first time

22 Feb 2008

Plan being developed to improve performance further

The annual average punctuality of train services on routes operated by ‘one’, part of National Express Group plc, has now reached 90% - the highest level of the franchise so far and one of the best figures for a large train operator running trains over many routes.

Over the last year 90.10% of services arrived at destination “on time” (within 5 minutes of the published arrival time for all services except intercity services - where the national measure is within 10 minutes).

Official figures (which measure all trains every day) released by the principal train company for the East of England, show that the specific route groups have now achieved the following annual average punctuality levels :

The company has fulfilled the commitment in its Joint Performance Improvement Plan with Network Rail (launched last March) to reach a Moving Annual Average (MAA) of 88% punctuality last summer and then improve still further to reach a MAA of 90% - building on the progress already achieved between April 2004 and March 2007 from 84.96% to 86.94%. As highlighted above, both the West Anglia (92.8%) and Rural (91.9%) routes have now achieved excellent MAA results. The next challenge is to push the Mainline, Metro and Stansted Express annual results over 90%, although there are already positive signs. Over the last 4 week period (to 5 February), the Norwich – Ipswich – Colchester - London intercity services achieved their most punctual period since the start of the franchise so far at 90.5%.

‘one’ and Network Rail are developing plans to maintain the positive trend in train performance and deliver even higher levels of punctuality, building on the success of last year’s Joint Performance Improvement Plan.

Commenting on the performance figures, Andrew Chivers, Managing Director for ‘one’ said:

“We’re glad to be able to report a real improvement in punctuality over the last year up to a Moving Annual Average of 90% - fulfilling our commitment made last year and providing some of the best performance across the region ever recorded.

We know we have more to do to deliver higher standards of performance on a more consistent basis across all our routes, but there has been real, tangible progress over the past 12 months. I would like to thank our employees and those in Network Rail for their work since March 2007 to provide customers with a better service. We will continue to work hard to improve punctuality still further, minimising the occasions when problems do occur and ensuring we handle those incidents more effectively.”

Notes to Editors/Picture desks

For further information about this press release, please ring the ‘one’ Press Office on 0207 549 5966/5965/5964 and ask for Peter Meades, Ellen Rossiter, Jill Casswell or Jonathan Denby. For urgent or out-of-office hours calls, please leave a message by ringing 07623 952612. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

National Express Group PLC is one of the main operators of train franchises in the UK with four rail franchises; c2c, Gatwick Express, National Express East Coast and ‘one’ (including Stansted Express).