2002-03-11 South Central franchise to get 700 new carriages (The Go-Ahead Group)

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date 18 March 2002
source ATOC
type Press release

The Association of Train Operating (ATOC) today said train performance for the period October to December last year was poor.

ATOC Director General, George Muir, said: "Train performance during the critical autumn period is known to dip around 10 per cent because of poor adhesion and sever weather, which is what happened last year. But, as is well known, we went into the autumn with lower punctuality then previous years, resulting in particularly disappointing performance at the end of the year.

"I don't think the Railtrack Administration was a material factor in that performance.

"Sanders, which are now being fitted to trains, and other measures will mitigate the autumn effect once they have had time to bed in.

"Early indications of performance in the New Year show encouraging signs ofimprovement, but getting back to good levels of punctuality remains a very steep challenge with ageing rolling stock and infrastructure on a congested network. Train operators realise there is a tremendous amount of work for them and Railtrack to do to deliver the service passengers expect and deserve."

-ENDS-

Note to editors
1. 3885 new vehicles have been ordered by train companies. This week there was a new order by South Central Trains for 460 new vehicles valued at £374m. Train companies have invested more than £3.8bn in new rolling stock.

2. Train operators have fitted more than 2,700 cabs with sanders.

ATOC Press Office 020 7904 3010

Railhub Archive ::: 2002-03-18 ATO-001