Following the chaos on London's railways during this winter's snow, the London Assembly Transport Committee has written to the Secretary of State for Transport, asking for a national review of the rail industry's performance in bad weather to cover:
- Rail operators’ and Network Rail’s contingency plans
- Modification of trains and tracks so they can cope in icy conditions, for example using 'third rail' technology
- Better information and compensation arrangements for passengers, with a consistent and transparent industry-wide standard
Passengers told the Committee they were frustrated by a lack of information about delayed or cancelled trains, with websites crashing, staff ill-informed and platform displays lacking in real-time updates.
Southeastern is singled out for particular criticism by the Committee for planning to run only around half of its normal service, despite neighbouring train operators like Southern and South West Trains attempting to provide either a full or slightly reduced service.
Southeastern, along with First Capital Connect, also struggled with trains ill-equipped for icy weather, while operators like National Express East Anglia and South West Trains fared better thanks to their upgraded fleet.
The Committee also suggests a review of the performance target system, which may actually reward train operating companies for running a reduced service rather than risking trains being delayed in bad weather.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, said:
"Bad weather will inevitably lead to some disruption but the key issue is that there was such a variation in the services provided by the different train companies. This is what makes no sense and rightly infuriates passengers.
"Credit should go to the rail operators who at least tried to run a normal service, but this should have been the story across the network. It is vital that our views and recommendations are taken on board if we are to avoid so many passengers facing severe disruption the next time it snows."
The report has also been covered on the BBC website.