Commuter to put on his own trains

A rail commuter is so fed up with the service to London he is to run his own train service.

Rory St John Webster says the current service between his home and the capital does not meet local needs.

Mr Webster, 56, plans to lease two trains and run the venture himself.

He said: "I have been a railway passenger for 27 years. There is increasing pressure from passengers to improve services but it takes aeons for things to be done. So I decided to do something myself."

The father-of-four lives near Pewsey, Wiltshire, and makes the 78-mile journey into London four times a week.

The earliest scheduled train arrives at Paddington just after 8.40am but many commuters need to be in London before that and have to go to Swindon or Andover for an earlier train. Up to 800 people have already said they are interested in his plan.

The Oxford-educated businessman, who runs several companies, including a data information firm in Pewsey, hopes to have the new service running by New Year's Day.