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Southern Rail fixes 'worst train service in Britain'... by changing the timetable

 
Late train: Passengers at London Victoria
Alexandra Rucki
13 May 2015

The operator behind the “worst train service in Britain” has found an ingenious way of improving the punctuality - changing the timetable so it arrives later.

The infamous 7.29am Brighton to London Victoria service was dubbed the worst in the country after it failed to arrive on time for any of its 240 journeys in 2014.

Bosses at Southern Rail have now unveiled their strategy to tackle the late-running service after being slammed by commuters who shell out up to £5,000 for a season ticket.

Instead of arriving in London Victoria at 8.35am, the firm’s new summer timetable which will be introduced this Sunday has it arriving three minutes later.

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Southern Rail's 7.29am Brighton to Victoria train failed to arrive on time AT ALL in 2014

Southern Rail's 7.29am Brighton to Victoria train failed to arrive on time AT ALL in 2014

In addition, it will no longer stop at Wivelsfield near Haywards Heath, East Sussex.

Commuter Gareth Paulson, 40, from Brighton, said: “It is fine for them to massage their ‘on time’ figures like this, but fundamentally we have been suffering greater than inflation ticket price rises for years, and now even the notional timetable journey time is getting longer.”

Southern Rail said it hoped the timetable changes would help sort out many of the punctuality problems.

A spokesman said: “These changes have been designed to improve performance across the Southern network, and particularly on the Brighton main line which is one of the busiest routes in the country.”