Train station named as second worst in country for delays and …
A Midlands train station used by thousands of people every day has been named as the second worst in the country for delays and cancellations. Almost two-thirds of all trains did not arrive on time as planned at Wolverhampton[1] station between August and October.
The recently-rebuilt station is one of the busiest in the region, sitting on the west coast mainline and connecting London and Birmingham[2] with the north. Over a 12-week period, 62% of all services were delayed or cancelled as commuters, shoppers and other travellers faced travel chaos.
It places it only behind Manchester Oxford Road in terms of delays and cancellations. Researchers looked at the performance of stations across the country and how many trains left on time.
POLL: Which is the best airline in the UK?[4]
Rank
Train Station
Percentage of delayed or cancelled trains
1
Manchester Oxford Road
65%
2
Wolverhampton
62%
3
Leicester
62%
4
Huddersfield
60%
5
York
60%
6
Milton Keynes Central
59%
7
Birmingham New Street
59%
8
Coventry
58%
9
Gatwick Airport
55%
10
Crewe
54%
Leicester was ranked joint second with Wolverhampton on 62% while other stations in the top 10 for delays and cancellations included Birmingham New Street[5] and Coventry,[6] analysis from TonerGiant[7] revealed. West Midlands Railway, which runs Wolverhampton station, said the analysis included trains “recorded as arriving as little as one minute late”, adding the the rail industry’s standard performance indicator measures a train’s arrival within three minutes of its scheduled arrival time.
It added strike action caused disruption to services on 21 days during the period. A West Midlands Railway spokesperson said: “Wolverhampton is one of the region’s busiest stations, with five train operators connecting the Black Country[8] to all corners of Britain and welcoming millions of passengers every year.
“The station has recently undergone a multi-million pound upgrade and following the extension of the Metro it is now one of the most modern and well-connected transport facilities in the West Midlands. Running a reliable railway is our top priority and we are working hard with the wider industry to improve performance as we continue to welcome more passengers following the pandemic.”
References
- ^ Wolverhampton (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Officers respond to West Midlands’ most senior police chief’s call for help over taxi driving ‘erratically’ (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ POLL: Which is the best airline in the UK? (app.wayin.com)
- ^ Birmingham New Street (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Coventry, (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ TonerGiant (www.tonergiant.co.uk)
- ^ Black Country (www.birminghammail.co.uk)