St. Albans Rail Misery the Subject of Parliamentary Debate

Commuters who have been subjected to the misery of delays and cancellations on First Capital Connect services, will be pleased to learn that the issue has been the subject of debate in Parliament.

According to the official Hansard record of a debate held on 11 January, St. Albans Conservative MP Anne Main asked:

"My constituents are almost on their knees because of the lack of trains due to First Capital Connect. Last Thursday, not a single train stopped in St. Albans-because, I gather, the trains were washed on Wednesday evening and therefore froze. What can be done to get a better service for my constituents, who are in despair about the lack of train services from St. Albans to St. Pancras?"

The Minister of State for the Department of Transport, Sadiq Khan, replied:

"The example beggars belief. May I look into the specific reason for disruption on that day? Network Rail and the train operating companies have told us that the lines are open. For obvious reasons, there are reduced services and some delays. The hon. Lady's example looks like incompetence rather than a delay caused by severe weather."

In a later debate, recorded on 14 January, Lord McNally (Lib Dem) asked:

"My Lords, I speak from these Benches not as Leader of the Liberal Democrats but as one of the poor bloody infantry who has to use the Bedford to Brighton line to commute into London. This morning there was a fire on the line that stopped the cross-London service. Last night, inclement weather stopped the cross-London service. Previously we have had technical breakdowns, industrial disputes and a whole list of excuses from First Capital Connect. Is there not an urgent need to see whether this franchise is being served properly? I can assure the noble Lord that if he asked the commuters on that line, they would tell him very clearly, "Come back Thameslink, all is forgiven".

To which Lord Adonis, Secretary of State for the Department of Transport responded:

"My Lords, I am only too well aware of the substandard service that has been offered by First Capital Connect in recent months. This is a matter of acute concern to me and my department. However, I am the bearer of some modest glad tidings to the noble Lord. The drivers' ballot on the pay settlement was held yesterday, which led to a decision to accept the pay settlement. The intention is that a full, normal service will be offered from Monday. I stress that that is the intention of the company. Of course, in the current weather conditions, other factors may come into play. However, the company is well aware of the concerns of the noble Lord and of those many others who have been severely inconvenienced in using this service in recent months, and is fully intent on improving that service rapidly."

Angry commuters have started a petition on the Number 10 website, aimed at gaining signatures of those who feel First Capital Connect should loose it's franchise to run the service. So far it's gathered 2,571 signatures.

According to First Capital Connect's own figures, just under 40% of services between 13 December and 09 January arrived more than 5 minutes later than scheduled. The press release section of their website contains no statements from the company since the start of the year. No doubt commuters, including myself, would like an explanation...