Suffolk MP demands action on 'unreliable' train services affecting town
He wants reassurances steps are being taken to mitigate the impact of a timetable reduction
A Suffolk MP has demanded more action on unreliable train services affecting a town.
Jack Abbott, the recently-elected Ipswich MP, wrote to CrossCountry on Monday after the company announced it would slim down its timetable between August and November to deal with the backlog of critical training days required by train drivers.
In his letter, he demanded assurances on the steps being taken to mitigate the impact of the timetable reduction.
Mr Abbott said: “For far too long, CrossCountry has let down passengers, and failed to provide the level of service that Ipswich deserves.
“Reliable train services are crucial to ensuring access to work, education and leisure opportunities across the East of England.”
What did CrossCountry say?
A CrossCountry spokesperson apologised for the company’s recent standard, despite its services not passing through Ipswich at all, and said it had put together a ‘robust plan’ to improve performance and provide a resilient service.
The closest CrossCountry service runs through Cambridge connecting Birmingham to Stansted airport.
The spokesperson added: “We acknowledge that our service has fallen below the standards expected of us. All too frequently, our passengers have been inconvenienced by on-the-day cancellations, which results in poor quality and reliability of service.
“We know that recent performance has a significant negative impact across our network, as well as at locations not served by CrossCountry, such as Ipswich. This is why we have taken proactive action to deliver the change needed to provide a better service for our customers.
“The temporary timetable will give us time to ensure as many fully-trained drivers can work across the whole network as possible, meaning fewer cancellations and more certainty for CrossCountry customers.”
"One of the worst performing operators"
Mr Abbott’s letter also came after transport minister, Louise Haigh MP, set out her concerns about ‘one of the worst performing operators’ in a letter of her own, in which she outlined the steps she expected to be taken.
She said: “This is not the standard we expect, or passengers deserve, but this is the mess we’ve inherited, where our railways are understaffed and lurching from one crisis to the next.
“We insisted CrossCountry put on more services than their original plan, but the reduced timetable is certainly not satisfactory. There can be no excuse for this sort of dire service, and it will not be tolerated under this Government.”
The Ipswich MP added: “I have asked for regular updates on the progress of CrossCountry’s remedial plan, and immediate mitigation factors.
“I will continue to work with the operator and the Department for Transport to ensure passengers in Ipswich get a better deal.”