§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the causes of train delays and cancellations that are(a) recorded and (b) not recorded in the four-weekly track record on punctuality and reliability under the terms of the citizens charter. [15964]
§ Mr. WattsDelays or cancellations caused by circumstances outside the control of the rail industry, such as vandalism, suicides or terrorist threats, are excluded from the passengers charger statistics. Services provided on certain days are also excluded: these are Sundays—except for Gatwick express and Island line—public holidays; and days when bus services are substituted, for example during engineering works, or when no effective service can be provided and season tickets are extended or refunded.
Except where exclusions apply, the services included in passengers charter punctuality and reliability results are as follows. For punctuality:
London commuter train companies (formerly Network SouthEast)—Mondays to Fridays only, trains arriving at London termini between 07.00 and 10.00 and trains departing from London between 16.00 and 19.00. Trains are punctual if they arrive at their destination within four minutes 59 seconds of the scheduled time.InterCity train companies—all trains Monday to Saturday. Trains are punctual if they arrive at their destination within nine minutes 59 seconds of the scheduled time.Other train companies (ex Regional Railways)—all trains Monday to Saturday. trains are punctual if they arrive at their destination within 4 minutes 59 seconds for short distance routes and 9 minutes 59 seconds for long distance routes.Gatwick express—all trains Monday to Sunday. Trains are punctual if they arrive at their destination within 4 minutes 59 seconds of the scheduled time.For reliability:
the number of trains scheduled to run in the published timetable, including any emergency timetable. A train is counted as run if it has completed at least 50 per cent. of its scheduled route mileage.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of a timetabled journey under the passengers charter a train must complete to count as(a) a cancellation and (b) a train run; and if these criteria apply to all train operating companies. [15965]
§ Mr. WattsFor passengers charter purposes, a train is counted as cancelled if it fails to complete at least 50 per cent. of its scheduled route mileage. A train would be counted as run if it had completed at least 50 per cent. of 731W its scheduled route mileage. These criteria apply to all train operating companies and have not changed since 1992.