MP for Biggleswade pens letter to Govia calling out poor train service and demanding update

The MP says he has received “a significant increase” in concerns from constitutents over delays, cancellations and skip-stopping - as well as the reliability of the line that serves Biggleswade, Sandy and Arlesey.

And he is calling for an update on issues raised in Parliament back in October.

Govia Thameslink has vowed to meet with the MP this month to discuss the concerns.

But in his letter to GTR's Network Operations Director and Head of Strategic Planning, which Mr Fuller has published online, he is calling for a ‘written response’ to share with rail users ahead of the meeting.

Issues raised last year include ongoing driver shortages, the impact of varying employment terms across the network, and the uncertainty caused by the current franchise contract.

And Mr Fuller also asks for updates on issues such as the decision to leave Sandy station out of additional peak-time services linking London and Biggleswade, the influence of passenger demand on future timetables, and problems with Sunday services to Horsham.

And he also calls for an update on the promised improvements in how service disruptions are communicated and how GTR has addressed confusion around compensation.

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway said: “We’ll be meeting with Richard and local rail user groups later this month to share an update on some of the topics raised in this letter.

“There are plans in place to improve the performance of services to and from Peterborough. These include Network Rail’s ongoing maintenance and upgrade programmes on the East Coast Main Line, and our ongoing recruitment of 8 per cent more drivers to make our services more resilient.”

“Thameslink reliability on this route has improved since the start of this year, and we’re working hard to keep up this momentum and deliver for our passengers.”

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