Head of Arriva Trains agrees travel is uncomfortable

The director of Arriva Trains Wales cites the lack of trains as the problem.

Travel Insurance News - 13/11/2008

<< Travellers warned to avoid unlicensed agents | Travel News | Shopping bargains await Brits in New York >>

Tim Bell, Arriva Trains Wales’s managing director, appeared before an MP committee earlier this week to answered questions about the train operator’s cancelled services, delays and overcrowded conditions.

“If we had more trains to use, we would use them,” he claimed. “We are aware of the overcrowding problems we have.”

When Bell was asked if Arriva had a sufficient number of trains to operate services throughout Wales, he said: “No, we don’t have.”

The director added: “I think it’s an uncomfortable way to travel and we would hope to do something about that.”

First Great Western made a similar admission regarding its service from London to South Wales, indicating that it was not performing as well as its other UK routes.

Bell informed the MPs that Arriva’s Valleys Line trains operated on time 95.5 per cent of the time, which he noted is the best rate for any small operator in the UK.

“We have shown that over the last three to four years we have been very successful in improving our performance in general,” he added. “I think there is still much more for us to do....there are some areas where we do need to spend more time in improving our performance.”

<< Travellers warned to avoid unlicensed agents | Travel News | Shopping bargains await Brits in New York >>