Greater Anglia reveals record-breaking annual punctuality – and commits to keep trains running on time

April 30, 2021

Greater Anglia has revealed record-breaking annual punctuality – and is committed to keeping trains running on time as more passengers return, as Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed further.

In the last 12 months just under 95 per cent of Greater Anglia trains have run on time – with punctuality on some individual routes even higher.

The top six performing routes for the last year were: Norwich – Great Yarmouth, with 97.4 per cent of trains on time; Marks Tey – Sudbury, 97.0 per cent; Norwich – Sheringham, 96.8 per cent; Norwich – Lowestoft, 96.7 per cent, Norwich – Cambridge 95.9 per cent and Ipswich to Felixstowe, 95.7 per cent.

Annual results reached record levels across all lines with rural services at 95.3 per cent, Great Eastern services at 94.7 per cent, West Anglia services at 94.6 per cent, Intercity services at 93.7 per cent and Stansted Express services at 92.9 per cent.

No route fell below 90 per cent of trains running on time – for the first time in the history of not just Greater Anglia, but its predecessors too.

As more passengers are expected to return to rail and services increase, Greater Anglia has outlined its commitment to keeping trains running on time.

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia Managing Director, said: “We know how important it is to our customers that trains run on time – and I am determined not to disappoint them.

“We continue to have tough punctuality targets and to investigate every delay to find out what caused it, how we reacted to it and how we can prevent similar delays in the future or at the very least recover better from them.

“We’re also carrying out a detailed exercise with Network Rail to find out how we can make our December timetable as punctual as possible, maximising the benefits of new trains.”

Greater Anglia’s new trains have already bolstered Greater Anglia’s punctuality with their faster acceleration and braking. All new trains are in passenger service on Greater Anglia’s intercity, rural and Stansted Express routes and some are also in operation on routes into London Liverpool Street from Southend Victoria, Braintree, Southminster, Clacton and Colchester Town.

The company is using new analysis techniques to monitor any worsening performance trends – looking at performance in greater detail – making it possible to intervene at an earlier stage.

It is also using computer technology to model different timetables, using data about each of the company’s routes and stations to understand how efficient each different model timetable is and work out which options work best from a performance perspective.

The company is also using data from the last 12 months’ performance to help inform future plans to maintain high levels of punctuality.