03/10/2008

East Midlands Trains' punctuality improvement programme is going from strength to strength, with the latest figures showing punctuality at 90.9%, the best recorded since the start of the new franchise.

Stagecoach Group took over the operation of the new franchise on 11 November 2007.

East Midlands Trains' performance improvement programme has included:

• Launch of the Right Time Railway, an initiative to improve train punctuality, which has included issuing radio-controlled watches and new whistles to all staff to emphasise the importance of on time despatch of trains
• Move to a new joint control centre, shared with Network Rail, to improve communication on day-to-day operation of services
• Dedicated performance drives and improved service recovery arrangements on several different routes, including Derby to Matlock and the Robin Hood line
• Introduction of an internal delay hotline
• Improved processes, including better contingency plans and a new performance management system

Tim Shoveller, Managing Director for East Midlands Trains, said: "It's fantastic to see that our initiative to improve punctuality and reliability across the network is starting to pay off.

"We know that our passengers want reliable trains, and we are determined to deliver punctual trains, day in, day out. Through our own internal improvement initiative, and by working closely with Network Rail, passengers are already starting to see real improvements. However, we are determined to keep on getting better and better, and building on the solid foundations we now have in place."

Network Rail's Route Director, Dyan Crowther, said: "This is excellent news and comes as a result of hard work and a close working relationship with East Midlands Trains.

"Having them working alongside us in our flagship control centre in Derby is paying dividends. When a problem arises, we can quickly get to the root of the issue and find a solution with people sat in the same room as us, rather than dealing with them at the other end of a telephone. The end result is less delay and frustration for the travelling public."

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:
East Midlands Trains Press Office
Tel: 01332 262010

For more information about Stagecoach Group, contact:
Steve Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications
Tel: 01738 442111 or mobile 07764 774680
email: steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport group, with extensive bus and rail operations in the UK and North America. Stagecoach operates South West Trains, the UK's biggest commuter rail network with nearly 1,700 trains a day out of London Waterloo. In addition, Stagecoach has a 49% shareholding in Virgin Rail Group, which operates passenger rail services on the West Coast main line. Stagecoach is also Britain's biggest tram operator, running systems in both Sheffield and Manchester.

East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains operates high-speed long-distance services from London St. Pancras to Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham and regional services between Nottingham and Derby – Lincoln – Cleethorpes – Skegness, and between Derby and Crewe - Matlock and Norwich and Liverpool.

The franchise will run until 31 March 2015, the last year and four months of which will be conditional upon achieving pre-set performance targets.

Highlights of improvements include faster journey times from Sheffield and Leicester to London from 2008, better performance, more seats, train refurbishment, investment at Derby's Etches Park train maintenance depot, a centralised information and security centre, more car parking spaces and two new stations – at East Midlands Parkway and Corby.