Sojan Joseph MP marks new era of rail accountability for passengers as Labour government publishes rail performance data at stations in Ashford

• Data showing the punctuality of trains at Ashford International, Westenhanger, and Wye.
• Statistics covering over 1,700 stations across England also show reliability of services. 
• Fulfils a commitment to transparency and to hold operators to account, improving connectivity and supporting growth as part of Labour’s Plan for Change. 

Passengers across England can now see how reliable their local train services are, as this performance data goes live at over 1,700 stations from today (6 March), including at Ashford International, Westenhanger, and Wye

The data available to passengers, broken down by operator, shows live punctuality and cancellation statistics – the first time that station-level data has been. It is now live at major stations through digital screens, where possible, and at other stations, passengers will be able to scan a QR code to see the data online. 

This fulfils a commitment made by this Labour government to be fully transparent with passengers, demonstrating how the railways are working and allowing the public to hold train operators to account as we bring services into public ownership. 

As well as delivering more reliable, better-quality services, these reforms will catalyse economic growth through improved connectivity, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change. By holding operators to account, they will be encouraged to drive up efficiency and productivity – providing better value for money for passengers and driving forward the government’s growth mission by delivering better connectivity. 

The government is determined to drive up performance, and the Rail Minister is meeting with all train operators to address concerns and demand immediate action. In response, the industry has set out a framework with clear areas of focus, including timetable resilience and staffing, to recover performance to acceptable levels. 

Sojan Joseph, Labour Member of Parliament for Ashford QUOTE

“Easy access to punctuality and cancellation data is a very welcome development. Railway passengers in Ashford deserve to know what is happening on their journeys and forcing operators to make information public will mean they can’t hide any more. “We’ve had decades of poor service on our railways but bit by bit Labour is turning things around and I will continue to work hard to boost our local economy, connect families and ensure better value for money for all passengers.” 

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander QUOTE 

“Today marks the beginning of a new era of rail accountability. These displays are a step towards rebuilding trust with passengers using our railways, as we continue to tackle the root causes of frustrating delays and cancellations.

“Through fundamental rail reform, we’re sweeping away decades of dysfunctionality – putting passengers first, driving growth through connectivity as part of this government’s Plan for Change.” 

Each station’s data can also be found on the ORR’s new data portal, which contains punctuality and reliability information for all stations in Great Britain. The online data is also screen reader compatible, for those with accessibility needs. 

The screens also display a short commentary on work underway by the operators and Network Rail to improve performance, informing and assuring passengers of the ongoing work across their area to improve the reliability and efficiency of services. 

This forms part of a wider overhaul of the railways, which will establish Great British Railways (GBR) as a new body to bring track and train together, to end years of fragmentation and waste. GBR will relentlessly focus on driving up standards for passengers, and proposals for how it will run, including plans for a powerful new passenger standards watchdog, are currently under consultation. 

Separately, the landmark Public Ownership Act will improve services and save taxpayers up to £150m a year that was previously given to private shareholders, with the first services being brought in as soon as May 2025.

This Labour government will deliver change that can be felt, driving growth across the country by ensuring passengers can use the railways to get to work, school, appointments and see friends and family with ease. 

Notes to editors 

• ‘Punctuality’ on the performance displays is defined as the percentage of trains arriving within three minutes of their scheduled time. 

• The information displayed on the screens will cover the 14 DfT funded operators, except where other operators have agreed that information on their services can be displayed

ENDS