The performance of First Capital Connect and Network Rail will be scrutinised at a meeting next month.

St Albans District Council’s Local Services Scrutiny Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 3 to question senior management from the companies about their performance as part of a regular six-monthly update on the service.

Both companies are responsible for the Thameslink train service, with First Capital Connect running the service and Network Rail maintaining the track and signals.

They last appeared before the Committee in March.

It was agreed that they will update the committee on September 3 with answers to the following questions:

•How much priority is being given to improvement in communications at times of disruption? How much further scope is there for improvement?

•What progress is being made on the integration of buses and taxis with passenger services at Harpenden and St Albans stations? What is the specific outcome being aimed for, who is involved and what are the timescales?

•What is Network Rail doing differently to ensure infrastructure incidents such as that which occurred at Radlett in March 2013 do not occur again?

In addition, the Committee will also raise the following issues and questions:

•The failure of a train near New Cross station on the morning of August 18. What was the cause of the power failure; what were the issues for on-board passengers; what lessons have been learned from this incident?

•Continuing congestion for passengers, especially in peak hours. What is the latest position on providing more 12-coach trains?

•Lack of seating for passengers from Harpenden and St Albans when travelling to London in peak hours. To help resolve this, is it possible for some fast train services to begin from either of the two stations?

Councillor David Poor, vice-chairman of the local services scrutiny committee, said: "The committee aims to find out what is being done to improve the Thameslink Service for local commuters and passengers travelling to and from London. As a commuter, I am glad that the key issues we want to discuss include disruption to the service, passenger congestion, lack of seating and passenger communication."

The public can attend the meeting which will take place at the council’s offices at the Civic Centre, in St Peter’s Street at 7pm.