First Capital Connect bosses meet Harpenden commuters (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

First Capital Connect bosses meet Harpenden commuters

10:16am Thursday 25th February 2010

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COMMUTERS met First Capital Connect (FCC) chief Neal Lawson and other senior managers at Harpenden Station yesterday evening.

They spoke to people on their way home from work, hearing complaints about the serious disruption which plagued the route to London between November and January, when the service was hit by a drivers' pay dispute, late delivery of new trains and freezing weather.

Mr Lawson told the Review: "We are now up to 85.5 per cent of trains on time - that is a lot better than in that nightmare three months, when we were on about 60 per cent.

"The old 319 trains are being given new traction motors - 93 per cent of the fleet has been done now.

"There has been a major improvement in the service and there have been a lot less short trains, but we are not complacent - there are still issues and problems on this route to overcome. But we are paid to manage these things, and that's what we are doing."

The weekend service is suffering from the closure of the tunnel through central London while work progresses on the Thameslink infrastructure improvement project, which ultimately promises 12-carriage trains throughout thenetwork and improved connections to south London and Surrey.

Harpenden's platforms are being extended in anticipation and Larry Heyman, performance and integration manager, spoke enthusiastically about a proposed new footbridge, complete with lift access.

He said: "It will cost something of the order of £2 million. St Albans was given lifts to the platforms around the Christmas before last - they have made a tremendous difference for a lot of people.

"It isn't just the disabled - they are useful for mothers with toddlers in buggies and travellers trying to get heavy bags to Gatwick."

The cramped bicycle shed is also to be replaced, and there will be a new secure area to leave motorbikes.

Harpenden commuter Deborah Wade told the Review: "The trains were a nightmare for a few months.

"Either they didn't arrive or they were really crowded.

"But it is really good they meet their customers like this and hear about their problems first hand.

"Some companies have no interest in their customers and their experiences.

"I can see they are doing their best."

Nigel Quinton, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Harpenden, said after the event: " FCC pushed the good faith of their drivers beyond what was reasonable; and were then punished with an unusually severe winter which exposed the fragility of their infrastructure.

"One might say they were unlucky, but my experience in business is that you make your own luck, and the impact of the problems was worse than it could have been.

"It is clear that FCC management are fully aware of the mountain they have to climb - now that they have the rolling stock in place I sincerely hope they can meet the challenge.”

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