VICTIMS of the First Capital Connect train chaos unleashed their outrage on company bosses when they met face-to-face to discuss the recent disruptions to the Thameslink service.

Passengers faced with weeks of delays and cancellations on the Bedford to Brighton route, which passes through St Albans, grilled the beleaguered company's chiefs during a question and answer session at St Pancras Station this evening.

However, many people, who have been left using a sub-standard service over the past few months, walked away dissatisfied with the responses, and unhopeful of an improved service.

Train strikes and severe weather have caused commuter misery, with virtually no trains running through the cold snap.

The company's managing director Neal Lawson talked to customers about the recent issues, and his ambitious plans to improve the current service, with the aim of regaining the trust of FCC commuters.

Mr Lawson, who has only been in his post for one week, spoke to the Review in his first interview with local press.

He said: "I think we understand that passengers are unhappy. We know what we have got to do and that is to produce a consistent performance before we can earn that trust. "We have to convince people that we deserve the franchise and the only way to do that is deliver a consistent service.

"We're going to keep people informed about how we're going. We are sending out weekly updates on the performance so people know where we are. We are definitely going to improve how we communicate and we have got to do what we say we are going to do, and be honest.

"We want to bring people on the journey this time so they know what's happening. While I'm managing director that is what's going to happen.

"We have to keep our eye on the ball, we have got plans in place - we have to execute them excellently. We have to earn people's trust back and we have to deliver consistently.

"There has been an improvement, we have had a good two weeks and it's getting better."

But unconvinced by FCC's promises was Julie Wakefield, who as a result of the service disruptions during the severe weather earlier this month, lost a day's wage packet.

Julie, of Watsons Walk, St Albans, told the Review she was made redundant and relies on a Sunday job at a museum in London to maintain an income.

She said: "By train is the only way I can get into London. There's not even a coach service that I could use to get to my Sunday job. I have no other option - my economic situation is hanging on the services FCC provide, or lack of them."

The angry customer was told the FCC compensation package pledged to dissatisfied customers did not stretch to reimbursement for loss of earnings. Julie added: "I feel helpless, it did put a lot of stress on me and my husband - I rely on those earnings.

"I wanted to ask whether there was any chance at all that I could appeal for my loss of earnings. But they are saying the weather was an act of God and what can they do about it. But it doesn't help me, if we have bad weather again we're going to have the same problem."

Keep checking the Review for futher updates to this story.