Train company One is not doing much better than the previous operators, according to Witham travellers.

Rail campaigner David Bigg labelled last week's service "horrendous, the worst week for a long, long time.

"Late train figures for May were 17.3 per cent, compared to 18.2 per cent last year, said Mr Bigg, chairman of Witham and Braintree Rail Users Association.

"We find that the situation is no better under One, and last week was the pits," he said.

"June figures are going to be awful because barely a train ran on time last week.

"We had signal failures at Liverpool Street on Monday, with delays of an hour that evening. The following morning, they had to do emergency work at Shenfield and, in the evening, power failed at Seven Kings, plus damage at Ilford and congestion at Witham.

"Then there was an assault on a member of staff at Witham, which meant we all got stuck because they wouldn't let trains out of the station.

"Now One has invited the association to meet and discuss the figures on June 23. "They have called the meeting for 5.30pm in Ipswich," said Mr Bigg. "How does a commuter working in London get there at that time?"

One spokesman Peter Northfield said: "Mr Bigg produces his figures in a way which is something of a mystery to us, and we produce figures which are audited by the Strategic Rail Authority.

"Our performance has been exceptionally good in the last few months, as good as it has been for many, many years. Last week was an unfortunate exception."

Published Friday June 18, 2004

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