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As part of a national tour to get to the bottom of rail performance Transport Minister Kim Howells will today visit Clapham Junction and Waterloo.
In a series of visits throughout the week he will meet the front line staff of Network Rail who are working to rebuild the performance and reputation of Britain's railways. The visits to control centres, stations and signalling centres will enable him to discover what the problems are, what is being done and if more could be done to improve the region's train services.
Nearly 80% of journeys into the capital are made by rail. Four out of five passenger journeys run on time, but the Minister will find out what the main problems are that cause delays and how further improvements are being made.
Transport Minister Kim Howells said:
"The Government is investing a massive £73 million in the railways every week to see improvements for the travelling public. This is helping to see improvements like the replacement of a third of all trains and carriages over five years and the upgrade of electricity power supply lines south of the Thames, but there is still more work to be done.
"I will meet some of the people working daily to make a difference on the railway. I will ask them about concerns passengers have raised with me and if I think there are things that can be done better I will tell them."
The Minister, with a representative of the Government's rail agency - the Strategic Rail Authority, will meet regional Network Rail directors and speak to train operators, contractors and passengers.
Notes to Editors
1. The itinerary for the tour this week is:
- Monday: Birmingham for trains going into London from the Midlands
- Wednesday: Waterloo and Clapham Junction - to find out about trains coming in from South London and South Coast
- Thursday: Liverpool Street for trains going in from East Anglia
- Friday: Paddington and Swindon for trains coming in from the West
