Train Services (Maidenhead and Twyford)

I rather suspect that I should not have brought that issue up—first because it has obviously inspired the right hon. Lady’s ire, and because we are not likely to agree on it. My own and the Government’s position is that Crossrail will provide a vital infrastructure link to the capital and to the UK. First Great Western, Network Rail and the other train operators who operate in the FGW franchise area—including the freight train companies—all have an important part to play. Under the new franchise, First Great Western is committed to spending substantial sums of money on improving the reliability of the whole of its train fleet. High-speed trains, which the right hon. Lady mentioned, are receiving new engines, other reliability modifications to the power cars and upgrades to the passenger coaches. Twenty-two re-engined high-speed train power cars are already in service in the franchise area, and I understand from FGW that they are proving to be very much more reliable than the older engines—and much more environmentally friendly. Only yesterday, I had the opportunity to see the first fully redesigned and refurbished high-speed train to enter service. It has two re-engined power cars and new-look passenger coaches. Its engines are also more efficient as they use 15 per cent. less fuel than their predecessors. As the right hon. Lady mentioned, the First Great Western franchise is not just about longer distance services. FGW’s services in the Thames valley, including those stopping at Maidenhead and Twyford, are another very important part of the franchise. They serve the needs of commuters and other passengers to London and to other towns and cities in the area, including such key regional centres as Reading and Slough. The lines to Marlow and Henley-on-Thames also form an important part of that transport system. I should therefore like to confirm that the new franchise also commits First Great Western to a series of reliability modifications to the turbo trains used on most of the Thames valley services. Additionally, FGW is committed to funding line speed improvements on the slower relief lines between Reading and London Paddington. Network Rail is also working hard to improve performance in that area and it is undertaking a very large amount of work to that end. In particular, it is renewing and improving its infrastructure across the whole area on which FGW operates train services. That covers track, signalling systems and civil engineering structures such as bridges and embankments. I meet Network Rail on a regular basis to discuss performance on the network. I know that all the train operators in the area meet on a regular basis with Network Rail and that plans are in place to reduce the levels of delay that they cause each other. I have placed particular emphasis on performance because I know how important it is to passengers in the Maidenhead and Twyford areas. The new franchise agreement also brings other significant investments and improvements to FGW’s passenger facilities. In particular, FGW has committed to a widespread programme of station improvements. I would like to say a few words about timetables. The First Great Western main line serves a number of different markets, including travel from stations such as Maidenhead and Twyford, longer distance passenger traffic and heavy freight trains. Demand in all those markets has grown steadily, so I am sure that the right hon. Lady would agree that creating a timetable that meets each of those needs is a significant challenge. First Great Western introduced a new timetable on 10 December 2006. The timetable is based on the Department for Transport’s specification included in the franchise agreement. May I say at this point that the right hon. Lady may have been misled in that the Department for Transport—and the Strategic Rail Authority before it—did not and does not specify timetables? The minimum specification and service level commitment do not specify timetables. The writing of timetables is up to Network Rail and the train operating company.