Anne Main MP: First Capital Connect agrees to meet St Albans commuters and pay more compensation
Press Release :
27 January 2010
Anne Main, MP for St Albans, met again with new First Capital Connect Managing Director, Neal Lawson, and Managing Director of the First Group Rail Division, Mary Grant, this afternoon, to discuss problems on the First Capital Connect route.
Following the meeting, Anne said:
It was another robust meeting, thankfully this time with the presence of a Managing Director, new appointee Neal Lawson, who has been charged with sorting out the mess on the route.
I was pleased to hear that, following my repeated requests for an enhanced compensation scheme, details of a much improved offer have been finalised. This will see all season ticket holders compensated with the equivalent of up to two weeks of free travel if they decide to renew their tickets.
I asked Mr Lawson and his team to come and meet with commuters in St Albans and he agreed to do this. We settled on a meeting at St Albans City Station on Friday 5th February from 4pm 7pm. I will be there and I hope those passing through the station will take the time to pass on their views directly to First Capital Connect about the poor service.
Whilst it was also good to hear that replacement of traction motors on the 319 units should be completed by 10th February, meaning that the company should stop running shorter trains from this date, none of these announcements make up for the intense disruption and crowding on the route to date.
The travelling public have been through hell and back and First Capital Connect will have to go a long way to convince them that their service is going to be dramatically improved. I am pleased the company has recognised their failings and are endeavouring to engage with the travelling public.
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