The Strategic Rail Authority has set out its strategy for rail improvements for the next eight years.

Transport secretary Alistair Darling said that real improvements are now being seen in some parts of the network.

Forum Response: Virgin Trains

Chris Green, chief executive of Virgin Trains, said: "These latest figures show that our passengers like what we are doing. Performance has improved, but we are not complacent. We know we can do better and we will."

Forum Response: Association of Train Operating Companies

An ATOC spokesman said: "The overall picture for train performance between October 2002 and March 2003 remained stable with four out five trains on time which the industry clearly needs to improve on.

"Trains companies have reduced the delays they are responsible for by six per cent due to a heavy focus on improving train reliability and the recruitment of drivers.

"The National Passenger Survey shows that passengers are getting improvements in almost all aspects of customer service such as how staff handle requests to ticket buying facilities to the comfort of seats."