Headline Results:

• Quarterly performance figures are 80.5% trains on time (January to March 2003) compared to 80.9% during the same period last year.
• The National Passenger Survey shows a steady and improving picture with overall opinion of the journey surveyed increasing to 74% from 72% in Spring 2002. The number of complaints per 100,000 journeys increased by 8% between 2001-02 Quarter 4 and 2002-03 Quarter 4.
• Passenger kilometres increased by 4% between January to March 2002 and January to March 2003. Freight moved decreased by 2% (January to March 2003) compared to the same quarter last year.
• Passengers in Excess Capacity (PIXC) - in 2002, 2.9% of all AM and PM peak passengers were in excess of capacity, compared to the 2001 figure of 3.6%. The number of London commuter operators exceeding the SRA overcrowding thresholds has fallen from four to three.

Public Performance Measure (PPM)

Over the whole year, 79.2% of trains ran on time in 2002-3, a one per cent increase on the previous year. This illustrates a gradual upward trend in performance over the last 15-18 months.

Comparing 2002-03 quarter four to the corresponding quarter in the previous year, figures show a slight decrease in performance to 80.5% trains on time compared to 80.9%. Compared to the same quarter last year, 12 train operating companies show an improvement in performance notably: Arriva Trains Merseyside (up 14 percentage points), GNER (up 6) and WAGN (up 5), two operators show little change and 12 operators show a decrease in performance.

National Passenger Survey

Nationally overall opinion of the journey surveyed has increased to 74% of passengers satisfied from 72% in Spring 2002. Satisfaction with punctuality/reliability is broadly static, increasing by 1% compared with the Spring survey last year. Amongst the train operators, the highest levels of overall satisfaction were recorded for Chiltern Railways (89%), Island Line (88%) and Arriva Trains Merseyside (88%). 11 operators showed improvements in overall satisfaction with significant improvements achieved by First North Western and Wessex.

Complaints

The number of complaints per 100,000 journeys increased by 8% between 2001-02 Quarter 4 and 2002-03 Quarter 4.

During 2002-03 just over 1 in 1000 journeys resulted in a complaint. The number of complaints per 100,000 journeys in 2002-03 increased by 4% compared to 2001-02.

Passengers in Excess of Capacity (PiXC)

Information on overcrowding, known as PiXC (Passengers in Excess of Capacity), is recorded for the London and South East operators and for Edinburgh commuter services.

Passengers in Excess Capacity (PIXC) - in 2002, 2.9% of all AM and PM peak passengers were in excess of capacity, compared to the 2001 figure of 3.6%. The number of London commuter operators exceeding the SRA overcrowding thresholds has fallen from four to three. They are Silverlink, South Central and Thameslink.

Between Autumn 2001 and Autumn 2002, levels of overcrowding decreased on five London operators and increased on five London operators. Overcrowding increased on ScotRail over the same period.

Incentive Regimes

The SRA received net incentive payments from operators of £80.2 million in the year ending 31 March 2003. This compares with a net figure of £82.5m in the year ending 31 March 2002.

Rail usage

Passenger kilometres increased by 4% between January to March 2002 and January to March 2003. Passenger journeys increased by 6% over the same period.

There were 39.7 billion passenger kilometres in the whole of 2002-03, 1% higher than in 2001-02. In the same year, there were 976 million passenger journeys, 2% higher than in 2001-02.

Freight

Freight moved (measured in net tonne kilometres) decreased by 2% between January to March 2002 and January to March 2003. Total freight lifted, which only accounts for weight and not distance moved, decreased 2% over the same period.

Freight moved decreased by 3% between 2001-02 and 2002-03 and freight lifted decreased by 8% over the same period.

Notes to Editors:

1. On Track covers the period October 2002 to March 2003. It includes a range of performance measures relating to individual train operating companies and the national picture. National Rail Trends covers the period January to March 2003 and provides trend data on a range of industry-wide indictors including key figures on rail and freight usage and fares index.

2. Earlier editions on On Track and National Rail Trends are available on the SRA website http://www.sra.gov.uk (under 'publications').

3. Quarterly figures are based on the following periods:

Quarter 1 - April to June
Quarter 2 - July to September
Quarter 3 - October to December
Quarter 4 - January to March

For further information call 020 7654 6000 http://www.sra.gov.uk