Disruption is expected until the end of the day today (April 3) after a fault between Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central.
It comes after more than 12 hours of disruption yesterday on the same line after a fault near Euston, a planned full closure over Easter Weekend for works, and two separate Abbey Line closures due to damage within a week.
Watford mayor Peter Taylor said: “People using train services to and from Watford pay very high fares for a service that is not reliable enough.
“Lots of people have complained to me about services that are delayed, canceled or overcrowded.
“We are simply not getting the service we pay for.”
Watford Major Peter Taylor. (Image: Watford Liberal Democrats)
He said he had requested the urgent meeting to discuss what is going on and how the situation can be improved.
“The poor service we are getting at the moment is having a big impact on the lives of many residents and local businesses too.
“Rail services in this country are so much worse than in many other places. They are too expensive, unreliable and overcrowded.”
Mr Taylor also highlighted that regulated train fares rose by 4.9 per cent on March 3, “but travelers still receive a poor service”.
London Euston yesterday (April 2). (Image: X/@hazr198)
Yesterday, a signal fault at London Euston caused some lines to and from the station to become blocked.
National Rail first reported the fault at 11.28am, with cancellations expected until 1pm, but the end time was continually pushed back before it admitted they would last until the end of the day.
Similar disruption resulted from another signaling fault over 12 hours on March 17. The next day, West Coast South route director, James Dean, offered a commitment that the railway company will do better.
He said he was “really sorry to passengers affected by the disruption”, adding “we must do better, and are prioritizing ways that we can do that”.
The Watford Observer has contacted London Northwestern Railway for a response. Update to follow.
