Thursday 21 January

Media contact
Katharine McGee
T: +44 (0)20 7203 1897
M: +44 (0)7827 241528
E: kmcgee@londonchamber.co.uk

LCCI in support of rail devolution

Colin Stanbridge, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Chief Executive said: "Businesses want to see better services and employees want better connections. Our own research shows that delays cancellations and overcrowding on commuter train services outside of the Underground and Overground network are one of the top transport issues affecting businesses.

"It is intolerable that poor quality train services into and out of London are having such a significant impact on the capital's businesses. As the capital's largest and most representative business organisation, LCCI has advocated exploration of the potential for Tfl to take over responsibility for lines and services as each mainline franchise comes up for renewal. It makes total sense to join up our transport network under an integrated management body. Rationalisation in our view will help to overcome the issues that continue to plague train services into the Capital."

Supporting stats:

-The ComRes poll for LCCI, published in April last year, shows that 40% of businesses state that poor reliability and punctuality of commuter train services into the capital was one of the top three issues affecting their business.

-More than half of the 500 business leaders polled said they have been affected at least once in the past year by a member of staff being late to work (58%) due to delays, cancellations or overcrowding, with more than one in ten (14%) saying they are affected at least once each week.

-Almost half of firms (48%) said that they have had a member of staff unable to come to work altogether in the past year, due to problems on commuter trains into London - an indication of the negative effects rail services are having on businesses in the capital.

ENDS