NETWORK Rail has apologised for signalling problems which have left Swindon commuters frustrated this week.

Operator First Great Western (FGW) has welcomed the apology for the problems, which have left rail users facing a reduced service to London Paddington, which has caused numerous knock-on delays for routes across the county.

Network Rail first reported problems with signalling and safety equipment in the Slough area early on Monday morning, blocking all of the lines into and out of London Paddington, and forcing First Great Western to run only one in four trains throughout the day.

Another problem occurred on Thursday, which again meant FGW couldn’t run a full timetable, and services were delayed as Network Rail teams worked to fix the problem.

This was eventually fixed at 7am on Friday, but not before it had a significant impact on customer’s journeys into work.

FGW lifted ticket restrictions and offered refunds for customers who were affected by the disruption caused.

Network Rail is still investigating exactly what caused the problem so they can avoid similar incidents in future.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “We are sorry for the problems that have affected train services on the Great Western Main Line this week. Performance has been well below the standards passengers deserve and expect.

“We are acutely aware of the frustration and inconvenience felt by passengers when things go wrong.

"We are working constantly across the rail network to improve the reliability of train services, investing billions over the next five years across the West's rail network to improve signalling, replace old equipment and bring in new modern technology and new trains to provide more reliable train services.

“This week we have not been able to provide the reliability passengers expect for which we apologise.

"We are wholly focused on delivering a new, modern, reliable rail network for London and the West."



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