Title: First Great Western MD reveals how he plans to get the beleaguered train operator back on track | The Independent | The Independent
Headings: First Great Western MD reveals how he plans to get the beleaguered train operator back on track
First Great Western MD reveals how he plans to get the beleaguered train operator back on track
Mark Hopwood says his mission is 'to present a different face for the business'
Best and worst of Britain’s railway

Content: Advance tickets are unregulated, but can still look expensive. Booking a month ahead for the first service of the day from Exeter to London, the cheapest one-way ticket is £94 – exactly four times the fare on a Flybe aircraft from Exeter airport to London City. Our 11am from Paddington arrives at its first stop, Reading, right on schedule – an experience that is not always repeated. In March this most crucial section of the First Great Western route network experienced an average of 1.2 signal failures per day. In the National Rail Passenger Survey, First Great Western consistently scores lower for passenger satisfaction than other long-distance operators: Virgin’s West Coast and East Coast services, as well as East Midlands Trains. One reason, says Mr Hopwood, is because of the busy commuter network that First Great Western operates. He accepts that timekeeping has been poor, however. “ I’m not going to defend what I have to agree is unacceptable levels of performance. The levels of reliability are not good enough.