Lords slam 'poor rail services'

Rail commuter groups are fighting the changes

Rail services linking London to Bristol and the West have been slammed as "poor" in a House of Lords debate.

At question time in the Lords, transport spokesman Lord Davies said First Great Western's performance had been poor for a long time.

Lord Berkeley cited 60 trains being cancelled daily since December.

Congestion he said meant "people can't even get on the trains, some fares are up 11% and 9,000 complaints received".

Tory former Welsh Secretary Lord Crickhowell said trains were frequently very late or cancelled.

Crossbencher Baroness Warnock, aged 82, said she had had to stand for most of the journey on the last three occasions she had used the train from Paddington to her home near Marlborough, Wiltshire.

The passenger protest group More Train, Less Strain is holding a protest meeting at the United Reform Church Hall in Grove Street, Bath on Tuesday at 1815 GMT.