Rail operator VR promises no improvement in punctuality until next winter

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The Finnish rail operator VR does not promise any significant improvement in the punctuality of rail services until next winter. On the contrary, the delays of trains - which are bound to annoy passengers - have increased even more over the first weeks of the year. In spite of the promises made by the VR Group last autumn, the adherence to timetables has not met the expectations of passengers.
      According to VR and the Finnish Rail Administration (RHK), the constant delays on the railways are caused by persistent technical failures and the limited capacity of the rail network. Particularly commuters have been disappointed in unreliable train connections.
     
Following the chaotic situation in train traffic from October through November last year, both VR and RHK promised to take action to improve their services in order to make the trains run on time.
      In any event, delays have again been the most common topic of conversation among exasperated passengers, especially during the first weeks of this year.
      President and CEO Henri Kuitunen of the VR Group admits that the number of delays has again been on the increase, while Director Kari Ruohonen of RHK's Investment Department argues that it is difficult to fix technical failures in safety equipment in the winter. Such failures occur particularly on the Turku rail line as well as on the line between Tampere and Jyväskylä.
     
CEO Kuitunen notes further that also connecting trains play an important role in train traffic, as they should arrive at change-stations at about the same time. Problems occur when one of the trains is late, and a passenger misses a connecting train.
      The delays cost VR dearly, and in 2006 alone VR had to pay EUR 75,000 in compensation for the expenses caused by alternative transportation. In 2005, the corresponding figure was EUR 71,000.
     
The new direct Kerava-Lahti rail line was supposed to bring about an improvement in service quality.
      However, commuter Kai Vehmersalo from Lahti reports that the services on the new line were running according to schedule only until January 6th.
      "Now the train schedules can no longer be relied upon. VR cuts into the commuters' working hours in the morning and leisure time in the evening", complains Vehmersalo.
      According to VR, the numbers of travellers on the new direct Helsinki-Lahti line have grown higher than expected, and VR is currently negotiating with the Ministry of Transport and Communications over the possibility of increasing the number of Z-trains on the route.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Rail operator VR promises to improve punctuality and information (15.11.2006)
  Disturbances in Helsinki commuter train traffic anger passengers (8.11.2006)
  Inauguration of new rail line to change nearly all train schedules (1.9.2006)

Links:
  VR website
  The Finnish Rail Administration (RHK)

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