Fewer trains arriving on time than in 2012

New data also reveals that fewer than half of Virgin Trains and Crosscountry services arrived within one minute of their scheduled time over the course of the year as problems with overhead lines and signalling equipment affected the West Coast Main Line, which runs through the Black Country and Staffordshire.

Latest figures show that for the 12 months up to June 22 this year, Virgin Trains had 48.4 per cent of services within one minute of the timetabled arrival while Crosscountry had 46.2 per cent.

Network Rail, which is responsible for tracks and infrastructure, said 60 per cent of delays were attributed to it.

On its website, the company said: "As well as infrastructure faults, this figure includes external factors such as weather, trespass, vandalism, cable theft etc.

"These external factors account for approximately one third of the delays attributed to us and 20 per cent of all national delays.

"Infrastructure problems, overhead line and signalling equipment, caused the majority of delays on the West Coast Main Line during the period thus impacting upon Virgin's punctuality."

A train is defined as 'on time' if it arrives at the destination within five minutes of the planned arrival time for London and South East or regional services, or 10 minutes for long distance services.

London Midland, which was blighted by staff shortages and cancelled hundreds of services in the last few months of 2012, ran 62 per cent of services on time on average.

Figures for the end of May and most of June 2013 showed a drop in punctuality for many operators.

Virgin went from 88.8 per cent to 84.5 per cent of trains arriving within 10 minutes. Crosscountry improved from 89.7 per cent to 91.1 per cent while London Midland dropped from 91 per cent to 88.5 per cent.

Arriva Trains Wales dropped from 95.3 per cent to 95 per cent.

Chiltern Railways was named top English franchise rail operator for train punctuality for the seventh month running.