MP Anne Main has secured a parliamentary debate on the performance of Network Rail next month.

The MP for St Albans has consistently held Network Rail to account for many of the problems on Thameslink and said the most recent figures revealed 63 per cent of delays on FCC were a direct result of Network Rail’s failings.

After learning she had secured a debate at the Backbench Business Committee on February 2, Mrs Main said: “I know that my constituents and passengers all over the country have suffered from a poor rail service for far too long.

“As the figures show, Network Rail is at the heart of this poor service. Network Rail’s failings have got so severe that they have breached their franchising licence.

“It is high time we had a debate on Network Rail and 27 Members of Parliament from all three major parties support me on this.”

Senior management from both FCC and Network Rail are to be questioned on the rail companies’ performance by St Albans councillors next Thursday, January 26.

Six months after representatives from both companies were quizzed by councillors about the Thameslink service, they are returning so councillors can review progress on improving issues such as communication with customers and the compensation policy.

Cllr Robert Donald, chair of the overview and scrutiny committee which has called the meeting, said: “The committee will be keen to hear how much of the action plan that the representatives of both rail companies informed us about at the last meeting, has actually been implemented since then.”