King’s Lynn and West Norfolk train passengers frustrated by delayed journeys and fares which are ‘too high’, survey shows

People are frustrated by train delays and fares which are “too high”, according to the results of a new survey.

As part of his bid to improve transport services in and around North West Norfolk, James Wild MP has released the findings of his recent survey on rail services following concerns raised by residents regarding routes to and from Lynn.

He says the results reinforce the concerns many people have already raised, including the impact of disruption, high fares, and service issues.

Recent performance figures highlight the issues with fewer than half of trains to Lynn arriving on time over the summer, alongside cancellations and regular weekend closures due to infrastructure works.

Survey responses highlighted key areas of concern:

• 78% said fares were too high

• 88% travelled less when replacement buses were in place

• 87% had experienced a cancelled train and 57% experience at least one delay a week

• 45% felt onboard service and facilities could be improved

Passengers highlighted reliability as the most pressing issue. Frequent delays and cancellations disrupted work, healthcare, and family plans.

One commuter said: “The trains from Lynn have become so unreliable that I’ve started driving to Peterborough instead.”

Another added “The 7.10am to Cambridge - the key commuter service - is the one that gets cancelled most.”

Others described being stranded when evening trains were cancelled, with one noting: “The last two times I went to the office I couldn’t get back to Watlington and had to stay overnight.”

Concerns over fares and value for money were also widespread. Many compared costs unfavourably with driving, pointing to price rises without improvements in service.

As one passenger said: “It used to cost £50 for an open return - now it’s £80 even with a Railcard.”

Another said: “Two of us travelled to London and it was cheaper to drive - and took the same amount of time.”

Several felt that rising prices, combined with unreliable services, left them questioning whether rail remained a viable option.

Service standards and communication during disruption were another recurring theme. Passengers reported poor information when trains were cancelled or delayed, with one noting: “Communication around cancellations is poor, and staff often don’t have information.”

Others pointed to broken toilets and overcrowding, including one parent who said: “We had to get off at Cambridge so my child could use the loo, as none of the toilets were working.”

Many felt such issues compounded disruption and undermined confidence in the service.

Commenting on his findings, Mr Wild said: “It is essential to be able to rely on trains or other public transport getting you where you need to be on time - whether for work, study, appointments, or leisure.

“These results show how disruption, high fares, and service issues are affecting rail users.

“Reliable train services should be the norm. I will be raising these results with Great Northern and Network Rail and pressing for improvements and service standards that customers pay for and rightly deserve."

Mr Wild will meet representatives from Great Northern and Network Rail to discuss the survey findings and work with them to help secure more reliable, high-quality train service for passengers.

More than 150 regular users of the train service responded to the survey.