FIRST Great Western denies accusations from the Liberal Democrats that the extra staff it is taking on are "pen-pushers" and insists they will improve services to customers.

We hope this is true. If ever any group of consumers deserved such improvements, it is those who must use our railway system.

Between the middle six months of 2000 and the same period two years later, the number of First Great Western trains which were at least five minutes late rose from 24 per cent to 38.3 per cent. This was the biggest increase noted in a Lib-Dem survey of 15 train operators.

Meanwhile, First Great Western has just increased fares.

The Government is forever chiding us for preferring our cars to public transport. It likes to portray car users as selfish and lazy. The reality is often a choice between a relatively stress free journey and a frequently fruitless wait on a platform followed by being late to work.

We deserve better, and if the train companies can't deliver better, then perhaps our elected representatives should start penalising them.