MIKE Carroll, the beleaguered managing director of troubled rail firm First Great Western, is stepping down.

The 43-year-old will be staying with the company to work on plans to renew its franchise operating services between London, Bristol and Wales, while Chris Kinchin-Smith, currently an executive director at the Strategic Rail Authority, will take over the post.

But Mr Carroll's decision to bow out will come as no surprise to First Great Western customers.

He has been through a rough time since he took on the challenge of running the Swindon-based rail firm.

Despite an improvement in services in recent times, disgruntled passengers have twice threatened to strike in the last year.

And the problem became so bad that the Regional Rail Passengers Committee launched an official investigation into the company.

It concluded that 30 years of under-investment had left the network in a desperate condition and that millions of pounds were needed to get the firm back on track.

More recently, First Great Western was featured on the BBC programme UK's Worst, where it was criticised for providing an unreliable service.

Commenting on Mr Carroll's announcement, Dean Finch, managing director of First's rail division, said: "We are very sorry that Mike Carroll has decided to retire.

"He has very successfully led the renaissance of First Great Western over the past year and we are very glad that he has agreed to stay with us on a part time basis to work on First's refranchising agenda."

Chris Kinchin-Smith, 52, is a career railwayman and was managing director of LTS Rail Ltd in the run up to privatisation.

His new employer claims he turned what was the London Tilbury and Southend misery line into a pioneering and respected service.

Mr Carroll has not commented on his decision to step down, but in the past he has acknowledged that First Great Western's service has sometimes fallen below customers' expectations.

But he always maintained that moves were afoot to stop the rot, including a 20 per cent increase in staffing levels and an £18m improvement programme for its high speed train fleet.

He told the Evening Advertiser in September of last year: "I've been in railways all my working life, and I have no intention of doing anything else. It is a challenging and at times frustrating but ultimately rewarding career. I would rather do it than run Marconi or something."

Meanwhile, Vernon Barker, currently finance director of First North Western, is to become that franchise's new managing director.

Dave Kaye, the current MD of First North Western has already been appointed to be MD of First Great Eastern, where current MD Bob Breakwell is to head the new Greater Anglia franchise bid as the company's chief executive.