FIRST Capital Connect (FCC) is the worst train provider in the country according to a recently published poll.

The company, which serves Royston and other stations in Crow country, has been voted as the worst in the UK, with a survey revealing just 40 per cent of passengers were satisfied with the service.

The poll, run by Which?, surveyed more than 7,500 people over the last 12 months about their train journeys. More than 460 of those were FCC passengers.

Which? chief executive Richard Lloyd said: “Passengers tell us they are fed up with trains that are delayed, overcrowded and dirty. This is especially disappointing as many commuters can’t shop around or change the company they travel with.

“Train companies need to play fair with their customers, especially when they are being asked to pay more for their journeys.”

FCC, which claimed the figures did not reflect its service, cited another poll which showed a much higher satisfaction rate.

A spokesman said: “This research quizzed just 461 people online out of the 170,000 we carry every day.

“A face-to-face survey by rail watchdog Passenger Focus which is audited by the Office of National Statistics that shows 81 per cent of our passengers are satisfied or very satisfied with our service and 13 per cent are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Just six per cent expressed dissatisfaction.”