Rail user groups in North Herts believe Govia Thameslink Railway’s £5 million fine for the chaos caused by the May 2018 timetable is merely a “token gesture”.

Letchworth’s Brotherhood Hall resembled a packed-to-the-rafters train carriage yesterday evening as around 200 people attended the joint Royston, Ashwell and Letchworth rail user groups’ public meeting.

The December timetable change for Great Northern services has been cancelled – meaning, among other things, that trains between Stevenage and Hertford will run for an extra six months.

First class carriages for Govia Thameslink’s Great Northern peak-time services have been declassified from today with hopes that – in the midst of continued cancellations and delays – it will help limit overcrowding.

The petition to the government to remove the train franchise from Govia Thameslink Railway has passed 10,000 signatures - meaning it will get a response from the government.

A damning motion condemning the ongoing problems with Govia rail services has received all-party support at County Hall.

Great Northern rail services through Royston could become part of a government-run franchise in the future, the Transport Secretary said yesterday.