An Enfield MP has criticised a train operator for providing “shocking” services in the borough.

Joan Ryan, MP for Enfield North, attacked the Govia Thameslink services provided to commuters using the Hertford Loop line during a debate in Parliament last week.

Ms Ryan criticised the company, which operates the Great Northern route through Enfield Chase, Gordon Hill and Crews Hill stations.

She said she could “run an advice surgery on the train service while I am waiting for the train”, given the number of constituents who approach her on the platform to complain about the lack of customer service and poor train punctuality.

She said: “The standard of service on offer to rail commuters on the Hertford Loop line is shocking. 

“When Govia took over the running of the Great Northern routes in 2014, we were promised that their focus would be on ‘improving the customer experience’.

“But there has been a definite drop in the standard of service and I will continue to hold Govia bosses to account until we see vast improvements on the line.”

According to Govia’s daily performance statistics, only half of Great Northern trains arrived at their destination at their scheduled time on Monday, March 14, with almost 20 per cent arriving more than five minutes late – with similar performances through the rest of the week.

Ms Ryan also criticised the low level of publicity the company had given to its consultation on ticket office closures, which will affect passengers using Gordon Hill and Enfield Chase stations.

She said she has written to the senior management team to raise her concerns.

Roger Perkins, for Great Northern, said over 86 per cent of trains in Enfield are on time, and that they wanted to improve on that.

He said: "We believe our plans to improve staff availability, train reliability and the work we’re doing with Network Rail to reduce the number of signalling and track faults will make a real difference.

“Ms Ryan talks about a lack of customer service but we have already introduced staffing from the first train to the last at Enfield Chase and Crews Hill.

"We also want to introduce new station hosts at Enfield Chase and Gordon Hill who would be able to assist passengers with ticket sales for 65 and 82 hours longer than the ticket offices are open at those respective stations today.

"These changes were well publicised through station posters, station PA announcements and information on our website.”