The proportion of commuters satisfied with rail punctuality has fallen by four percentage points over the past 12 months, according to a major study.

Just 61% of people travelling by train to or from work were found to be satisfied with the reliability of their journey, down from 65% year on year.

The operators with the worst overall punctuality ratings were Southern Railway and Southeastern, which recorded just 53% and 56% respectively.

More than 29,000 passengers were polled for the Transport Focus Spring 2016 report.

The organisation's chief executive, Anthony Smith, said: "Many passengers are feeling the strain. As passenger numbers rise and welcome investment is put in place some passengers are having a difficult time with delays and cancellations making journeys stressful.

"Simply getting on a train has become a struggle for some."

He said the "main need" of passengers is a reliable railway and the results of the study "clearly show that for many this is not happening right now".

Mr Smith added: "Passengers want their reliable railway back."

Transport Focus noted that passengers using Southern Railway services have had a "particularly difficult time" as industrial disputes have aggravated the knock-on effects of record passenger numbers, major improvement works and existing problems with trains and track.

Network Rail, which manages track, signals and other rail infrastructure, and Southeastern, which runs trains in south-east London, Kent and East Sussex, issued a joint statement which said there were "a number of factors" which hindered the quality of service when the survey was conducted between January and March.

These included ongoing rebuilding work at London Bridge, the aftermath of Storm Imogen, the partial collapse of the sea wall at Dover and landslides at Barnehurst which closed a main line into London for nearly a week.

Overall satisfaction with rail journeys nationally remained unchanged at 80%.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing train operators and Network Rail, claimed the survey highlighted the importance of investing in the network to meet growing passenger numbers.

Jacqueline Starr, RDG managing director of customer experience, said: "With ever-growing demand for rail, large parts of the railway are full. That's why billions of pounds are being spent to provide much-needed extra capacity and more reliable, modern services which meet our customers' needs.

"Everyone in the railway is working hard to create a bigger, better railway for Britain and to make passengers' journeys better from start to finish."

Meanwhile Hove MP Peter Kyle has claimed commuters in his constituency have been given written warnings for consistent lateness at work.

My Kyle told the House of Commons during transport questions: "I'm getting people writing to me who are being late for work every day and their bosses are giving them written warnings now."

  • Have you or someone you know been issued with a written warning over your late arrival at work due to railway delays? Email news@theargus.co.uk