AN MP has met senior Government officials to address railway problems faced by commuters.

Sir Nicholas Soames, MP for Mid Sussex, has taken a stand for commuters, branding the East Grinstead railway line service very poor and completely unacceptable and hopeless.

As well as meeting senior officials from the Department for Transport, he also met the Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling to discuss the issues.

Sir Nicholas said: “I told the Department of Transport that I was not interested in discussing delays caused by infrastructure failings, cows on the line, etc or any of the other normal dismal excuses.

“I made the point that I wanted the management to be held accountable for the continued failings by Southern to provide drivers for the services for which local people pay so much money.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that there are no drivers available for some of these services for whatever reason.

“You do not turn up at Gatwick to be told that there is no pilot for your flight.”

It was agreed that the department would make representations to the management of Govia Thameslink Railway, which owns Southern Railway, to emphasise that improvements are needed.

Sir Nicholas said: “This is entirely a management issue and I look to the company to ensure that there are no more rostering failures, badly managed sickness rates or logistical problems of getting the right drivers to the right trains on this line.”