THE toll taken by the daily misery caused to commuters by our appalling train service has been laid bare in this paper for many weeks now.

Today is no different with a commuter’s diary terrible testimony to the frustration and stress of long days waiting to get to work or home.

The cancellations and delays are leading commuters to question whether they can remain in their jobs and is putting strains on family life.

It is a small piece of good news that Hove MP Peter Kyle has succeeded in persuading Govia bosses to face commuters at a public meeting next month.

That will be a “lion’s den” moment for the suits but at least this farce is forcing some degree of accountability on those who run the trains.

And not before time too. It has taken far too long for this issue to become the pressing matter it should be. Only after fed-up commuters and The Argus took up cudgels did government ministers and rail chiefs start to take notice.

While it is obviously right that the train company should feel the frustration of the people who pay good and ever increasing sums of money for its services the rail union RMT also has questions to answer.

It is right that the union fights for its members' jobs but it must do so in a reasonable manner that does not unduly impact on travellers.

There is a clear sense of the inevitable that the new technology on incoming trains will change the job of guards. The sooner practical solutions rather than posturing is sought by both sides the better.