Connex South Central's punctuality performance was getting worse even before the Hatfield crash, it has been revealed.

According to figures published by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), passengers on Sussex's main train operator are less satisfied with the company's overall performance than they were last year.

The report, which was published yesterday, reveals a similar picture across Britain.

Only one of the Britain's 25 train companies improved its punctuality record in the six months before the derailment.

Mike Grant, the SRA's chief executive, said the decline was "unacceptable". He said: "As the figures show, even before the industry's current problems there had been an unacceptable decline in performance on the network.

"The situation has considerably worsened in the aftermath of Hatfield and the priority must be to return services to acceptable levels."

Connex South Central showed a five percent decline in punctuality in the six months to October 14. The survey revealed only 86.6 per cent of its trains arrived on time or within five minutes, compared to 91.1 per cent last year. 67 per cent of customers said they were satisfied with the overall performance of the company, compared to 71 per cent last year.

Connex's worst areas were value for money, judged to be satisfactory or good by only 37 per cent of passengers, and upkeep and repair of trains, which satisfied 41 per cent, one per cent up on last year.

The company also showed slight improvements in areas such as upkeep of trains, providing information, ticket providing facilities and station environments.

Connex South Central spokesman Ken Gibbs said: "Driver shortages which resulted in reduced services and consequent overcrowding during much of the period under review have now been overcome and full Monday to Friday services are now reinstated.

"We are heartened by the increased percentage of customers satisfied with information on train times and platforms, upkeep and maintenance of trains, station ticket buying facilities and appropriate environment to catch trains revealed in the Autumn 2000 Passenger Survey results compared to Autumn 1999."

Thameslink, which also runs trains to London from the Sussex coast, saw a four percent decline in punctuality, with 84.4 per cent of trains arriving on target compared with 88.3 per cent last year.

The company's worst area of customer satisfaction was also value for money, with only 34 per cent of customers expressing satisfaction.

Gatwick Express was one of the few companies which did not have a worse punctuality record than in 1999.

The amount of trains arriving on time or within five minutes was unchanged and 85 per cent of customers expressed overall satisfaction.

Shelley Atlas, of the Brighton Line Commuters' Association, said: "At the moment the situation is very unsettling for everyone. It doesn't surprise me at all if the performance figures are down because we have had so many complaints about late running trains and it has been going on for quite a while."

She said the train companies still had some way to go.