NEW performance figures show how the National Rail Enquiry Service (NRES) was hit in the wake of last October's Hatfield train crash.

The service, which handles more than 60 million calls from passengers a year, saw performance dip amid the ensuing network chaos.

Fewer calls could be answered by NRES staff as passengers deluged the timetable service with train inquiries.

The Strategic Rail Authority latest quarterly bulletin shows that, last summer, the percentage of calls able to be answered by NRES staff peaked in the mid nineties.

It then dropped off through the autumn to about 88 per cent, before leveling off in the new year.

Minimum standards set out by the SRA call for 92.5 per cent of calls to be answered at any one time.

Calls unanswered include those where the line is engaged - in effect put on hold - or where there is no reply.

Ernie Preston, secretary of the North-East Rail Passengers Committee, said: "The volume of calls to the NRES trebled in the wake of Hatfield and with last autumn's floods.

"We do test the system every now and again and find that most inquiries are dealt with effectively.

"But when you are dealing with so many million calls there is bound to be some that are not dealt with successfully."

Mr Preston said the RPC was still concerned about misleading information being given out to callers to NRES, although such complaints had dropped.