Achievements

We have made significant progress since we started operating in December 2004. Our achievements include:

• Punctuality - the number of trains on time - has risen from 83% in the year to December 2004, when Northern started, to 89.2% in the year to January 2009
• The number of passengers travelling with Northern has risen by 31% in four years to 83.3 million - more than double the 33 million carried by British Airways!
• We have invested more than £20m in improvements to train depots, stations, ticket retailing systems and other facilities that have a direct or indirect benefit to passengers.
• In addition, we have instigated and led partnerships to attract further investment of at least £80m, some of it from outside the rail or transport industry.
• We are being recognised for our partnership ethos and flair in delivering improvements for passengers. We won the Rural Award for Excellence at the Business in the Community 2007 awards and the Public Transport Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards 2007.

We won Rail Business of the Year and Train Operator of the Year at the HSBC Rail Awards in February 2008, the first time any company has won both prizes in the same year. The judges said: "We had little difficulty in giving the top marks to Northern Rail. The train operator has faced unprecedented growth (along with the rest of the passenger rail sector) and has had to deal with this without assistance, other than the subsidy agreed when the franchise was awarded to maintain a 'stand still' situation."

"Northern Rail has dealt with the problems in all sorts of innovative ways, including persuading Yorkshire's Regional Development Authority (RDA) to help finance additional rolling stock - something no other RDA in the country has done.

"Northern Rail should be very proud of the way all its staff reacted to this challenge and the high level of service it is providing."

Northern won the Outstanding Teamwork Award at the National Rail Awards 2008, the second successive year that we have won this category. This year we were recognised for our response to the severe flooding in summer 2007. The judges said: "The commitment of the Northern team was exemplary...staff were true to their word."