AMSTERDAM — Dutch rail firm NS announced on Friday it has met its punctuality target for the first three months of the year.

Between January and March, 86.4 percent of trains ran according to schedule, slightly above the target of 86 percent agreed with the Ministry of Transport.

An NS spokesperson told the GPD news service that 90.9 percent of its services ran on time in the last week.

The company has come in for criticism in recent years over fare increases despite rising delays on the rail network. It missed its punctuality target of 86.5 percent in 2005 by 1.7 percent. 

It has blamed the problems on bad weather, old equipment and maintenance work. NS and track administrator ProRail have worked together on a programme to evaluate all their processes to minimise delays.

Train staff have also be asked to give tips on how to improve punctuality.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2006]

Subject: Dutch news