TRAIN BOSSES have said they “completely understand” the concerns of the borough’s commuters following years of misery caused by a £7.5billion rail modernisation programme – despite admitting to not actually commuting by rail themselves.

Easter maintenance works will be the “final jigsaw” of the project which will see Network Rail employees work from Thursday evening to Monday to move the borough’s 14 signalling boxes to the Didcot Rock Rail Operating Centre where they will then operate automatically.

But following the announcement there will be no operational trains from Reading station over the holiday period as a result of the works, Network Rail’s managing director of the First Great Western route Patrick Hallgate, who drives to work in London from his Wiltshire home, said “if we could do the work quicker then we would”.

He said: “I’d like to think our service is improving. We don’t take our responsibility lightly and we understand the level of responsibility we have to get people from A to B safely and on time, but we completely understand the concerns of passengers.

“We have five out of 10 of the most over crowded services on the Network Rail line, we’re aware of that.”

He added: “But if we could do all the work quicker then we would but we’re trying to find a balance between offering a rail service fit for the 21st century and meeting passenger needs.”

Colleague Paul Stanford, head of planning and integration, who cycles into work, explained that works over the holiday period aim to free up train capacity and will result in fewer delays, cancellations and less overcrowding.

He said: “Easter is the only time of the year that we’re really able to do these big works. Getting it done in four days is the best overall solution because we would never get longer than that in a location like Reading.

“We don’t take access opportunities lightly and it’s important we fill these four days with as much work as possible.”

Monday saw FirstGroup extend its franchise with the Department for Transport until April 2019 which will cost the rail operator £68million and will begin in September.

The new deal covers a period in which a series of upgrades will take place including the addition of 9,000 seats daily on lines serving the borough, including Reading to Paddington commuter trains.